A masterpiece of style and substance

Rating: 10/10 (15 July 2005)

The most stylish film I've seen all year (alright, let's include last year as well). I first heard about this movie in 2004. My classmates were raving about it. Yet when I checked IMDb I found out it was released in 2002! I had no idea New Zealand was so far behind. Sadly, I missed the run it had in the cinema (I have a 61" TV but it still can't beat the BIG screen). A couple of days ago my brother rented some 8-day DVD's. HERO was one of them. I'm so-o totally impressed with the action, the color, the story, the music and the cinematography. The whole package! Yes, even the acting and the costumes. I've watched it twice so far and I've still got a week to see it again (and again, and again....). There's a powerful, wonderfully compelling story that builds tension as the scenes progress. The fight sequences are dazzling and poetic with beautiful scenery and terrific sets. The colors used in the various scenes add mood and drama to an already sumptuous visual feast. The music, especially those drums, make me yearn for a Dolby 5.1 decoder. (I'll call my other brother to see if I can borrow his system for the week.) It's flawless. I liked Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - although kung-fu and wu-xia films are not my favorite genres - but HERO is something else, something special, something more than magnificent.