Hero (2004)
Average Rating: 8.2/10
Reviews Counted: 199
Fresh: 188 | Rotten: 11
A sumptuous movie that'll excite your eyes if not your heart.
Average Rating: 8.2/10
Critic Reviews: 44
Fresh: 44 | Rotten: 0
A sumptuous movie that'll excite your eyes if not your heart.
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Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 246,225
Movie Info
Hero is two-time Academy Award nominee Zhang Yimou's directorial attempt at exploring the concept of a Chinese hero. During the peak of their Warring States period, China was divided into seven kingdoms all fighting for supremacy. Most determined to dominate China was the kingdom of Qin, whose king (Chen Daoming) was wholly obsessed with becoming the first emperor of China. Though he was an assassination target for many, none of his would-be killers inspired as much fear as the legendary
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Cast
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Jet Li
Nameless -
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Maggie Cheung
Flying Snow -
Ziyi Zhang
Moon -
Donnie Yen
Sky -
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Chen Daoming
The King of Qin -
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Hero Trailer & Photos
All Critics (199) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (188) | Rotten (11) | DVD (42)
The result is not so much a historical epic as a kind of highly determined ballet: dreamy with bloodless violence, relying less on shades of character than on magnificence of gesture.
The austerity of Hero makes you realize how cluttered other action movies are.
The result is both thrilling and thoughtful, offering imaginative action sequences as it considers questions of loyalty and the individual's role in history.
Dishes up some of the most extravagant doodling in cinema.
Top CriticI wouldn't have missed this spectacle for the world, and neither should you -- despite an admitted quirk in my political sensibility in these contentious times that keeps me from admiring the film wholeheartedly.
This is a fantastic film.
What makes Hero special is that it has so much more going for it than just the superb fight sequences. There are a satisfyingly complex plot, passionate romance, cool special effects and strong performances.
Sumptuous and breath-catching, Hero blends the elegance of fine visual art with the more familiar cinematic jollies of attractive people engaged in crunching punch-ups.
Zhang Yimou's Hero is a true martial arts epic -- a spectacle of movement, color and sound that will leave you awe-struck.
Intoxicatingly beautiful, structurally enigmatic and decidedly brief.
As a technical achievement, Hero finds Zhang at the height of his powers, effortlessly expanding into complex genre filmmaking without losing his command. But in light of his earlier work, the film continues a sharp decline in urgency.
Gorgeous martial arts movie for older kids.
Zhang weaves a complex and interesting story but the ultimate strength of Hero is its poetic beauty.
When we are not left agog by the pristine production design and costuming, we marvel at the various staged conflicts, each one bringing a new level of proficiency and polish to an already overripe genre.
A visually stunning martial arts epic in the wuxia tradition.
Without the clarity of story, we begin to lose connection with the martial action, and it starts to seem repetitive.
This intriguing, intoxicating martial-arts epic about the unification of China during the third century B.C. is a visual masterpiece.
... one of the best films of its kind and one of the most beautiful films ever made.
In what may be the movie's most spectacular set piece ... Zhang pits the sword against the pen and fends off war with knowledge and non-violence.
Better experienced than discussed -- and better seen two or more times.
While consistently watchable, Yimou's movie is infused with a dirge-like tone...making it a somewhat wearisome and sluggish experience
Each scene is a painting; within those paintings is a ballet of movement, in the guise of wire-aided martial arts.
Audience Reviews for Hero
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Movies Like Hero
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- Nameless: Martial arts and music share the same principles. Both wrestle with complex chords and rare melodies.
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- The King of Qin: What words did Broken Sword write?
- Nameless: Our land.
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| Morally corrupt "moral of the story" | 25 days ago | 1 |
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Foreign Titles
- Hero (DE)
- Hero (Ying xiong) (CA)
