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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!

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Reader Talkback

Just wondered if that worked
by blowmonkey
Aug 27th, 2004
04:33:18 AM
well said
by rygel
Aug 27th, 2004
04:33:29 AM
The film is beatiful, but the ending sucked. The film is predict
by Grabthars_Hammer
Aug 27th, 2004
04:40:20 AM
Cool
by onetrueking
Aug 27th, 2004
05:14:40 AM
Seen it
by moviemaniac-7
Aug 27th, 2004
05:21:55 AM
jet li's very best film? have you forgotten lethal weapon 4?
by JoeStokowski
Aug 27th, 2004
05:35:23 AM
oh its THAT film!!
by Mr Chuff
Aug 27th, 2004
05:37:19 AM
Definitely needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible!
by Fuckles
Aug 27th, 2004
06:09:51 AM
Saw this movie more than a year ago. I can recall it's pretty go
by el zar
Aug 27th, 2004
06:09:59 AM
It's not "Everything beneath the Sky"..
by Ambient_Noise
Aug 27th, 2004
06:50:23 AM
Now I May NOT See It..
by Karl Childers
Aug 27th, 2004
07:19:18 AM
Isn't it Tan Dun? (nt)
by SimonSezz
Aug 27th, 2004
07:23:29 AM
See, this is why I come to AICN
by Monkey Butler
Aug 27th, 2004
07:29:29 AM
Reward Miramax for finally getting it right!
by RenoNevada2000
Aug 27th, 2004
07:37:39 AM
Again?
by Gilkuliehe
Aug 27th, 2004
08:30:32 AM
What Broken Sword whote
by Loup LeBeau
Aug 27th, 2004
08:31:29 AM
The great thing about Star Trek 3 is how it turned that philosop
by TheGinger Twit
Aug 27th, 2004
08:40:53 AM
The longest versions of Hero I've seen available are 180 minutes
by Shan
Aug 27th, 2004
10:02:38 AM
Hell Yeah! But Jet Li's best!?
by GravyAkira
Aug 27th, 2004
10:58:48 AM
Shan...
by DocPazuzu
Aug 27th, 2004
11:13:05 AM
I refuse to trust a man who learnt his life lessons from Star Tr
by Floyd Gondolli
Aug 27th, 2004
11:20:43 AM
AWFUL
by Razorback
Aug 27th, 2004
12:01:28 PM
Hero
by Mafu
Aug 27th, 2004
12:08:08 PM
To Razorback
by Mafu
Aug 27th, 2004
12:16:21 PM
what is up with dubbing.
by jawaburger
Aug 27th, 2004
12:17:53 PM
There's a HERO, when you look inside your.. *BOP*
by Varakor
Aug 27th, 2004
12:18:28 PM
An Alternate (Graphic) HERO
by Solrider77
Aug 27th, 2004
12:22:40 PM
BRU
by DocPazuzu
Aug 27th, 2004
12:48:21 PM
Three words: "Quentin Tarantino Presents"
by Damitol
Aug 27th, 2004
12:54:38 PM
I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with a film that advocates blind
by ExcaliburFfolkes
Aug 27th, 2004
12:57:00 PM
On the subject of dubbing
by splbrg75
Aug 27th, 2004
01:07:02 PM
disney/miramax dvds vs originals/imports of same movies
by Acne Scarface
Aug 27th, 2004
01:07:42 PM
ExcaliburFfolkes
by DocPazuzu
Aug 27th, 2004
01:16:14 PM
The message of Hero...
by Dudley Smith
Aug 27th, 2004
01:18:08 PM
A TOTAL LETDOWN
by QuentinTravers
Aug 27th, 2004
01:38:50 PM
I completely agree that people should see films (and art in gene
by ExcaliburFfolkes
Aug 27th, 2004
01:48:36 PM
Riiight
by Razorback
Aug 27th, 2004
01:50:23 PM
ExcaliburFfolkes
by Octaveaeon
Aug 27th, 2004
02:11:25 PM
Mr. ffolkes
by DocPazuzu
Aug 27th, 2004
02:15:50 PM
Brodester, I agree with you
by vikingkitty
Aug 27th, 2004
02:16:23 PM
Yo kids! Is this DUBBED or SUBTITLED?
