Hero (2002)

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The time: two thousand years ago. The place: the violent dawn of the Qin dynasty. The story: the soon-to-be First Emperor of China is on the brink of conquering a war-torn land. Three opponents are determined to assassinate him and one loyal subject stands in their way. (Miramax)

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Directed By: Yimou Zhang

Written By: Yimou Zhang, Bin Wang, Feng Li

Starring: Maggie Cheung, Donnie Yen, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, Jet Li, Ziyi Zhang, Daoming Chen, Yan Qin, Zhongyuan Liu, Tianyong Zheng, Yakun Zhang

Genres: Romance, Drama, Action, History

AKA: Ying xiong

Country: China, Hong Kong

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Hero belongs to 73 collections

1. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by kozan26 - 234 stars)

2. 21st Century Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by dardan - 49 stars)

3. AAA: Empire's five star movies (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 24 stars)

4. IMDb Top 250 Complete (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 23 stars)

5. They Shoot Pictures' Recommended Viewing (collaborative: moderated by Cinephile - 19 stars)

6. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 17 stars)

7. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)

8. Doubling The Canon (collaborative - 13 stars)

9. Christopher Doyle, Cinematographer (collaborative: moderated by paulofilmo - 10 stars)

10. #1 at the US Box Office (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 10 stars)

11. Cinema Discusso Yearly Consensus (2008) (public: PeaceAnarchy - 10 stars)

12. Martial Arts (collaborative: moderated by doganay - 9 stars)

13. Epic (collaborative - 8 stars)

14. Best Foreign Film Oscar Nominees (collaborative: moderated by snallygaster - 8 stars)

15. Netflix USA (public: mpowell - 8 stars)

16. Skandies (collaborative: moderated by toro913 - 7 stars)

17. TSPDT 21st Century's Top 250 Most Acclaimed Films (2010) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 6 stars)

18. TSPDT 21st Century's Top 250 Most Acclaimed Films (2012) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 6 stars)

19. Cinemag's 100 Greatest Movies of the '00s (collaborative: moderated by hristos - 5 stars)

20. Doubling The Canon (2010 update) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 5 stars)

21. Top 3000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 5 stars)

22. Most popular film from each country (as of 12/2014) (collaborative: moderated by juandr - 4 stars)

23. Rashomon structure (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 4 stars)

24. Sword Fight (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 3 stars)

25. American Cinematographer's 50 best potographed films 1998-2008 (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 3 stars)

26. 501 Movie Directors (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 3 stars)

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28. LoveHKFilm: The Best 200 Hong Kong Films Ever (public: edkrak - 3 stars)

29. TSPDT 21st Century's Top 250 Most Acclaimed Films (2011) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 2 stars)

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32. TheEndOfCinema - 30 Essential Wuxia Films (public: Nroo - 2 stars)

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40. Magic & Surrealism (the escapist's collection) (collaborative: moderated by marigolem - 1 star)

