"Hero"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) STARRING Jet Li as NAMELESS Tony Leung Chlu-Wai as BROKEN SWORD Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk as FLYING SNOW Zhang Ziyi as MOON Chen Dao Ming as KING Donnie Yen as SKY Rated PG-13 Studio: Miramax Directed by: Zhang Yimou Back to DVD Review Home |
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Okay, I know that “Hero” was released more than two years ago in China and already won plenty of awards as a foreign film. But those of us in the U.S. really didn’t get a chance to see it or vote on it until 2004. So, this is why I consider it to be one of the best foreign language films of the year.
But I do have to ask a question. What the heck did Quentin Tarantino have to do with this film?
I know it says “Quentin Tarantino Presents” above the title, and he appears in the special features of the DVD. But really, what the heck did he have to do with this movie? He didn’t produce the movie over in China, did he? After all, it came out in 2002 while Tarantino was still slogging through his production of “Kill Bill.”
On the special features, there is a conversation between Quentin Tarantino and Jet Li. But while Quentin Tarantino is one of the sharpest directors around today, he comes across as a blithering idiot in this interview. It appears to be a set-up in which Tarantino interviews Jet Li, but it comes across more like the old “Chris Farley Show” sketch on Saturday Night Live. Seriously! It’s almost worth renting the DVD to watch this train wreck of an interview in which Tarantino continually asks Jet Li if he thought different martial arts films were cool.
I guess that goes to show you there is some truth to what a friend of mine once said: “Quentin Tarantino is living proof that you should stop smoking pot at a certain age.”
The film “Hero” tells the story of a lone warrior who attempts to defy an emperor and unite China. The Emperor (Chen Dao Ming) has massacred the people of the land in an effort to form a single Chinese nation. But to seek revenge for killing his people, the nameless soldier (Jet Li) gains access to the Emperor by defeating the trained assassins that were originally sent to kill him.
Told in flashbacks from before the Emperor’s throne, the nameless soldier recounts how he tracked down the different assassins and disposed of them. However, different layers of the truth are revealed as we learn the truth about the soldier’s plan.
In the tradition of films like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Hero” uses the art in martial arts to choreograph fight scenes and eye-popping stunts. The cinematography is mind-blowing, and the use of color and scenery to tell the story make this a visual masterpiece.
The plot is very heavy, without the expected lightheartedness you’d find in your standard Hong Kong export. I actually found this to be even more cerebral and rich than “Crouching Tiger.” With the use of wirework and martial arts expertise, the movement in the film is more like dance than a fight scene.
It helps to know the Chinese history behind this film, but if you just keep your mind open, you can learn from it as well. It also helps to view this without the standard Hollywood mindset, but rather a mindset that takes into account Chinese values and honor.
In addition to the embarrassing Quentin Tarantino interview, the DVD also contains a behind-the-scenes look at the production called “Hero Defined.” This is interesting mainly because it brings out the perspective of the known Chinese actors - some of whom did not speak the language or know martial arts - who were brought in for the production. There’s also a handful of storyboard comparisons for some of the more memorable scenes in the film.
Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DTS 5.1 Digital Surround Sound. Widescreen (2.35:1) - Enhanced for 16x9 televisions. English, French and Original Chinese language tracks. English and Spanish subtitles.
