10.5. Hero - Dir. Zhang Yimou
Hero (2002) - Dir. Zhang Yimou
I was in Chinatown in San Francisco the first weekend Hero was released on VCD and DVD. Four friends and I walked into the VCD shop, and there, on the wall, was a giant television showing what looked like the most beautiful thing any of us had ever seen. It was a scene of autumn beauty, with two women fighting while leaves fell to the ground and swirled around them. All five of us stood in silent awe, before finally walking up to the counter and purchasing the film. I'll never forget this day - it was just one of those amazing experiences. Seeing moving images of Hero for the first time was like having a veil lifted from my eyes. This is what visual poetry looks like.
Some things I like about Hero:
1. Ching Siu Tung's choreography.
"Tony" Ching Siu Tung played a monumental role in the development of new school Hong Kong action cinema; his work with Tsui Hark reshaped the martial arts genre. Through his amazing use of wires and montage, he is able to make non-martial artists look good, and real martial artists look even better. I consider Hero to represent the pinnacle of new school action choreography.
Ching expertly captures the spiritual essence of martial combat. Most of the fights in the film don't actually happen - they only occur in the minds of the characters and in the tale being told within the film. Here, Ching is dealing with myth and hearsay, and he crafts the action to represent this. The two stand out moments are when Nameless fights Sky in the Go house, and when Nameless fights Broken Sword on top of the lake. Both of these fights take place in the characters' minds, and they are expertly shot, framed, and choreographed. The movements are fluid, and everything about them is beautiful and languid.
2. Zhang Yimou perfectly captures the essence of the jiang hu.
The jiang hu is the martial underworld. It represents the milieu of the martial artist. It is an underground world that exists parallel to our own, one inhabited by master swordsmen, thieves, knights, pugilists, and martial artists. Being a part of the jiang hu is to turn your back on everything else, even most of your humanity. You exist as a phantom, only coming in contact with other phantoms. It is a lonely existence, full of sorrow, and longing. I think Hero captures this essence better than any other film, except for one (hint, hint).
3. Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung as Broken Sword and Flying Snow.
Two of my favorite actors in two of my favorite roles. I love the tragic sub-plot with these two characters. Their passion and love for each other and for their martial duty is expertly portrayed. Their relationship is one of the most heartfelt and passionate I have ever seen. I love the forlorn look in Leung's face, and the melancholy aura of Cheung's performance. These are seasoned actors turning in amazing performances.
There are some rumors that Leung did not actually perform his vocal parts for this role, and I don't know if this is true. It wouldn't surprise me though, as this kind of thing happens often in HK cinema. These actors work so much that they sometimes do not have time to go back into the sound studios and dub their own voices. However, even if this is true, you can tell Leung's performance is amazing just based on his body language.
4. Daoming Cheng as the King of Qin
This is one of my top 5 favorite performances of all time. I have never seen Daoming in anything else, and part of me doesn't want to. I just can't believe how awesome he is in this film. Even though he practically sits for the entire film, he possess and exudes more charisma than just about every actor in any role I've encountered. His body language is subtle and powerful, and his facial expressions are full of emotion. His voice resonates with power, and everything he does commands attention.
5. Tan Dun's music.
This is one of my ten favorite scores. I love every moment of the music crafted for this film. The themes are memorable and moving, and they perfectly capture and bolster the tone of the visual experience. Hero represents one of those rare and perfect moments when sight and sound become gloriously married. I cannot imagine this film with any better music, and when I listen to the soundtrack I can only think of the moments from the film. The instrumentation and production of the music are also wonderful. Everything fits perfectly within the stereo field, and every moment works to make the film a better overall experience.
I know there is a lot of backlash against this film on line. When I first started participating in discussion forums, I was shocked to find that there are people who really hate this movie. Everyone I've ever shown it to has totally fallen in love with it, and all of my friends, including my wife, think it is amazing. I find this film so awesome, so moving, so powerful, and so well made, that I have a hard time imagining people actually disliking it. But, I know they exist, and I've come to terms with it. I think Hero is a masterpiece of modern cinema, and represents new school martial arts choreography better than any other film. I am eternally grateful that it exists.