41. Great soundtracks (public: Murray - 1 star)

42. Foreign - Hong Kong (public: NhanLa - 1 star)

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All Ratings | With Reviews

Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
5	eveelun	75 _59th
Looks absolutely fantastic (even better than Crouching Tiger), and has an interesting narrative structure and matching color scheme. But the story seems fairly artificial and not all that interesting.
5	teknicolor	94 _96th
A stunningly beautiful movie with an interesting plot. The color schemes really sold this one for me.
5	Nathan S	1 _6th
It tries to be something epic and poetic, but really it's just artificial and silly. Occasionally it achieves a moment of visual brilliance, but that's the only compliment I've got for it (and I think it's mostly overrated in that department anyway). The story is boring, and its structure is pretty horrible. As it goes on it tries to reveal that the characters have more emotional motivation than you first realized, but still I couldn't care less.
4	Ytadel	8 _93rd
My favorite of the recent string of overly lushly filmed Chinese martial arts super-epics. The story is deceptively shallow, but here's the thing: it's absolutely gorgeous. The use of color, the art direction, the epic sets, the flowing kinetic motion in the fight and action scenes, holy fucking wow does it look amazing. It also doesn't hurt that the fight scenes rock my cock.
3	MartinTeller	65 _26th
Disappointing. I had high hopes -- a wuxia movie directed by Zhang Yimou with a great cast. There were scenes of exquisite beauty (especially in the color palettes), and a couple of good fight scenes, but on the whole it was all rather boring. Oh well.
3	whomperize	65 _56th
Hero is one of those movies that was way too short. I was expecting a three-hour epic from what I heard about the movie's plot. I didn't think the Rashomon-rip style of story-telling was done effectively, and although I enjoyed the way they defined a true hero (basically mocking off American film's version of one), it was anti-climactic. But beautiful fight scenes keep the score up.
3	Egregius	92 _83rd
Modern visual poetry. If you can appreciate good choreography in a martial arts movie, and a Kurosawa inspired story, this one is recommended.
3	DeaThRoW	100 _98th
So beautiful and illustrious it's almost impossible to breathe through.
2	vincente	61 _36th
null
2	TripleSH	70 _53rd
Excellent choreography and story, but I felt like I was simply watching a tribute to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with a new plot and characters.
2	pstraslipka	95 _92nd
Absolutely amazing camera! Wow
2	Magb	70 _39th
The main selling point here is of course the imagery. It's absolutely beautiful. The story isn't the best, but it didn't ruin the experience for me, and neither did the acting. It got tedious in parts, though.
2	filip	96 _93rd
Simply beautiful. The colors!
2	doctor7	68 _49th
Visually stunning film but I'm simply tired of such much over the top wire-fu.
2	Cohillel	70 _26th
The problem with hero, is that it tries to force-feed its view on the beuty of battle to the crowd. One becomes weery pretty quickly from the close-ups one leafs during swordfights.
2	Kerrek	74 _53rd
Lots of flash, no substance.
2	TheDenizen	90 _95th
Gorgeous, with a great story that unfolds in layers. Plus, some amazing fantasy martial arts sequences. Donnie Yen vs Jet Li is a rare treat.
2	StVeSa	95 _91st
Very good action film that tends to fill the gaps between action sequences with interesting scenes.
2	BattleToad	89 _85th
Hero is elegant and full of great action. The story is great, and the whole movie is quite breathtaking. Really good!
2	trile	100 _98th
This is THE WAY greatest movies of all times are made. Biggest and the most expensive Chinesse film ever. And if it was hollywood's most exensive it would be definatelly crap. Great story, fabulous acting, scenography fascinating, directing perfect. bravo! Touching and beautiful, extremelly beautiful. Way to go China!
2	ozymandius10	73 _62nd
I'll admit it, in the midst of all the flashbacks/pseudo flashbacks, I was getting confused. But when the movie finally got through all of it, and I had a firm grasp on what was going on, I found a good movie. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it's a good experience nevertheless.
2	gleeb	65 _22nd
Like a beautiful woman with no conversation and an annoying laugh. This is a lovingly made picture that feels slow and wooden.
2	TedDedon	65 _33rd
This art-style and subject matter is a little tired and Hero does nothing to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack.
2	walrus	87 _81st
Beautiful visuals - just flies you through some of the most amazing scenes ever seen.
