Hero (Blu-ray)
Filed Under: Blu-ray, Reviews | Article Tags : Blu-ray review
By: Denis Blot
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The term “Hero” gets used a lot these days, readily applied to police, firefighters, the military, or others who are often placed in peril and/or have sacrificed for a “good cause”. While I will assuredly not argue the merits of those who are ascribed as heroes, I certainly wonder how many of us actually think about what it means to be one. As former president Jimmy Carter said “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter” and yes the term “hero” is often given to freedom fighters. Zhang Yimou’s film Hero subtly explores how the meaning behind the word is not as clear cut as it sounds, while simultaneously filling the screen with explosive action.
Can a tyrannical emperor who inflicts war in order to unite nations and ultimately obtain peace be a hero? What about an assassin whose objective is to kill the emperor in order to free the people of his nation from tyranny? And those who willingly sacrifice themselves to aid or stand against the assassin? These questions are far from easily answered and certainly one’s response is connected to one’s perspective. Indeed Yimou’s film is broken up into three parts; the story the assassin tells the emperor, the story the emperor believes to be true and finally the events that actually took place, demonstrating to the audience how our perceptions of people and events can easily be altered.
While the film is a drama, its storyline is propelled forward with jaw dropping martial arts action. Jet Li, who stars in the role of assassin, is gracefully deadly as he takes on the likes of Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, and the equally talented Donnie Yen. The fighting sequences move fluidly, appearing organically tied to the beautiful and varying landscapes they take place in. It is thanks to the well executed choreography and cinematography that the visual imprint of combat scenes on a serene lake or a forest full of falling golden yellow leaves will linger long after the film is finished.
Along with the “making of”, storyboards, and a conversation between Jet-Li and Quentin Tarrantino features currently found on the Hero DVD, the Blu-ray version offers two additional features. The first being a breakdown of one of the fight scenes in the film, which is interesting although already mentioned to some degree in the fairly comprehensive “making of” feature. The second is simply a plug for viewers to take note of the film’s soundtrack and buy the CD. There is also a digital copy of the film which will come in handy the next time you are stuck being offered boring film choices on a plane or bus.
Those of you who already own Hero on DVD may be wondering if it is worth upgrading to the Blu-ray version and the answer is yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Director Zhang Yimou began his career as a cinematographer and wisely hired Christopher Doyle (one of the best cinematographers currently working) to shoot his film and with their combined efforts they have created a film with a rich color palate that is deserving of exactly what Blu-ray can offer. For those who lack interest in the martial arts film genre, be aware that Zhang Yimou’s early films were strictly dramas and his talent for good storytelling certainly carries over in this film, making it worth owning simply to watch the story unfold.
Reviewer’s Opinion: BUY IT!!
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