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Hero Review
What a complete dissapointment. One of the best rated movies(by critics) ever finally came to the US this weekend after tearing up international box office.
The director of this movie is clearly using cinematography to tell this story even above the story. This is not a good thing as I always believe the story should be the main focus of every movie. I cared nothing for these characters, making the fight scenes and deep philosophy useless. That being said this is a beautiful movie to look at. The director changes colors as if you were watching a painting. The actors wear different outfits from one scene to the next, the seetings completely change, and the background colors seem to be based on emotion. As an example there is one scene where two women are fighting in an absolutely beautiful fall settings with yellow leaves flying everywhere. Finally when the mortal blow is struck the leaves turn red, making a very powerful emotional scene.
I know some may argue this movie is philosophical and intellectual and maybe I could not see this. Some battles are fought in the mind only. One scene shows a warrior using calligraphy with slow motion, close ups, rousing music which would make you think this is an action scene. This is beautiful to watch and the connection with calligraphy and fighting is easily seen. My guess is that the direcor was trying to use the four basic skills and disciplines of the Chinese literi(calligraphy, painting, Qin(a stringed musical instrument)and Qi(a strategic boardgame)).
This is a deep movie I realize and perhaps in the years I will come to appreciate its complexity. In my first viewing I cared nothing for the characters, hated the way the story was told, was bored out of my mind, and was angered by the Chinese propaganda ending. I have not mentioned the location shooting. It is beautiful to the point of being magical. I have no doubt however that this film will win an acadamy award for best cinematography. In that category alone it stands as a masterpiece.
Hero Review
What a complete dissapointment. One of the best rated movies(by critics) ever finally came to the US this weekend after tearing up international box office.
The director of this movie is clearly using cinematography to tell this story even above the story. This is not a good thing as I always believe the story should be the main focus of every movie. I cared nothing for these characters, making the fight scenes and deep philosophy useless. That being said this is a beautiful movie to look at. The director changes colors as if you were watching a painting. The actors wear different outfits from one scene to the next, the seetings completely change, and the background colors seem to be based on emotion. As an example there is one scene where two women are fighting in an absolutely beautiful fall settings with yellow leaves flying everywhere. Finally when the mortal blow is struck the leaves turn red, making a very powerful emotional scene.
I know some may argue this movie is philosophical and intellectual and maybe I could not see this. Some battles are fought in the mind only. One scene shows a warrior using calligraphy with slow motion, close ups, rousing music which would make you think this is an action scene. This is beautiful to watch and the connection with calligraphy and fighting is easily seen. My guess is that the direcor was trying to use the four basic skills and disciplines of the Chinese literi(calligraphy, painting, Qin(a stringed musical instrument)and Qi(a strategic boardgame)).
This is a deep movie I realize and perhaps in the years I will come to appreciate its complexity. In my first viewing I cared nothing for the characters, hated the way the story was told, was bored out of my mind, and was angered by the Chinese propaganda ending. I have not mentioned the location shooting. It is beautiful to the point of being magical. I have no doubt however that this film will win an acadamy award for best cinematography. In that category alone it stands as a masterpiece.
8 Comments:
If you read my review of House of Flying Daggers (which, I'm sure, will also make a US release) you will see my comments on Hero (ie beautiful but boring).
Oh, and about the ending, if the director had done it any other way the film would probably have been stopped by the Chinese government (long live democracy!).
I almost got the same feeling from the movie To Live although that was a much better film.
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I saw Hero here in BKK when it was released, way back. I think the problem with releasing it in the west is that it has come in for western-style scrutiny and it doesn't fit into the categories that western people need it to.
As is typical with many Hk / Chinese movies, the story is not at the top of the list and it should never be expected to be. I would suggest that the film is barely philisophical or intellectual. it is just a statement of how a certain type of director makes a certain type of movie.
No fights are "fought in the mind". From what i remember. These scenes are based around the idea that the best martial artists are those that understand what has just gone. The mind scenes are typically happening after the death blow and before the victor relaxes. This is the time he or she contemplates the battle, what has happened, what should have happened and why it all happened.
I don't think Hero is any more than what appears on screen. It has a slightly deeper meaning if you look into the colours used and the individualy talents of reach combatant, but it really doesn't need to be examined. It's a beautiful painting, a simple story and has a simple moral at the end. Hero is, to China, what expensive action movies are to America. or, maybe, more to the point, what The Last Samurai was to America...
But that's just my 2c, based on seeing it a long time ago!
Him
thailand.blogs.com
Hi James,
I read your comments on BKKsoul's xanga page. Thanks for the notes. Will I be able to go thru Chaing Mai and Northern Thailand with little Thai? I loved your photos. They are beautiful...:)
Hello,
You should be ok. I had a buddy that went to the Northern Thailand area for a few months. He went to most of the major cities, Laos etc. He had no problems and I believe he said even the people in Laos speak excellent English. Hopefully you go your shots ) Typhoid, Tetnus, Hep A and maybe rabies(crazy monkeys?) Those are the ones I got, there may be more however.
The notes on Hero were interesting. Thanks for the post. I also read somewhere that director has a new movie coming out soon.
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