2	AstralArtist	95 _92nd
Arguably the greatest of the Chinese martial arts fantasy films, loosely based on actual history, very well acted & exceptionally photographed. An absolute visual revelation, & one of the best films of any kind so far this century.
2	mohan	80 _22nd
Visual poetry. Gorgeous cinematography and framing of scenes. Good Music. Good acting (esp the younger actress). But some actors were a bit dramatic at places. In a few scenes I was smiling, when I was not supposed to. Too much flying via invisible ropes that it was ridiculous at times. The entire film is a bit too long for my taste. But a worthy effort that I guess can be enjoyed better on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
2	willxcore	81 _61st
I don't usually have a thing for Kung-Fu movies but something about this movie appealed to me. The story is very moving and complex. The visuals are all mind blowing. I look forward to more Kung-Fu movies of this kind over the usual beat-em-up style.
2	EmptyChamber	94 _95th
Art Direction is simply phenomenal.
2	Kel	70 _48th
Starts off with silly hats, people flying around fighting, but then it shows there is actually a story and maybe even a moral in the whole thing.
2	ewp805	87 _90th
Blows you away with the stellar imagery and awesome set pieces all captured with graceful camerawork. Great use of color.
2	smacfarl	78 _27th
Great kung-fu. Terrible ending. But that was the point. Don't agree with the philosophy.
2	Murray	90 _90th
I love how this movie manages to build itself around a simple but profound concept. Visually about as entertaining as it gets, the soundtrack is great, and the story is surprisingly good.
2	overrated	40 _33rd
It's interesting if you look at it as a communist propaganda epic. Not much else happening besides a lot of billowing curtains.
2	Cinema_Asia	85 _92nd
Zhang takes the flawed narrative and creates a grandiose dramatic story of recruiting warriors to assassinate the first emperor of China. Everything about this is supposed to represent a dream like mythical story of the past rather than a portrayal of reality. Zhang probably received inspiration from traditional scroll art to weave a living and breathing painting with his mastery over visual effects and color. Quite simply a beautiful and interesting story.
2	Rufam	85 _93rd
A spectacular and extravagantly ridiculous martial arts epic, "Ying xiong" is one of the most visually stimulating and over-the-top films ever made. The fighting scenes are even more handsome than those in "Wo hu cang long" and emotional resonance is achieved thanks to some very fine acting. The conventional story is unconventionally told, using multiple layers. Zhang's direction is remarkable. When it comes to pure spectacle, few films can compete this in terms of sheer visceral glee.
2	Red_Falcon_	82 _92nd
I found this to be an incredibly beautiful film.The use of color not only adds a distinctive flair but it is also part of the story.The frequent fight scenes while not realistic have a very fluid and graceful look to them and are well choreographed.The icing on the cake for me was the well done and layered story that kept me engaged and thinking by the end about the subtle ways we twist the truth and use events and people to further are own ends.
2	glumpy_99	78 _53rd
An exquisitely filmed and designed epic with a coldly mechanical plot grinding away; the superb technical elements, including a striking and inventive use of colour to distinguish the competing narratives, make you wish Yimou could tell this story with a little more genuine passion; stoic performances by most of the cast, save Cheung, don't help in this regard. There's still plenty to luxuriate in, including the genuinely staggering epic sweep Yimou brings to his battle scenes.
2	NunMak	71 _66th
Hero is (often) breathtakingly beautiful, and worthy viewing just for that. The story, however, feels empty and strangely artificial, with its Rashomon-like structure never quite working, the different perspectives it offers later dismissed as weightless fantasies. It could be a comment on how time shapes legends and myths, leaving us with only a shadow of the truth, but it's ultimately a disservice to the characters who are never fleshed out enough for us to grasp the gravity of their decisions
2	Fresh	95 _88th
A sumptuous movie that'll excite your eyes if not your heart.
2	A.I.77	85 _78th
A visually stunning film with excellent performances from the cast and a compelling story.
2	atomzer0	100 _92nd
A masterpiece. Brilliant and beautiful. Visually stunning. Emotionally powerful. Action packed. Excellently choreographed. An epic retelling of a legendary piece of Chinese culture and history.
2	TamCam	82 _93rd
