The movie "Hero" SPOILERS

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:32 -0700

I watched this movie last night. I was wondering what others here thought of it.

The way the story was told was interesting to me...alternate versions of events told by the two main characters. The fight scenes were just too far fetched to me. Once the combatants are walking on water and flying above the treetops I almost start laughing. I try to remind myself that this is the same as "superhero" action, but I just can't get past it. Overall, a fun bit of escapism.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:00 -0700

I thought it was a great movie myself. The walking on water scenes were a bit far fetched as you pointed out, but the flying arrows scenes were awesome, along with the other fight scenes. The story was also interesting enough to keep me glued to the screen the entire length of the movie. Still doesn't hold a candle to Zatoichi though!!!!

Leonardo-san · Post by **Leonardo-san** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 20:26 -0700

I really enjoyed it, too!
It's not an accurrate historical movie, although it is based on some actual historical occurrences, it's more a fantasy. Like the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was.
I don't pretend to be an expert on Chinese cinema, because I'm not, but a friend who's watched a lot of these said it was "very Chinese" in the story itself and the choices made by the characters. And having your heroes being able to fly is apparently normal in these types of movies.
I don't think that stuff detracts from the movie, if you go into it knowing it's more of a fantasy. And that it's a fight presented as art, like a moving painting, as opposed to what a real fight would be. Then you can sit back and just enjoy it.

I recently watched Zatoichi and enjoyed it, too, but it's not entirely free of fantastical elements either. And that didn't hurt it, either.

takematsu · Post by **takematsu** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 6:21 -0700

The flying and whatnot are apparently to indicate a highly trained and focused qi. My Taiji instructor told us about the feeble old grand-master he saw who was aware enough of his balance to stand not on his hands but on one index finger-- it wasn't a strength thing, since the guy apparently had trouble holding a sweater over his head at that point in his life. So, if a NORMAL Taiji grand-master can do stuff like that, reason film-makers, what might a really quite superior martial artist be capable of?

Sebastian · Post by **Sebastian** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:04 -0700

I've got mixed feelings about this movie. The story was intriguing, the visual aspects were wonderfull (the different colour themes), but I didn't like some political aspects of the film. For example, the moral that even a cruel emperor is a good emperor- you've got to consider that the movie was made in China, which is a communist country.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:19 -0700

Visually, it was stunning. I expected much more in the story, though.

I did like seeing Maggie Cheung. I've been a fan of her work for about 15 years.

ookami · Post by **ookami** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 9:49 -0700

Although I missed about of a third of the film, (I fell asleep

), and thus completely lost the thread of the story, what I did see was quite beautiful.
But it still didn't live up to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wo hu cang long). (Okay so I admit it I'm a big Chow Yun Fat fan)
I do like a good epic with stunning visuals.
Acording to Ang Lee's comentary on the C.T.H.D. DVD, it is not actually flying, but a kind of weightlesness that when you jump you kind of float. Again the whole mind over matter therom.

When you talk of the Zatôichi film, which version are you referring to? The original B&W from the Kurosawa era, or the latest colour version by 'Beat' Takeshi? I've only seen bits of the original, I'll have to see if I can get a hold of it? But I do have a limited edition of the new version. I really did love it! Classic Japanese sword fights with high pressure blood flow. And trust Beat Takeshi to stick kwirky, slapstick/musical comedy in it and make it work! I just love this guy in anything he does! (Battle Royale or Gohatto anyone?)
There's only one thing I didn't get about the story: ok so it turns out Zatôichi isn't blind, he just has his eyes closed all the time. But is he an albino then? I mean the hair and the eyes, what's going on there?

Hayai · Post by **Hayai** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 12:46 -0700

I loved this movie. It was great how the story was told three different ways, each in a different color. I also liked the candles that blew in the wind. I watched it in subtitles, which seemed much better then the English translation. I watched about half of it in English, and I noticed that the translation seemed to lose a lot of information. They seemed to do this so that the characters would only talk when their mouths were open. I don't mind reading subtitles, so I prefer the original language.