A Stunning Work of Art

Rating: 9/10 (12 November 2005)

The Hollywood action crowd could learn a thing or two from "Hero," a martial arts picture that tells a complex story to go along with its fight scenes and generates one unforgettable image after another.
Set in the period before China became a united kingdom, "Hero" deals with such classic themes as courage, self-sacrifice, honor, revenge and romantic passion, and does so on a scale that is both intimate and epic. In this tale about the founding of a nation, the protagonist is a master swordsman, known only as "Nameless," who is either an assassin of other would-be assassins who are out to kill a king, or an assassin bent on killing the king himself. The beauty of the story is that it unfolds in the form of a mystery, almost "Rashomon"-like in the way it views the same incidents from the differing and often contradictory perspectives of various characters, some of them eyewitnesses to the events and others spinning tales out of pure speculation. Like the images in a kaleidoscope, the plot points are constantly grouping, then falling to pieces, then re-grouping into other patterns until a full-blown picture of the entire story at last emerges.
The kaleidoscope analogy is a fitting one, for it is in its visuals that "Hero" truly becomes a masterpiece. The film is like an artist's canvas brought brilliantly to life, a canvas covered with the most vivid and eye-popping colors imaginable. Whether it's the sight of huge armies marching against impressive landscapes, their flags of war fluttering in the breeze, or thousands upon thousands of arrows soaring through the air in a literal rain of death, or a beautifully choreographed fight scene in a meadow strewn with impossibly yellow and red autumn leaves, "Hero"'s imagery makes an indelible impression on the viewer. As is the custom with many recent Chinese films, the swordfight scenes have been turned into slow motion ballets, with the participants defying gravity by flying effortlessly through the air to unimaginable heights. This emphasis on the surreal gives the film the mythic quality it needs to tells its ancient tale.
Yet, even with all its visual sumptuousness, "Hero" never forgets that it is, first and foremost, a story about people - their lives, their loves, and the conflicts they face as they play out the roles assigned to them by history. Rather than getting buried under all the visuals, the characters are able to stand out from the background and make their mark on the viewer's heart. This is helped immeasurably by the fine performances from Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, and Maggie Cheung among others.
Kudos to writers Feng Li and Bin Wang, director Yimou Zhang, cinematographer Christopher Doyle, costume designer Emi Wada and all the other talented artists who have had a hand in crafting one of the most visually exquisite and intellectually satisfying films in recent memory. American movie makers please take note!