HERO review

8 and a half years of running Ain’t It Cool News and in that time one of the constant whiney editorial gripes that I’ve consistently had has been with the manner in which Miramax has handled it’s acquired Asian Martial Arts Cinema. The constant butchery, dubbing, re-scoring, hip-hopping of the film. That fucking “Kung Fu Fighting” song… Great film after great film torn asunder, anglicized. I hate it. HATE IT!

With Miramax’s handling of HERO this weekend, I’m left with very few gripes, almost none of which would matter to anyone sitting in the audience watching this unbelievably beautiful masterpiece from director Zhang Yimou and the exquisite camera of Christopher Doyle. I wish it had hit American screens in advance of the 2003 Academy Awards – so it would have helped it in it’s bid for Best Foreign film. So the film would have had more of a sense of urgency and vitality within the fan community. HOWEVER – that being said…

GREAT JOB MIRAMAX!

You guys have managed to take a gigantic leap and God I hope it is rewarded. On 2031 screens this weekend you’ll find one of the absolute best films you’re likely to see this or any year. HERO is exquisitely masterful.

On the surface it is a story about a would-be assassin and a barbaric murderous emperor. In it’s visual poetry, thematic poetry and with every sprocket hole it screams a message of nationalistic pride and thought that permeates modern and ancient China. Essentially, the message beaten into us geeks in STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN that “The good of the many outweighs the good of the few or the one.” In this edition in theaters there’s just a few translation problems… the biggest concerns the symbol that Tony Leung’s Broken Sword places in the sand. In the film, it is translated to say, “OUR COUNTRY” as originally intended it was to read essentially, “Everything beneath the Sky” Personally – I prefer that translation.

This is easily Jet Li’s very best film. The fights are of the fanciful kind, often foregoing intensity for epic sweep. The water top fight, the leaves, the rain, the arrows… All these scenes are great on DVD, on the big screen… they’re literally some of the most amazing things you’ll have ever seen. Beauty so intense as to actually shake one in their seat. Doyle’s photography is beyond masterful here… It burns colors into memory, past pure visuals to the emotional level. Where you begin to long for the scents of Green… Yellow… Red…. Blue… I can not possibly express in words how strongly these palates affected me.

Those visuals paired with Dun Tan’s fantastic score… Absolute heaven. I’ve seen this film numerous times… however, after watching it on the big screen in a theater with great digital sound… I feel I can honestly say, I’ve now only seen it once. I will see it many more times. The junk of Hollywood is being disposed of right now… Very bad movies. See this.

Reward Miramax for finally doing a great job! This is one time where our voices and ticket purchasing power needs to be directed for a single purpose… In support of the presentation of exquisite cinema the way it was meant to be seen. Upon watching this, you’ll feel as though you’ve woke up from the summer into the possibilities of great film again.

Wrap yourself in this story, its colors and sounds. Rediscover it with eyes held wide and gasp in awe at the beauty, tragedy and sadness of HERO!