HERO is an epic visual treat with a great performance by Jet Li

Miramax | 2002 | Rated PG-13 | 99 minutes | List price: $44.99 | Get it for less at Amazon

By bringing HERO to American audiences, Quentin Tarantino and Miramax allow us to see a movie that is essentially a perfect example of its genre. Director Zhang Yimou (CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER) creates a sweeping epic that combines excellent action sequences, an engaging story of heroism and love, and aesthetic brilliance. The story follows a nameless warrior (Jet Li) on his quest to assassinate the fearsome king of Qin who destroyed his family. The king is attempting to unite the seven warring states of China but has made many enemies in the conquered lands. To protect against assassination attempts, no one is allowed within 100 paces of the ruler. The nameless warrior must get within ten paces though to execute a move that is guaranteed to kill his foe. To gain access to the king, the warrior brings the weapons of three great assassins, Sky (Donnie Yen), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), and Broken Sword (Tony Leung). The story of how the warrior acquired the weapons and of his true intentions is slowly revealed, and then he must decide the fate of the king and of a united China.

HERO is defined by its visual brilliance. It is a sequence of one beautiful picture after another. From sweeping desolate vistas, to lush wilderness, to the grandeur of the King’s palace, each of the movies’ scenes is characterized by its own landscape and colors. In one fight scene between Flying Snow and Moon (Zhang Ziyi), a forest blanketed with golden yellow autumn leaves is perfectly complemented by the rich reds of the characters’ robes. In another, Li and Leung battle on a perfectly still lake surrounded by misty peaks. Every landscape used is stunning in its natural beauty, and the film’s color palette is rich and complex. Windswept empty moonscapes are contrasted with the sequenced multitudes of the King’s Palace (think Bejing Opening Ceremonies). HERO as a film becomes a lesson in visual harmony and balance.

HERO is also an action movie, though not in a “beat them up” kind of way. While there is no lack of martial arts in this film, including an amazing, and long awaited, scene reuniting Jet Li and Donnie Yen, the martial arts are very balletic with an emphasis on wirework. The result is a flowing action that compliments the visual beauty and story of the film. HERO is a subtle and harmonious blend of action, story, and cinematography with no aspect overshadowing another. The balance of HERO is further augmented by a lovely score featuring violinist, Itzhak Perlman and traditional drummers, Kodo.

HERO is a film that immerses the viewer in its vision and world. It is a movie to be absorbed by the senses and to be fully experienced moment by moment. It addresses issues of loyalty, love, and the true nature of heroism while it entertains with stunning displays of martial arts. It made me better recognize and appreciate the beauty in the natural world and in the human spirit.

HERO is a rare film in that it is perfect within itself. It is quite simply, great art.

For the Blu-ray release, Miramax is including a digital copy of the film to allow viewers to play the movie on the go via their computer. There are a couple of documentaries, including a nine minute “Close-Up of a Fight Scene,” interviews with Quentin Tarantino and Jet Li, a storyboard section comparing the film’s storyboards to that of the finished product and a twenty-four minute making of featurette “HERO Defined” where director Zhang Yimou gives insight into some of the challenges the cast and crew faced filming in such remote areas of China. Overall, the bonus features are exactly what one would expect and provide informative insight into the making of this epic.

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Movie Rating:

Blu-ray bonus features rating: AVERAGE