One of the most stunning and beautiful films I've ever seen. Even after I watched it repeatedly over some years it doesn't loose its magic. And I don't even mention the awesome people-fighting-in-mid-air-jumping-ridiculously-far-and-high-Hong-Kong-movie-style. It's the way the scenese are shot, the story is told and the costumes are chosen. Add Hong Kong's top actors at that time and you have 1,5 hours of pure pleasure.
1	fudgieb	93 _83rd
As good as Cr. Tig. Hid. Drag. Except this came out 3 years later and one can only handle so much Kung-fu.
1	urrea	99 _60th
Speechless...
1	Mikul	90 _88th
Stunningly beautiful.
1	v3xation	90 _90th
A beautiful story with great imagry
1	Prax	75 _40th
I decided I'd boycott movies that Terentino says he has something to do with but he really doesn't, but this one's an exception, well done movie.
1	jjmawaken	90 _51st
I loved the style of this movie. The story was a bit questionable and from what I hear was a political statement in China. But the color and action is beautifully portrayed. I may not completely understand this movie but it was great to watch. I love the scene where they fight in their minds.
1	StarSiren	90 _95th
Beautiful cinematography to go with a humbling story.
1	mrbeck	80 _87th
Okay... this wasn't what I was expecting when I originally went to see it, but I ended up being very impressed by the end of it. Yes, it's a Jet Li film so yes, there's some seriously kick-ass martial arts... but the main spin on this film is very artsy/dramatic. Keep that in mind before you get half way through and are like "wtf mate?" Still... the artsy stuff was absolutely amazing, and the director/writer/cinematographer for this film did phenomenal jobs.
1	svicciarelli	90 _82nd
Gorgeous, moving, enthralling, I love this movie.
1	willofgaia	95 _89th
Some of the most beautiful cinematography you'll find in any movie.
1	Actionberg	60 _28th
Overrated. Really pretty, but Zhang Ziyi really sucked in this for some reason. The romances were boring; I didn't care what happened.
1	Ndkchk	83 _77th
In my opinion, slightly better than House of Flying Daggers, about comparable to Crouching Tiger. Rather convoluted story, though.
1	AgentSnipe	88 _95th
This film has a great story and is beautifully shot.
1	ServantDagon	82 _58th
Try tripping balls while watching this movie. Oh yeah.
1	anjinash	98 _97th
IMHO, Jet Li's finest moment. A truly beautiful movie in every way. From the plot, to the acting, to the amazing martial arts.. this is about as perfect as a wuxia film can get.
1	fett11878	85 _80th
The Politics are a bit disturbing, but it's a top film, beautifully shot, yadda yadda. Tony Leung is astonishing.
1	Moribunny	38 _23rd
Hero is not the first movie out of Hong Kong that offers glorified, beautified bloodletting and not much else. Arguably, it's an especially spectacular one from the visual standpoint. But in essence all we are given is the mind-numbing impression that killing, and even - in numerous scenes - letting oneself be killed, is something heroic and very pretty. Even the romance is violent, and the violence romantic, but life seems to have no value and in general the style trumps the substance.
1	Buster	90 _37th
Beautiful ! Moving. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung forever.
1	Stay_Puft	43 _40th
I'm not so hot on Yimou Zhang, but hey, it's better than House of Flying Daggers. Great music from Tan Dun doesn't hurt, either.
1	amberlita	80 _59th
gorgeous and heartbreaking at times. i know some folks take a lot of offense to political statements, but it meant little to me in the face of such beauty.
1	Octopusnarc	91 _85th
An epic and beautiful story set in ancient China. One of the best martial art movies of all time.
1	tma1	50 _29th
looks impressive, but struck me as being shallow.
1	hank	50 _13th
Not all that great. Reminds me of Crouching Tiger Boring Dragon.
1	johnwun	91 _91st
Action, intelligence and and endingthat breaks your heart while instilling a worthy moral... Hard to do... But done well.
1	Kavu	90 _94th
Quality story, not too much of that oriental over-acting and absolutely mind-blowing visually.
1	Chili	90 _81st
Well crafted, and utterly fantastic.
1	MJbites	90 _90th
Beautiful movie.
1	kranksta	70 _39th
The story isn't so interesting but the visuals are stunning.
1	n0xie	89 _89th
Very 'hollywood' style asian action movie, making the genre more accessible to the Western crowd. Good movie if you just like action movies, awesome movie if you like Asian action movies.
1	philsale	91 _82nd
What was the story? Who cares when the film is so visually-stunning
1	CornCabre	60 _41st
Another boring, overly long entry into the land of backflips and floating around like a fairy. If you've seen Crouching Tiger or Flying Daggers, you've seen Hero.
1	Avenant	86 _57th
