As beautiful as it is repulsive

Rating: 3/10 (16 April 2005)

"Hero" is beautiful to watch thanks to the stunning cinematography by Christopher Doyle, who once again showcases the trademark style he has so successfully exercised in collaborations with Wong Kar-Wai and others. That's the sparkling surface of this movie, but unfortunately it's rotten at the very core. We can be sure the Chinese government and other totalitarian regimes very much like the message, since it serves perfectly as a justification for whatever action they deem necessary for the greater good of forming a "great nation". "Hero" is no laughing matter either. The movie is so obsessed with conveying its oh so important deep and meaningful message about the virtue of individual sacrifice for the greater good, that there is no room for humor and irony, even though there would have been plenty of opportunity for it.