Hero (Blu-ray + Digital)

The item came in fast. I wanted this in my collection.

First of all let me clarify something, this is NOT a QUENTON TARENTINO movie. "Hero" is a foreign film, that came out originally in 1999 but was brought just now to the US thanks in large part to QT (who loved the film and thought US audiences would too).Hero is set in china during it's "warring states" period. During this time, China was not a united country as we know it today, but consisted of 6 or so smaller kingdoms which were almost always at war with one another. Then the king of Qin (chin) attained military supremecy and began to ruthlessly conquer his neighbors, swallowing up all the kingdoms of china "like a silk worm gobbles up mulbury leaves". The king of Qin then proclaimed himself "Shi Huang Di" China's First emperor... china as we know it is born of this empire.The story is full of twists and is told in a Roshomon style (showing different perspectives of the story until we finally arive at the truth). The entire movie is really a conversation between the King Of Qin and a bounty hunter who has killed 3 assassins from the rival state of Zhou that were trying to kill the king. The Hero, tells the king his stories of how he defeated each, and the story takes a few twists.Our Hero, and his opponents all possess almost super-natural kung fu powers. And the fights are utterly amazing. The fight scenes and martial arts choreography are OUT OF THIS WORLD. In fact they're so over the top that many might find them "silly". But this is supposed to be more of a legend or a myth than a story based in reality and that should allow you to watch on with awe at thier powers rather than chuckling at seeing men walk on water or fly through the air.The acting is superb. Jet Li and all the others do an OUTSTANDING job! This combined with amazing vivid visuals and innovative use of striking color give Hero a very complex and heartfelt emotional depth that other movies are lacking now a days. Everything from the diologue to the story to the acting to the fabulous soundtrack is touching and moving.Amazing visuals, great cinematography, a wonderful score, excellent actors and a deep and engaging story... what more do you want? One word summurizes this film - FANTASTIC... in every possible sense of the word. Those just wanting a kung Fu Swordplay movie with some crazy fight scenes will get more than they could have possibly hoped for. Those wanting a deep and engaging historically based epic will also be pleased. And the passion with which this film was finely crafted ensures that it touches on every emotional aspect of life - love, hate, peace, war, passion, dedication, compassion, regret... you name it. You dont just watch this movie, you feel it - so those seeking a movie with depth and meaning behind it and a real story to tell should look no further than hero. It's a martial arts historical epic that has many levels and layers and you can come away from Hero with as much as you are willing to look for in it. A GREAT movie. a big big 5 stars.

I have seen numerous martial art films over the years and this one (Hero) is one of the better ones out on DVD. As a lifetime student of numerous martial arts (Judo, Jujitsu, Karate, Kobudo, etc), I have loved seeing good Asian and other martial art films that also have a good story with the action. This one (Hero) has a somewhat complex plot which actually makes it interesting to watch the story unfold. If you are not used to seeing these Asian martial art movies, you could become confused in some parts of this video; nevertheless, it is a compelling and enchanting movie to watch. Like many well-made Asian films, this one has many dazzling colorful scenes which makes this movie a pure visual joy to the senses.The story centers around a famous warrior and his desire to seek revenge against a dictatorial emperor, but as the story unfolds we discover the tale becomes much more complex. The emperor and the no name warrior (Jet Li) play a cat and mouse game as the warrior relates his experience in killing the emperor's enemies. The martial arts action is nothing short of fantastic and the story moves along quickly in each scene.In conclusion, if you like Asian martial arts films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, or the American made Kill Bill, you will enjoy this film.Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Haiku Moments: How to read, write and enjoy haiku)

This film far exceeded my expectations. It is very deep on many levels. The astounding cinematography which uses beautiful displayes of colors for emotional content, hevenly scenery, and exquisite choreographed fighting. The fable like story telling which Poetically layers truth and reality, questions friendship, duty, and honor, and provides a glimps into chinese history. The blend of all of these elements makes the flim enjoyable on many levels.Beware spoilers in this paragraph. Some scenes I particularly enjoied where the battle with Sky in the "chess house" where they were playing "Go" which is a poetic foreshadowing of the battle that takes place in Nameless and Sky's mind. The fight in the leaves where the opponents rarely touch they just use there energy to force the leaves at each other. And the water confrontation.Now I just want to get something off my chest. I feel that the inclusion of Quentin Tarantino Presents tacked on to this film, and broadcast in all of the promotion is just blatant shameless advertising. I don't think it gives the creators there due respect by having Tarantino's name thrown out there like he had anything to do with the film being made. I love his films, but this is absurd. I've had several people come up and say "Hey have you seen the new Tarantino movie?" The same thing happended with The Iron Monkey. I think it is disrespecful to the creators.This is a classic epic film that I will soon add to my collection, and treasure for may reasons. I can't recomend it enough for those who are seeking a film experience which offers significant beauty and depth.

This film utilizes some really interesting special effects and the story is interesting enough to follow. I was slightly off-put by the collectivist note it ends on, which really shouldn't come as a shock considering the country of origin, but it still was.