A beautiful movie that vastly outclasses Crouching Tiger.
1	grimsooth	72 _75th
As far as celebrating the ideals of eastern culture, this movie does a great job. It begins in a rediculously fantastic sense, but gets better and less fantastic as the movie moves on.
1	TheDiceman	55 _49th
Good film.
1	aus_hab_fan	79 _75th
Hated it the first time, Loved it the 2nd
1	Calencoriel	96 _88th
Amazing use of color to tell the story...this is a beautiful film, and if you follow what I like, you know I like films that are pretty...who cares about the plot...but this has everything...plot, twists, color, beauty...you can't take your eyes from the screen.
1	toolboi	40 _10th
Gorgeous. Thats about it. The entire plot is based around continual retellings of the same story, which gets old since each new telling only offers you slightly more than the last. Seemed artificially long. Also, totally mediocre acting.
1	Vince Leo (Qwipster's Movie Reviews)	71 _62nd
Although I found it to be one of the better films of the past year, considering its lofty ambitions, it's still a bit hard not to consider this a bit of a disappointment. [Full Review]
1	mynameismax	80 _64th
Wow, really really interesting. So much beautiful imagery through things like colours and the plot is so so much more intelligent than I had expected. With a style reminiscent of Pulp Fiction, it's only really some dodgy looking special effects that hold it back a bit. Well worth a look if you fancy something a bit different.
1	mysterice	70 _66th
Some pretty incredible sequences but too over the top. Story was very tight.
1	Svankmajer	75 _37th
Visually stunning, if not anything else.
1	buggz79	79 _75th
This is a really good flick. Its got several twists out of the ordinary and a surprise ending. Excellent cast and very beautifully shot.
1	PhMF	85 _67th
Excellent chinese epic. Finally Jet-Li makes a really good movie. Keep trying...
1	kakki	90 _85th
Drama, Honor and Beautiful Landscape
1	RishMalish	80 _51st
Enjoyable action/martial arts film. Doesn't reach the profound plateau the filmmakers seem to have sought, but enjoyable nonetheless.
1	slackerish	60 _40th
Great fight scenes, lame story.
1	bethelysa	79 _64th
Boy, did this movie bring the pretty. Lovely to look at if a little....epheremal. Liked it just about as much as I like cotton candy (which, really, is a lot).
1	JackPulp	90 _63rd
a great artistic foreight film
1	WarMachine	90 _87th
Beautiful film. Such a good story in the world of kung fu flicks.
1	Derekstar	60 _36th
PRETTY COLOURS. I'm not really a kung fu guy. I find - and this may explain why I'm not a kung fu guy - that once we tip toe over the threshold of believability I get bored and stop paying attention. I don't think I'm alone in this. My bordom encompasses for visual tricks such as wire-fighting, as well as more substantive, story related scenes such as when two swordsmen defeating something like 500 (or more? I forget how many) Royal Guards without even breaking a sweat. Literally.
1	Mojo_Jojo	60 _60th
It put all its eggs in the pretty basket.
1	fatbuddha	85 _67th
Stunningly gorgeous.
1	Cowman	80 _89th
Awesome cinemathography & choreography.
1	krylyr	74 _22nd
It's like a hollywoodized crouching tiger, hidden dragon. Which is kind of funny, if you think about it.
1	catron	100 _97th
i dont think enough people understand this movie...amazing script...perfect metaphors...fuckin love it
1	Murravener	80 _63rd
Brilliantly retells the same story from varying persepectives and shows these perspectives through the uses of different colors. While the idea is novel it does cause the movie to become a tad repetitive however not enough so to hurt the movie in any substantial way.
1	Sylar	85 _85th
One of the great foreign films. Not too overly popularized like Crouching Tiger, yet not so underground that you don't hear about it. The story line is compelling, the use of colors to represent differing storyline is genius, and the battles are both elegant and deadly. Also the film is done more justice by watching is with subtitles as opposed to dubbed over English.
1	Stain	60 _47th
Pretty much the usual from Zhang Yimou: nice use of color, but not as deep or as engaging as it thinks it is
1	MonsterGear	84 _76th
Actually quite interesting and beautifully shot. Not too many surprises, but an excellent martial arts fantasy film.
1	BlueTesla	80 _57th
Not a terribly interesting movie but the cinematography and direction was beautifully done.
1	frederic_g54	8 _77th
(2nd viewing, previous score 6, wtf ?!) I enjoyed 'Crouching Tiger...' but Hero's story was far more absorbing and visually speaking, it's quite a treat. Those Chinese "wire work" films never disappoint. Recommended.
1	Dogmandont	91 _90th
Chinese propaganda never tasted so good
1	mistersplice	95 _99th
