Shed your Western pretension to sophistication to enjoy the movie.

Rating: 10/10 (30 October 2005)

I will not get into summarizing the plot here, as many reviewers have already done so splendidly. However, I would say that it is advisable to lay down your prejudices against China/the Orient if you want to have a chance at enjoying the movie.
It appears that quite a few Westerners jump all over "Hero" for its supposed "Communist" message, namely, sacrifice for the greater good. This criticism is, in fact, quite asinine. Though the message comes through very strongly in the movie, it is hardly a Communism-specific ideal. In fact, I would say that all historical heroes, the Western ones even, became heroes not for acts petty self interest (called "individualism" in the US), but rather for acts based on ideals which transcend individual gratification. It is thus quite interesting to see many Westerners decry Hero's message as Communist. This curious phenomenon brings us to the point of Western pretension to sophistication.
The crux of the matter, truth be told, is the knee-jerk hatred and contempt many Westerners have for China. Most Westerners know next to nothing about China. Yet vitriolic polemics are always guaranteed to spout like the Old Faithful. This is the antithesis of individualism at work. This is "group think." Nowadays, it is no longer sufficient to simply watch a movie as a piece of entertainment. One has to "interpret" the movie, back and forth and inside out. There MUST be a deeper layer of meaning. One MUST see past what's apparent to dig out a hidden twist. Unfortunately, given the general ignorance of Westerners about China, there is not much material to work with except mindless bashing. Communism! Propaganda! The same o' Western tripe.
So what is a hero? It seems that for many Westerners (not all), it is someone who survives 500 rounds of bullets to rescue the damsel in distress and, of course, to eventually fornicate with her.
"Hero," or "Ying Xiong," is not a historical documentary. If you can't figure that out, you have much graver problems in life. "Hero" is a piece of entertainment. A visually stunning and emotionally powerful one at that. Have no fear, go ahead and watch it. It won't turn you into a Communist.
*PS: The words Broken Sword writes do no mean "our land." It literally means "all under heaven." If you don't know Chinese, it's all too easy to get fooled.