by Tall_Boy
Aug 27th, 2004
02:18:10 PM
YourExcellency
by DocPazuzu
Aug 27th, 2004
02:30:58 PM
correction:
by DocPazuzu
Aug 27th, 2004
02:32:34 PM
everything under the skyy
by snoopy le mans
Aug 27th, 2004
02:35:15 PM
"Hero" isn't exactly propoganda, Your Excellency.
by ExcaliburFfolkes
Aug 27th, 2004
02:58:18 PM
you liked HERO?
by no-no
Aug 27th, 2004
03:02:41 PM
No problem, DocPazuzu
by ExcaliburFfolkes
Aug 27th, 2004
03:05:33 PM
DocPazuzu
by Octaveaeon
Aug 27th, 2004
03:09:21 PM
cool
by Todd
Aug 27th, 2004
03:09:54 PM
Army MORE IMPRESSIVE than Saurons in Return of the King.
by Tito
Aug 27th, 2004
03:22:08 PM
Re: Everything under the sky
by Loup LeBeau
Aug 27th, 2004
03:22:12 PM
all under heaven
by antonphd
Aug 27th, 2004
03:25:30 PM
It should be said though, (spoilers)
by Octaveaeon
Aug 27th, 2004
03:25:48 PM
Hmmm. Thoughts on YourExcellency's post.
by FluffyUnbound
Aug 27th, 2004
03:39:22 PM
The reason why (spoiler)
by freevew
Aug 27th, 2004
04:46:51 PM
FluffyUnbound: here is the reply and apologies for its length
by Octaveaeon
Aug 27th, 2004
05:08:01 PM
Two millennia of unification hasn't exactly helped the Chinese p
by ExcaliburFfolkes
Aug 27th, 2004
05:27:18 PM
Huh?
by KryptonsLastSon
Aug 27th, 2004
05:38:06 PM
BladeRunnerUnit
by Octaveaeon
Aug 27th, 2004
05:49:33 PM
Their MARKETING sure as hell isn't getting it right....
by E.C.
Aug 27th, 2004
06:08:33 PM
about that market
by Octaveaeon
Aug 27th, 2004
06:10:20 PM
Why should I?
by Battousai
Aug 27th, 2004
06:32:04 PM
Very interesting debate...
by DocPazuzu
Aug 27th, 2004
06:56:13 PM
ExcaliburFfolkes
by Octaveaeon
Aug 27th, 2004
06:57:58 PM
BladeRunnerUnit: on historical determinism and Pearl Harbour
by Octaveaeon
Aug 27th, 2004
07:22:11 PM
healthy debate
by PerineumLick
Aug 27th, 2004
07:24:29 PM
R.C.'s opinion; Compared to 90% of the films made today (whethe
by R.C. the "Wise"
Aug 27th, 2004
08:31:57 PM
once again bladerunnerunit...
by jackburtonlives
Aug 27th, 2004
08:43:22 PM
mixed feelings on this movie
by Indy77
Aug 27th, 2004
08:59:53 PM
pearl harbor...
by jackburtonlives
Aug 27th, 2004
11:10:50 PM
Just got back from this...
by SG7
Aug 27th, 2004
11:23:36 PM
continuing on pearl harbor...
by Octaveaeon
Aug 28th, 2004
12:18:33 AM
Good debates here....
by cherrycola
Aug 28th, 2004
12:25:08 AM
i just got out of this movie...
by greyspecter
Aug 28th, 2004
12:37:16 AM
yourexcellence
by jackburtonlives
Aug 28th, 2004
12:41:55 AM
one more thing i forgot i disagree on
by Octaveaeon
Aug 28th, 2004
12:59:38 AM
oh, and the best war movie i've ever seen...
by greyspecter
Aug 28th, 2004
01:01:43 AM
JBL: oops, sorry for getting off topic
by Octaveaeon
Aug 28th, 2004
01:07:00 AM
To Razorback
by Mafu
Aug 28th, 2004
01:15:29 AM
I hope this isn't like most Asian films I've seen: full of spiri
by Lezbo Milk
Aug 28th, 2004
01:32:42 AM
I sure hope it lives up
by Smurfette
Aug 28th, 2004
01:49:53 AM
You don't have to agree to like the movie!
