Over the last few years, the king has grown paranoid, fearing three deadly assassins who have been waiting for the chance to strike. If no one gets near the king, he figures, no one can kill the king. If anyone is to approach the king, he must first kill one of the three assassins. Nameless claims to have killed all three.
First we flashback to Nameless' story. He tells of how he killed Long Sky who was supposed to be one of the finest spearmen of China. Director Zhang Yimou shows us the first of many wonderfully choreographed duels. Each one has some specific characteristic which sets it aside from the others. This one takes place in the rain. There are beautiful shots of falling drops, including one spectacular slow-motion shot of Nameless lunging forward, shattering the raindrops into pieces. A blind man sits in the corner plucking away at his harp, following the rhythm of the fight. Hero is full of such rich details that make watching it a joy.
Nameless continues to tell of how he turned Flying Snow and Broken sword (who were a couple) against each other and so came to be only 10 paces from the king. This is an amusing story, which contains a lot of passion, lovers, betrayals, murders, and a fantastic sequence in which Nameless teams up with Snow to protect a calligraphy school from thousands of archers. Together, they swats away arrows like flies. Meanwhile, inside the school, the calligraphy students and their master calmly continue their work.
However, the king sees through this tale, and proclaims it a lie. He tells his own version of the story in which Nameless conspired with all three assassins to get close to him and kill him. Finally, Nameless confesses (what seems to be) the truth which is an interesting mix of the first two versions. Towards the end, Yimou finds a surprising, thoughtful and inspiring way to seamlessly move beyond this specific story to make claims about the sacrifices one has to make not just to be called a hero but to be a true hero. Roger Ebert said "a film like 'Hero' demonstrates how the martial arts genre transcends action and violence and moves into poetry, ballet and philosophy." I wholeheartedly agree. That is why I love Hero.
Other Thoughts
- Red is a prominent color in the first story Nameless tells. This is the most emotional of the three. Blue is the dominant color of the king's version of events. He sees the assassins who wish him dead as calm, strategic people who would not be so reckless as Nameless suggested. White is the dominant color of Namless' second story. That's why I think it's the truth. Also, even though he previously lied, it was only to get near the king. Now that he's 10 paces from the king, he doesn't have to lie.
- Slow-motion is used in an inventive way. It seems to add weight to the character's movements. For example in one duel, as Snow swings her sword, it creates a strong wind that sweeps up thousands of yellow leaves. It's ingenious, not to mention gorgeous.
- Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon uses a similar structure, telling 4 different versions of one event. Although it is more philosophical it is as entertaining as Hero and is worth watching.
Verdict- 4/4
Hero (2002) PG-13 1h 39 min.
Verdict- 4/4
Hero (2002) PG-13 1h 39 min.
