Thank You Miramax...

Rating: 10/10 (6 September 2003)

Hero, which is gorgeously made by a dream team. Zhang Yimou as Director, Emi Wada as Costume Designer, Christopher Doyle as Cinematographer, Tan Dun as Composer, and a large talented cast.
The Story: As incoherent as it goes, it plays with the audiences guilibilty. Left to chose to believe either the Emperor or the man Nameless. This is as close as we can play reality with the film. To leave everything to the audiences' decision. The story is filled with conception of honor, loyalty, and value. We really have to figure out what's right and if it's worth fighting for. The story plays quite well, although due to lack of explanation. The story doesn't quite play through.
The Acting: Although I do feel dissapointed that Donnie Yen made the tiniest of cameos, I wish that he would do more for the role. The acting here varies, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung are the scene stealers, they really blew me away. Zhang ZiYi actually is better than she was in CTHD, she delievers a great range of expressions. Jet Li is where the problems starts, although I do think that he's a great fighter. His cold expressions were plain, and I thought that was great at first. But, he played it too cooly. They should have given him more character development. Chen Daoming was perfect for the role of the emporer, he played interestingly in his scenes. His curiousity for the truth and what he thinks what really happens. The acting team is great, but with lack of screen time, it really doesn't help out the characters and the film.
The Production: The Production team is the greatest yet! With my all-time favorite DP, Christopher Doyle, he gives my eyes remedies. The lighting, the color, the angles, and the shots. They're all just perfect. The costumes are great, I especially love the white costumes, and the Emporer's Armor. The film score is very moving as well, and its a big improvment from CTHD. The editing is nice, very smooth cuts, and the special effects are great. Although I do think that the Arrow in the Red section was a bit sloppy. It must've been very hard to have millions of arrows shooting towards a building. But, I thought that it looked too fake... I did like the forest fight scene though.
The Fight scenes are also great, we get to see a different kind of martial art. Something that hasn't been quite used in a while, there are clean quick movements and smooth graceful movements. It's an actual ballet with swords.
The Politics: This is where MY title comes into effect. Now, I do say Miramax has done a great job of releasing Hero in America...Oh wait...they haven't! Wow....Great fighting scenes, great cinematography, great score, great editing, great costumes, great acting, great story, great special effects, and also great direction. What could possibly make Miramax shy this littleBIG film from America? Maybe, Chicago had something to do with it... Maybe Miramax won't get their money's worth when they release it only in some 100 art-house theaters across America. Well, I have so much anger for Miramax's lack of support for this film that I don't want to explain it here. I know that there are millions others that agree with me. Those who are afraid of risking there own, will have already risk losing more. So, When Miramax does eventually end up releasing the film, don't buy into it. Miramax actually have the guts to ask Zhang Yimou to cut 20 mins of footage that was of Two Hours of film, and this was released worldwide. There is NO International Cut, or Director's Cut. Only, Miramax's Cut, which runs 98 mins. Sucks doesn't it...Maybe that's why the film was a bit less coherent.