Hero

Zhang Yimou lost whatever credibility he possessed by making this film, which glorifies the Chinese ideology of totalitarianism. Hero attempts to portray the Qin emperor Shi Huang Di (Ying Zheng) as some kind of benevolent philosopher-king and downplays the enormous suffering and death caused by his selfish war of conquest. In actuality, Ying practiced a brutal form of national government called legalism, which ancient Chinese scholars considered especially barbaric, and in a testament to its unpopularity, his dynasty lasted only 11 years. Moreover, the Yan assassin Jing Ke perished because he failed to kill Ying and not because he chose to sacrifice himself in favor of some fallacious notion of prosperity under the banner of forced unity. Lastly, despite the chaos and upheaval, the Warring States period was noted for its social, economic, and intellectual vibrancy, in which the Qin contributed little.

Artistically, the film suffers from a narrative morass and does a terrible job of imitating Rashomon. It relies too heavily upon computer-generated special effects and hence lacks the intense physicality of well-crafted wuxia films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Hero is the 21st century's version of Birth of a Nation and Triumph of the Will, metaphorical justifications for the oppression of the weak and innocent at the hands of their self-serving leaders.

It is really frustrating reading the reviews on this movie.

**SPOILERS**
If you haven't watched the movie, go watch it. If you don't get it because the translations are so bad, then you can come read this and watch it again. IF you still don't get it, email me...
**SPOILERS**

First of all, this IS a martial arts movie. For anybody who has spent any serious time study martial arts, martial arts isn't just about kicking and punching. With particular attention to Chinese martial arts, martial arts is very much more about the lifelong pursuit of peace. There is a graduation from being the fastest, strongest, most able to destroy, focusing on the narcissistic self, to being a sacrificial humble person who seeks to spread morality through influence rather than the sword.

The first "mind" fighting scene should be a HUGE clue into what's coming. That martial arts is performed more in the mind than with the body.

Next, I read a lot of people talking about the "fantasy" like aspect of the movie. This is in tradition of many of the literary novels of this period. The whole movie is about what is going on in the minds of people. It is the perfect for that purpose.

As far as the "Dances" and all this, it is so frustrating what I read on the reviews here. The characters who are fighting with each other, if nothing else, have deep respect for each other. As the stories are retold, they are being retold with admiration and respect for their peers. The point of the sequences are one to be a retelling of a story, and two, to speak of those that they respect. They aren't supposed to be "real".

And for those that hate the ending, well, I guess you haven't seen too many asian movies... Asian movies don't use Disney endings. The movies are meant to have impact, not give you a good feeling.

Further, for those that think that the last guy standing is the "good guy" in the movie, you need to start being able to see something and make your own decisions about what is right or wrong despite what you see or is told to you.

This is not a propaganda movie either, as history did show, a lot of good did come from this temporary unity, however its cost was terrible. Further, the asian audience, for whom the movie is made, know too well the history of this Emperor. Besides most already know about the real life account on the attempted assassination of the Emperor and know that this is not really what the story is about.

I really enjoyed this movie, not just because it is pretty, but because of the message it is trying to show. I mean, who is the real hero? Who was the most powerful? Who never got it? Who DID get it?

Watch this movie in Chinese with subtitles. This is the first way I saw it and it's much better than when it's dubbed in English. As far as the movie I can't say enough good things about it. I'm a huge fan of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and that's why I bought this movie. I like it even better which is saying something. The acting is great, fight scenes are great, storyline is great.

A sumptuous, beautiful movie with a disturbing philosophy.

***SPOILER ALERT***
All the remarkable, beautiful, talented people die. The nameless, faceless mass triumphs. The Hero agrees that that is good.

The Borg won. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

Hero has Fantastic Cinematography, Choreography, an Amazing story, and Brilliant film production. This is a masterful film, and a movie to treasure. I also recommend purchasing House of Flying Daggers. For those who somehow missed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I suggest adding that to your wish list, as well.

I was only slightly interested in martial arts films, until Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was created, but House of Flying Daggers and Hero have expanded my interests. These movies are truly masterful productions, and they have inspired many other beautiful films. This genre is unique and highly recommended.

If the name Quentin Tarantino freaks you out, or makes you think only of Gore, Violence, and potty mouths....relax. This is different: not his usual fare. Personally, I love Quentin Tarantino movies, but I can understand why some people might avoid HERO, due to his other work. No worries; this is not what you might expect from Quentin Tarantino. He is a genius, and this movie fits well with the genre of oriental / martial arts / beautiful cinematography films listed above.

Don't judge the movie by the name on the cover, but by the reviews and images on the cover. You will be impressed, amazed, and gain a new respect for Quentin Tarantino.