Hero is 'a tale about loyalty and trust, about a code of honour among warriors'.

Rating: 10/10 (8 July 2005)

I have seen a lot of films and every now and then I come across one that really touches me with its story, action and mise-en-scene. This is one of those films. Hero is 'a tale about loyalty and trust, about a code of honour among warriors'. It follows the story of a nameless assassin (Li) in the third century BC in China who tells the King of Qin that he has killed his three fiercest enemies. But is he telling the truth? This is the first action film from director Yimou Zhang and features non-action actors (Cheung, Ziyi and Chen) who manage to look like pros. They even did most of their own stunts at the director's request. The house of chess sequence includes a traditional Hong Kong style fight sequence from martial arts legends Jet Li and Donnie Yen. Hero is full of strong, vibrant colours and great choreography. Some of the film is shot in black and white (the house of chess sequence) and some scenes are almost totally red. Colour plays a dominant role as it has many connotations. It gives the film a stylised look. Hero is full of visual poetry. The wood sequence where Moon (Ziyi) seeks vengeance after her master's death is a spectacular action sequence. As Moon and Flying Snow (Cheung) fight, hundreds of golden leaves fly through the air. My favourite sequence is the one on the lake. It is so beautifully shot. It took three weeks to film as the water had to be perfectly still but it was worth it. It is one of the most memorable sequences of the film. The blue of Broken Sword's (Leung Chiu Wai) clothes blends well with the setting. There is a lot of wire work and when Broken Sword and Nameless bounce off the water you can imagine how much time and effort went into the choreography. The scenes of Hero are full of emotion and the music reflects the mood of the characters well. It also features a lot of exotic locations. Hero ticks all of the right boxes - action, story, direction, music, mise-en-scene, location... I could go on forever. You'll have a hard job finding a better DVD to rent this week-end.