MOVIE - HERO - Review Rating $$$$$ $$$1/2 (OUT OF 10)

STARRING -Jet Li (Nameless), Tony Leung (Broken Sword), Maggie Cheung (Flying Snow), Zhang Ziyi (Moon), Chen Dao Ming (King of Qin) & Donnie Yen (Long Sky).

DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER - Zhang Yimou

Hero is not just another karate movie. Rather, it is a very compelling morality tale that happens to showcase the artistry of the martial arts.

Those that do not enjoy martial arts will still be impressed with the highly choreographed fight scenes. Set against majestic backdrop these scenes, as in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", are meant to symbolize the underlying angst the characters are struggling with as well as the symmetry of the martial arts. Some may wish that these scenes were devoid of gravity defying feats, myself included, but they remain mesmerizing.

Hero's real strength lies in its excellent story. The irony of most conflicts is that the opponents profess to be righteously defending their enlightened beliefs through the use of violence. Hero forcefully argues there is, in the tradition of Gandhi et al, a better way. We often make the mistake of limiting our definition of hero to those who die in a blaze of glory and/or triumphantly ride off into the sunset. The truth is that the definition of a hero is much broader and many other forms of sacrifice are equally heroic. In our tumultuous times this is a powerful message that bears heeding whether your a leader of a nation or merely trying to coexist with your neighbors.

Hero reaffirms the notion that the word is mightier than the sword and that a "sensitive" approach is often the wiser course of action.

Running time - 96 minutes

Alternative Reviews:

Roger Ebert's Review

Peter Travers / Rolling Stone Review

Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

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