Ying xiong (2002)
Also known as "Hero"
Kono kuni wa mada, hontô no hero wo shiranai [Japan] ("This land doesn't know a real hero. Yet.)
Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk, Zhang Ziyi, Chen Dao Ming, Donnie Yen, Liu Zhong-Yuan, Zheng Tian-Yong, Qin Yan, Chang Xiao-Yang, Zhang Ya-Kun, Ma Wen-Hua, Jin Ming, Xu Kuang-Hua, Wang Shou-Xin
Director: Yimou Zhang
Running Time: 99 minutes
US MPAA rating: PG-13UK BBFC rating: 12a
Action, Drama, Romance
Two thousand years ago, the King of Qin (Chen Daoming) campaigns to bring the other six kingdoms under his power into a new united China - but his ruthlessness has won him many enemies, including the three deadly assassins Broken Sword (Tony Leung), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Sky (Donnie Yen). Learning that they have all been killed by a lowly, nameless sheriff (Jet Li), Qin grants this mysterious man a rare audience within ten paces of the royal throne to hear the story of how he managed to defeat such bold warriors. The sheriff duly tells his tale of swordsmanship and stratagem, only to find the king placing a different complexion on events, and from this confrontation of crossed words and crossed swords emerges a more complex definition of what it is to be a hero.
It will be impossible for 'Hero' to escape comparison with
It's Got: Beautiful stylisation, complex narrative, breathstealing swordplay, autumn leaves, colour-coding and some very powerful calligraphy.
It Needs: Wide distribution.
Alternatives: 'The House of Flying Daggers', Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 'Rashomon'
Summary: Stunningly stylised period actioner in which the pen really is mightier than the sword.
Review Date: 16th September 2004
External Links
Official Web Site
Ying xiong at the IMDB
Comments4 Comments |
| They're not playing Chess, they're playing Go. |
| Comment by:- Daniel | | 20 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| How do you know Zhang Yimou abandoned his political position? How do you know he does not believe in a united China is a good thing for Chinese people? How many people in Mainland China are stupid enough to believe a divided and weak China is good for them? |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 03 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| For the first time in his life, Zhang Yimou has made a movie not about losers who do not even dare to whine. That is an improvement. Art house films mean "losers who do not dare to whine + absolutely no story". They are perfect sleeping pills. Many review in the US said this was the most expensive film ever made in China. No way. Compared to other epics from Mainland China, this is a small scale and low budget thing. I am not surprised these movies critics said that. Their only exposure to Chinese movies are the ones from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and of course Zhang's whining films. Both Hong Kong and Taiwan are not qualified to dream about anything epical. I don't mean dream about making them. I mean merely dream about something big and beautiful. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 03 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Ooohhh, aren't we all touchy! All my chess pieces are black and white m&m's. Of course they are playing Go. A perfect English normative equivalent for the uninformed American is.... Chess. Zhang has excelled here. Stands completely on its own. Comparisons to wo hu cang long are merely tunnel vision. Qin Shihuang (Chen Dao Ming) waaaaay under-appreciated! Well done sir. |
| Comment by:- Shanzi | | 23 November 2004 | ip: logged |
