Hero (Ying Xiong) Movie Review:


Set 2000 years ago, when China was divided into seven warring States, “Hero” opens with the story of a lone swordsman known only as “Nameless”, who has been invited to see the King of Qin and recant to him tales of battle.
The Emperor wishes for all of the States to unite and become one peaceful land, and has hired Nameless to assist him in this by taking out rogue forces “Sky”, “Flying Snow” and “Broken Sword”, whom he perceives as a threat to his plans….

From here on in, this morphs into an astonishing piece of reflective narrative involving manipulation of a simple, poemic tale, spilling over with spiritual imagery, fantasy and imaginative sword-play.

As for the one-on-one battle scenes, just leave your jaw on the floor and pick it up on the way out.
Choreographed like a magnificent ballet, this has to contain some of the most elegant, inventive show-downs ever put on celluloid, each one like an individual masterpiece, and the parallel between the art of calligraphy and the skill with a blade is just inspired.
On top of this, the cinematography is also epic, totally captivating. This really raises the bar in terms of scale and capturing the beauty of that era. Christopher Doyle has used everything in his arsenal to ensure this it is impossible to look away from the screen, even for a second.
In places, single characters also take on whole armies, who glide across the bleached empty desert (imagine a giant Zen garden), like a vast synchronised trail of black and red ink.
Indeed, scenes are drenched in deliciously bold colours which also relate to the plot (say no more!), facilitating an opportunity to really show what can be achieved in costume and set pieces.

Scenes are frequently played out in slow-motion to ensure that we see the intensity in warriors’ faces as they cut through the air, using wire work and special effects to create a dreamy effect, their swords so sharp they can slice through a rain-drop.
In one scene involving “Flying Snow”, her moves are almost supernatural.

There is also a sense of great sincerity and respect between characters, even extending to acknowledging the skills of their enemies.
The soundtrack immerses one in a sensation of being swept up and carried off to another world, in places even being worked into the fabric of the story rather than just breezing along in the background, and as well as having lovely languid strings and gentle drums, there are also more frantic moments, thundering hooves and shrieking battle cries.

In case you weren’t sure, this is without doubt the best movie of the Edinburgh Festival 2004.

It’s a real shocker that this has been floating around in cinematic limbo for the past TWO YEARS.
Why oh why? It is a huge insult to people’s intelligence to think they won’t ‘get it’ – a lovingly crafted story that longs to unify rather than divide cultures, that plucks the heart strings gently without descending into slush, and has splendid acting and glorious battles that make the “Matrix” sequel’s so called “Burly Brawl” look like a tickling contest.

This is one of the best films of recent times and comes highly recommended, so be sure to seek it out when it finally gets released.

Terresa Gaffney

A nameless warrior (Li) returns to the kingdom of Qin claiming that he has defeated the King’s (Chen) three greatest enemies, Broken Sword (Chiu Wai), Flying Snow (Cheung) and Sky (Yen). He regales the monarch with his tale of discipline, cunning and swordplay that led to these three legendary assassins falling by his sword. As he presents the King with the weapons of his enemy, his Majesty starts to question the nameless warrior’s motivations, thinking he might not be telling the entire story.

In the same vein of ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’, Hero brings the majesty of ancient Chinese folklore and legend to the screen but you have never seen a movie as visually stunning as this.

Almost two years after its Chinese release in 2002, it’s Oscar nomination for Best Foreign film and a lot of pressure from director Quentin Tarantino, Hero finally makes it to Western cinema screens and it has well worth the wait. This is one of the most beautiful films you will ever see. Each frame is a master class of cinematography, set design, costume, lighting and visual effects, all bathed in a glorious colour palette that reflects the essence of the story.

Fight chorographer Wei Tung brings out the best in the six main actors to produce some of the best wire-based martial arts to grace the silver screen. Jet Li has always excelled in fights scenes but in this movie he takes it to another level. His skill with the sword is extraordinary, using the blade as an extension of his hand and with a precision that shows total control. The opening confrontation with Donnie Yen’s sky sets the tone for the movie but the fights just keep getting more extravagant and complex. Just wait until you witness the revenge driven fight between Maggie Cheung’s Flying Snow and Zhang Ziyi’s Moon is the autumn forest, as martial arts and stunning visuals combine to produce a breathtaking spectacle.

Martial arts do play a pivotal role in the film but it isn’t the most important component. It is the story that takes centre stage and it is one that draws you in from the start. This is a tale of revenge, deception and truth that plays out over three tellings as the nameless warrior and the King converse about how he came into the possession of the three weapons. With colour making the different versions of the movie stand out, it is also the performances that make the three tales individual. While Jet Li’s character remains the same throughout, it is the performances of Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi that show the different aspects of the story and the reasoning’s behind each version of the tale. In essence it means that the three actors playing Broken Sword, Flying Snow and Moon had to play three different versions of the same character and it is the skill of the performers involved that make each of them suitably different.

Director Yimou Zhang has brought together a cast and crew to produce on of the most beautiful movies you will ever see. While the story me be slight, in essence it is three variations of the same theme, it is engaging enough to grab you attention and be more than just a way of connection together the gloriously choreographed fight scenes. Hero is a must for all fans of the genre and lovers of film in general. The film is a merger of art, film and martial arts that has a story to tell and performances to watch.

Star Rating = * * * *

Jamie Kelwick

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