by Mad Skills
Aug 28th, 2004
01:51:17 AM
they retranslated again
by brushwood
Aug 28th, 2004
09:25:44 AM
Dubbed? The version I saw last night had sub-titles.
by morGoth
Aug 28th, 2004
10:28:28 AM
The Emperor and the Assasin
by moviemaniac-7
Aug 28th, 2004
11:42:48 AM
Just say "no" to wire-fu.
by ZeroCorpse
Aug 28th, 2004
09:37:35 PM
eh
by diskoh
Aug 29th, 2004
01:39:08 AM
ZeroCorpse - Don't like the "flying"?
by Dagan
Aug 29th, 2004
01:59:24 AM

by diskoh
Aug 29th, 2004
03:48:51 AM
Time for a history lesson
by DouglasAH
Aug 29th, 2004
06:17:54 AM
Need info about the full length!
by CurryIce
Aug 29th, 2004
06:23:35 AM
CurryIce
by DocPazuzu
Aug 29th, 2004
06:36:37 AM
Am I The Only One Who Was Bored?
by highsociety
Aug 29th, 2004
11:08:15 AM
Yes!
by highsociety
Aug 29th, 2004
11:12:08 AM
HERO sucked ass
by scrivener
Aug 29th, 2004
02:04:21 PM
I heard the original sucked because it was basically rewriting C
by spectrebeeyatch
Aug 29th, 2004
04:11:20 PM
heroic opening weekend
by fokke
Aug 29th, 2004
05:49:58 PM
Au contraire BRU
by FluffyUnbound
Aug 29th, 2004
06:43:03 PM
Fuck this...
by SonOfJorel
Aug 29th, 2004
07:14:26 PM
scorcese doing a jesuit film?
by jackburtonlives
Aug 29th, 2004
08:47:18 PM
classic fluffy !
by jackburtonlives
Aug 29th, 2004
11:03:38 PM
Hero
by Darth Thoth
Aug 30th, 2004
12:21:59 AM
Holy crap, the wire-fu element makes you HATE this film???
by The Killer-Goat
Aug 30th, 2004
12:40:23 AM
Tan DUN, Harry... not Dun Tan.
by Kastagir
Aug 30th, 2004
04:28:58 AM
fascist
by borisdoris
Aug 30th, 2004
07:14:05 AM
Fucking great movie. THIS is the stuff to get excited about, it
by minderbinder
Aug 30th, 2004
08:32:04 AM
Also bored
by pablo2004
Aug 30th, 2004
12:27:37 PM
To DocPazuzu: thx
by CurryIce
Aug 30th, 2004
02:54:14 PM
Harry better than usual, Hero da bomb!
by Homer Sexual
Aug 30th, 2004
03:01:07 PM
Propaganda
by Seepgood
Aug 30th, 2004
04:31:12 PM
Heroic achievment
by BillEmic
Aug 30th, 2004
05:18:02 PM
Fantasy conventions
by Seepgood
Aug 30th, 2004
05:41:54 PM
fI see flying people.
by pablo2004
Aug 30th, 2004
06:31:37 PM
Flying is really leaping with style
by freevew
Aug 30th, 2004
08:02:56 PM
Disappointing...
by CaptainBitchway
Aug 30th, 2004
08:25:42 PM
Killer goat you misunderstand.
by littleboy
Sep 2nd, 2004
02:10:04 AM
Have to put my two cents in after seeing this film.
by Lezbo Milk
Sep 8th, 2004
06:00:18 AM
But don't you see Lezbo...
by Pontsing Barset
Sep 8th, 2004
12:48:35 PM
Pontsing Barset, I didn't miss the movies point, but you missed
by Lezbo Milk
Sep 8th, 2004
03:07:56 PM
never forget 03/21/98
by Mr Brownstone
Sep 14th, 2004
12:30:17 PM
fuck this movie!!
by gravy_suckin_pig
Sep 21st, 2004
01:53:27 AM

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