9+ amazing :: I found myself thinking "Wow, that was cool." several times while I watched. Seriously.
1	juice	65 _62nd
Another Jet movie.
1	King_Mongo	85 _76th
Works very, very hard to be an overarching statement, but beautifully shot and choreographed. Donnie Yen's short scene seals the deal for me.
1	WoozyB	85 _73rd
Stunning imagery, but unsettling in its final message of how the greater good should be achieved.
1	Freder	75 _63rd
Not Quite as good as CROUCHING TIGER, only because it lacks that movie's repressed love story and the action is somewhat more restrained. Otherwise, an equally beautiful film with a smashing color design.
1	Matthias99	95 _93rd
I really like this movie; another by the makers of Crouching Tiger.
1	emtilt	81 _84th
An excellent, misunderstood film. One of the few wuxia films that understands the non-literal value of choreography. Perhaps its only flaw is that it does not commit fully enough; I would have liked to see it be even more stylized. (For example, instead of treating one of the final fights as a more literal plot point, the stylization could have carved its message about the land into the land itself with movement.)
1	pslee	83 _85th
Zhang Yimou's first and best wuxia martial arts film, though not his best film. Vibrant color design and a plot design lifted from Rashomon elevate it, but its political views are controversial. Interesting.
1	Bene	80 _78th
Beautifully shot, well-acted
1	KarenAK	95 _84th
A story in a story in a story. Awesome visuals. Great !
1	fart	83 _70th
This movie is great. The cinematography is top notch, and the action is on par with crouching tiger. Now that i think about it, it's one of the best movies to come out of china, period.
1	erikskje	95 _87th
Check out the use of colors in the settings.
1	squidget	93 _87th
This is why we need HD.
1	st_fly	90 _95th
Excellent Chinese flick, has great wire-fu, great art/direction, good acting and great story about an assassin in ancient China and the King who gauge each other during a telling of tales in the imperial castle.
1	joshk84	79 _66th
It was good, a compelling story and great acting from Jet Li and Ziyi Zhang, but I just felt like something, something small, was missing.
1	Dustyd	60 _39th
runs out of steam
1	nandorizzi	70 _61st
Technically, a film is impeccable, one of the best ever made. But the story could be told in a way less confusing, it would be more interesting.
1	ajeckertdo	88 _54th
From the sweeping visuals to the heartbreaking love story, this movie packs quite a punch.
1	cinedriller	71 _29th
u know, that soft background music, flying fighters, millions of arrows, invinsible "heroes", well.. not all of them!
1	meerkat	85 _66th
Lovely, as his films always are.
1	yobe1001	90 _81st
beautiful!
1	scurry	65 _85th
Justifying imperialism. Impressive in a lot of ways. It feels very Chinese, not as in exotic, but as in not really intended for a Western audience. I don't mean that as either criticism or praise, just an impression.
1	jerkagram	56 _26th
Wonderful visuals, but the story is very weak. I understand it is about the Chinese version of "hero" and I like that it mocks the typical Hollywood "hero," but when you found out people were lying about the story (which wasn't very interesting to begin with), you just kind of lost interest.
1	paulofilmo	66 _26th
I like how I find a new memory each time I watch this. Currently it's the desert scenes. It's a pretty film, but I think it's dead inside.
1	xxspiderxx	75 _30th
not bad.
1	Tobzombie	95 _97th
This movie combines art and adventure. Its just worth to see the movie because of the colors and settings. A true epic movie!
1	Vrey	89 _94th
another good jet li movie
1	Vandelay1	82 _91st
Nice
1	Hancock	75 _71st
Jet Li is the MAN!
1	psychedelicr	85 _75th
Beautiful film. Great choreography.
1	kav	81 _81st
The costumes, set pieces, and action sequences are absolutely stunning. A lot of slow motion but in this movie it works well. Interesting use of multiple interpretations of the same story.
1	Obdurate	90 _91st
To be honest I didn't expect the story to be as emotionally potent or as narratively interesting as it was. That was a nice surprise. And then on top of that, the choreography was wonderful and the scenery was beautiful, with enough wind (you must always have things blowing in the wind) to satisfy all wind-lovers (?). Seriously, this film is gorgeous and nails everything it sets out to do. I might up this to a 95 in the future.
1	Sypeth	90 _80th
Amazing film. Jet Li is awesome as usual, the real stars though are Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, who both put in excellent performances. Contains absolutely gorgeous cinematography, the use of color is amazing.
1	teecee	50 _72nd
Smuk - intet andet
1	Waldheri	75 _59th
