Hero - review
Hero - review
Director: Yimou Zhang
Players: Jet Li, Ziyi Zhang, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung
Yimou Zhang’s historical epic kicks, flips, and descends upon our
screens.
What’s it about?
In pre-unified China a nameless warrior (Jet Li) approaches a fearful warlord
with the news of defeating his three dangerous adversaries, laying down the
gauntlet for the general’s grand scheme. Presented in flashback the
warrior tells his tale.
Gravity defying stunts, fearless warriors, and lush visuals. Hmmm, yeah Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon sure was a great film, but after it’s applaud smattering
release and it’s directors proud entrance into the Hollywood elite the
market had been left open. But after four years since its release a new warrior
has strolled into town. Director and co-writing this epic filmmaker Yimou
Zhang (Raise the Red Lantern) has crafted a picture of stunning quality and
magnitude.
Beginning with the nameless warrior’s entrance into the great temple
and his subsequent meeting with the regions fearful warlord (Daoming Chen)
we are introduced in flashback to some truly awesome fights where the nameless
warrior fights his enemies amidst beautiful surroundings, yet still the battles
remain nail biting in their intricacy. With this vibrant opening you encounter
the films first and only stumbling block – its use of flashback. Inevitably
any film of this kind is going to draw comparisons with Akira Kurosawa’s
Rashomon, but further still delving into this films often complicated plot
the story seems to follow within the same vain as the aforementioned classic
a tale based on truth and lies. Never holding this point as a plagiaristic
fault the film does however become enveloped within its own complicity, the
endless stream of flashbacks end up prolonging the films climax taking away
some of its power, also character depth is minimal where the men of the picture
all wear pride on their brightly coloured sleeves and speak through their
strict moral codes it is however the woman of the picture that create the
most depth with Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) portraying a strong willed assassin
partner to Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai). It’s in her battle with
Moon (Ziyi Zhang) you bear witness to the films most gravitating and stunning
scene within an autumn wood.
Following on to performances, which are at an acceptable level with Li playing
an interesting lead a definite welcome change from his previous output of
urban drudgery, Cheung and Wai take up most of the screen time as the love
torn partnership both meeting different fates within the nameless warrior’s
convoluted tale of lies, both turn in fantastic performances lending the film
some heart and warmth. Yet it is this films exceptional beauty where cinematographer
Christopher Doyle (Rabbit Proof Fence) and Yimou Zhang have lensed such visceral
beauty within the frame where at the blink of an eye the nameless warrior
is duelling on water, surrounded by a thick, green forestry and next staging
a magnificent swordfight in a Lean-esque desert surrounding again filmed in
such detail you can pin point each finely coloured, grain of sand. Each frame
of this picture is painted with a fine brush allowing colour particularly
in costume to lend the viewer an insight into its characters motives and emotions
and even assisting in untangling the complicated plot.
Its no wonder Quentin Tarantino has eagerly endorsed this epic and with Yimou
Zhang stating Hero as merely being an experiment in comparison to his next
foray into the kung fu epic we can only wait in anticipation for his next
release The House Of Flying Daggers.
Verdict.
Definitely a case of style over substance, but with breathtaking visuals and
stunning fight sequences this is one history lesson you’ll never forget.
by Shaun Davis
These views are not necessarily the views of flicKerNOW
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