Beautiful cinematography, something we seem to be used to when it's a historical epic from Asia. Hero is no exception.
1	ImThatDingo	83 _81st
I'm such a whore for anything martial arts. I loved this.
1	Esso	72 _23rd
poetic
1	bluewasabii	60 _25th
acceptable. but still lame.
1	Hu7	100 _99th
Epic!
1	eric-jan	75 _74th
Some great fighting scenes, although a little overrated.
1	andagh	53 _14th
Bow down to your authoritarian overlords.
1	Melvin Smif	80 _88th
More wire fighting, which I'm not a huge fan of, but I think it had a cooler story than Crouchy Hidey.
1	JacoIII	35 _32nd
Ah, another dull kung-fu film, this time with a mildly interesting color theme. A few scenes save this from being a total waste: Jet Li's confrontation with Sky and the siege on the calligraphy school but they don't keep the story meshed together.
1	eyemo	90 _75th
So beautifull!
1	MrCarmady	85 _58th
The colours!
1	homunculus	4 _81st
Fuck it, I enjoyed this. The visuals were pretty and I thought the wire fu was fucking hilarious.
1	Piglet	65 _41st
Overrated in my view. Lot of build-up to the fight, but it's over kind of fast.
1	FantacBob	82 _97th
Assasins plot to kill a ruler who would unite ancient China. A great story beautifully told.
1	FunkyAstro	85 _86th
I loved the colors
1	scharreyron	60 _17th
While featuring georgeous cinematography the movie is slow and confusing.
1	Okkervil	73 _73rd
A lovely visual treat.
1	mochajet	88 _89th
What a moving story that was shot beautifully and aesthetically pleasing. A bit slow at times, but it had definitely a great story.
1	Hatman101	90 _78th
Good action, good drama, very stylish.
1	wickedkarma	100 _76th
One of the most beautiful movies you will ever put in your eyes.
1	tjbarbour	90 _81st
Great action film. Beautiful cinematography of course, with an intriguing story interlaced with amazing action scenes. A must see.
1	Pigeon Army	80 _61st
A sumptuous visual feast and an incredibly affecting melodrama with great performances all round, especially from Leung and Cheung as the star-crossed lovers. It's a little wishy-washy on the political front, though, its critiques of nationalist political rhetoric and 'for the greater good' mentalities undermined by every punch Zhang pulls to get the film past the censors.
1	Morphy	70 _38th
Very beautiful but boring at times
1	chemtrails	90 _97th
Looks pretty, so it's got that going for it
1	Frosty	50 _26th
The colors match the story you see. What, you want something else? These movies are seriously overrated and honestly not much better than the movies Jet Li was doing at the start of his career - the difference is Hero is pretentious wankery while Twin Warriors was a daft comedy with naff dubbing.
1	Sajberjohan	75 _40th
Beautiful costumes and scenery and camerawork, goes well with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, House of flying daggers, and that Golden sunflwoers or what it was called movie.
1	Kiralio	60 _68th
3/5
1	HenryVape	80 _30th
Amasing scenery, however the plot feels somewhat haphazard.
1	FrankHowley	85 _90th
Great plot with stunning cinematography.
1	tinysausage	60 _14th
Some stunning sequences but it doesn't hang together very well.
1	mandy	9 _98th
The narrative is a bit convoluted as the story tellling of events switches between what is reported,what actually happened and what happened in the mind but it is captivating and so beautiful to look at.
1	glm	90 _92nd
89.750
1	Sweekoden	85 _88th
Great visuals and a surprisingly gripping story. The wire-fu was amusing, but probably my least favourite part of the whole thing. Way better than The Usual Suspects. What?
1	Sinclair	79 _40th
Spectacular visuals, but a loaded movie with questionable motives.
1	Matty	100 _87th
Incredible visuals, storytelling and action sequences make Hero a great film. Yimou Zhang shows off his ability to create astounding worlds of colour, and blend action with drama and suspense. Absolutely must-watch.
1	ZapperLife	72 _83rd
[Directors Cut]
1	augur	90 _66th
3 color 3 story wish it was 3 hours long..
1	Broodfath3r	10 _2nd
ridiculous...
1	Matthew Parkinson (CineMarter)	90 _97th
Hero is a visual masterpiece. It is peaceful and calming while still being able to bring the same type of action that is expected from a martial arts film. The characters have real depth, the acting is well done, and the style it was filmed in truly is beautiful. The way it manages to portray its message is effective, allowing the viewer to look back at the end of the film and reflect on what has happened. Overall, it is a film with a broad appeal that should be watched.
1	hellboy76	68 _65th
More fighting please. There were some stunning visuals, a strong cast but needed a lot more action.
1	eskimo107	90 _21st
Beautifully shot and well acted. The story was a welcome change from the typical kung fu revenge flick.
1	SlantMag	35 _90th
"Hero is elliptical, radically disjointed and female-empowering. Everything a wu xia should be...and then some." - Ed Gonzalez
1	iyisinek	65 _25th
imparator, suikast, kilic, dövüs, düello, cin, ok, yazi sanati, hat (adamlar dövüsmüyor, ucuyor resmen cok abartili fakat estetik)
1	davisty69	80 _41st
Strange, frilly, yet entertaining because of great choreography and jet lee
1	cameron326	35 _1st
Occasionally spectacular. Often ridiculous and pretentious. Wooden acting. Bad dialogue. Unconvincing story. Completely unbelievable ending. With this movie, Flying Daggers and Curse of the Golden Flower, once respected director Zhang Yimou has stopped making films with any meaning or social significance and simply gone after the money. Shame.
1	GreatScott85	90 _73rd
A beautifully shot and choreographed epic.
1	Bagger	74 _59th
It took me three films to figure it out, but I do really like the way Zhang stages his films, even if I'm not entirely sure I like the way it suits his characters.
1	TarantinOle	74 _61st
Style over substance (there isn't any at all), but it's probably one of the most beautiful films ever created visually. Too bad it's that shallow, and too bad Jet Li was cast. Yeah, he's got flair, but no charisma, ich ruins a bit for me.
1	ribcage	85 _85th
super pretty. story was awesome. couldn't get into the fight where they danced off the water.
1	myfavchords	77 _61st
This is a well made film. Jet Li is great in this movie, his performance and action skills are fantastic. The story is interesting and the fight scenes are a thrill to watch.
1	eCitizen	70 _70th
Way too much incredible unbelievable stuff, but still quite fun to watch.
1	Paxton	70 _63rd
Quite the cast, not as good as I would have wanted. Plus I had heard Dustin Hoffman was in it.
1	Diogoweb	82 _76th
(pt-br) http://filmedodia.net/fdd298-hero2002-heroi
1	Just1n	75 _59th
Fantastic cinematography and art direction. Great fighting scenes. Up there as one of the best martial arts films made. Jet Li excels in this one.
1	gkfilm	70 _79th
Entertainment 4/4. Spirituality: 2/3. Sustainability: 1/3. A beautiful fable, with lots of action fighting but not violent in terms of being bloody or brutal. Lots of food for thought re: principle vs emotion.
1	princeharry	9 _87th
An absolutely brilliant, beautiful movie.
1	FalseDisp	98 _96th
Beautiful film!
1	Ag0stoMesmer	5 _98th
The fights lack 'oomph' but it looks and sounds incredible.
1	Willsun	92 _97th
A great story that pieces together masterfully with the color theme present throughout. Also has the right amount of Chinese mysticism and legendary heroes to make this a truly artful film.
1	mlingkh	85 _89th
Beautiful. ?? is one of my favourite movie 'morals' of all time.
1	natehill88	86 _73rd
One of the most beautiful action movies to ever come out. The story isn't that remarkable, but with all sorts of well planned out action sequences and stunning cinematography, "Hero" stands out from other action films.
1	deep_green	10 _2nd
An aesthetically deplorable film, full of indulgent set-pieces and fight choreography, rendered far too often with intolerable slow-motion effects that, I dunno, are supposed to emphasise something poetic? Does Zhang Yimou think he's an artist? Cos this was shit.
1	rttntomatoes	94 _85th
A sumptuous movie that'll excite your eyes if not your heart.
1	wutangpaul	90 _71st
Stunning choreography and cinematography.
1	whotemp	89 _85th
- 10/10/10
1	Kurochocole	97 _98th
The film manages to spark the chemistry between martial arts and other forms of arts, such as music and calligraphy. It also experiments with the power of human imaginations on how tales are being perceived with traces of exaggeration. A true masterpiece. An inspiring breakthrough from conventional martial arts films. Must Watch.
1	dandruf123	92 _92nd
Exciting and intellectual, Hero raises moral and social issues with its unique perspective
1	RYM	69 _70th
3.44/5
1	hakkanarejo	98 _79th
In this visually arresting martial arts epic set in ancient China, an unnamed fighter (Jet Li) is being honored for defeating three of the king's most dangerous enemies. When Nameless recounts his battles with the assassins -- Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) and Moon (Zhang Ziyi) -- the king begins to question some of the details. As Nameless goes on, the king challenges the tales, interjecting his own take on these perhaps suspect version of events.
1	anilscn	15 _3rd
O kadar saçmalık, propaganda ve gereksiz şiirsellik dolu ki film bitince omzumda buzdolabı taşımış gibi hissettim adamlar kalkıp 90 vermiş. Nasıl olabilir ya nasıl.

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Average Percentile 62.68% from 7730 Ratings