Download ☆☆☆ https://urllio.com/2uZxVx

Hero: The Epic Wuxia Film That Topped the US Box Office

If you are a fan of martial arts movies, you have probably heard of Hero, a 2002 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, Donnie Yen and Chen Daoming. Hero is a visually stunning and emotionally gripping film that tells the story of a nameless warrior who claims to have killed three legendary assassins who tried to assassinate the king of Qin, the ruler of one of the seven warring states in ancient China.

What is Wuxia?

Wuxia is a genre of Chinese fiction that features heroes who practice martial arts and follow a code of honor. Wuxia stories often involve historical settings, supernatural elements, romance, and political intrigue. The term wuxia literally means “martial heroes” in Chinese. Wuxia films are adaptations of wuxia novels or comics, and they usually showcase spectacular fight scenes, elaborate costumes, and exotic locations.

What is Hero About?

Hero is loosely based on the historical event of Jing Ke’s attempted assassination of the king of Qin in 227 BC. The king of Qin was the most powerful and ambitious ruler among the seven states that fought for supremacy in China. His ultimate goal was to unify China under his rule and end the chaos and bloodshed of the Warring States period. However, his tyranny and cruelty also made him a target for many enemies, especially the other six states that opposed his conquest.

The film begins with Nameless (Jet Li), a prefect of Qin, arriving at the Qin palace to meet the king (Chen Daoming). He claims that he has killed three of the most notorious assassins in China: Long Sky (Donnie Yen), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), and Broken Sword (Tony Leung). He presents their weapons as proof of his deeds, and the king rewards him with gold and allows him to approach within ten paces. Nameless then tells his story of how he defeated each assassin in a series of flashbacks.

However, as Nameless narrates his tale, the king becomes suspicious and questions his motives. He realizes that Nameless’s story is full of inconsistencies and contradictions, and he offers his own version of what really happened. The film then shows alternative flashbacks that reveal the true relationship between Nameless and the assassins, as well as their complex feelings towards the king and each other. The film also explores the themes of heroism, loyalty, love, sacrifice, and peace.

How Hero Achieved Its Stunning Cinematography

One of the most striking aspects of Hero is its use of color and visual composition. The film features four different color schemes: red, blue, green, and white, each corresponding to a different version of the story told by Nameless and the king. The colors also reflect the emotions, themes, and characters of each scenario. For example, red represents passion, violence, and loyalty; blue represents calmness, sadness, and deception; green represents nature, harmony, and freedom; and white represents truth, death, and peace.

The cinematography of Hero was done by Christopher Doyle, a renowned Hong Kong-based Australian cinematographer who has worked with many acclaimed directors such as Wong Kar-wai, Gus Van Sant, and Zhang Yimou. Doyle used various techniques and effects to create the stunning visuals of Hero, such as filters, lenses, lighting, slow motion, and digital enhancement. He also collaborated with the production designer Tingxiao Huo and the costume designer Emi Wada to create a coherent and consistent aesthetic for each color scheme.

Doyle also made use of the natural landscapes and locations of China to create breathtaking shots that showcase the beauty and diversity of the country. Some of the places that were featured in Hero include Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan province, Lake Hong in Zhejiang province, Dunhuang in Gansu province, and Hukou Waterfall in Shanxi province. Doyle also filmed some scenes in Mongolia and Inner Mongolia to capture the vastness and desolation of the desert.

Hero is widely regarded as one of the most visually stunning films ever made, and it has received many accolades for its cinematography. It won the Best Cinematography award at the 2003 Hong Kong Film Awards, the 2004 Golden Horse Awards, and the 2005 BAFTA Awards. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 2003, but lost to Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

How Hero Delivered Its Powerful Music

Another important element of Hero is its music, composed by Tan Dun, who won an Oscar for his score for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Tan Dun collaborated with renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, who performed the main theme and the solo violin parts throughout the score. Tan Dun also used traditional Chinese instruments, such as the guqin (a seven-stringed zither), the erhu (a two-stringed fiddle), and the pipa (a four-stringed lute), to create a distinctive and authentic sound for the film.

The music of Hero reflects the mood and the meaning of each color scheme and each version of the story. For example, the red theme is passionate and dramatic, featuring a soaring violin melody and a male choir; the blue theme is melancholic and mysterious, featuring a haunting female vocal and a solo erhu; the green theme is natural and harmonious, featuring a gentle guqin motif and a flute; and the white theme is simple and pure, featuring a solo pipa and a sparse orchestration.

The music of Hero also enhances the action and the emotion of the film, especially in the fight scenes. Tan Dun used various percussion instruments, such as taiko drums, gongs, cymbals, and bells, to create a rhythmic and dynamic accompaniment for the martial arts choreography. He also used silence and pauses to create contrast and tension. The music also underscores the themes of heroism, loyalty, love, sacrifice, and peace that are explored in the film.

The music of Hero was widely praised by critics and audiences alike, and it received several awards and nominations. It won the Best Original Score award at the 2003 Golden Globe Awards, the 2003 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, and the 2004 Hong Kong Film Awards. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score in 2003, but lost to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

How Hero Received Its Critical Acclaim

Hero was not only a commercial success, but also a critical success. The film received widespread praise from critics and audiences around the world, who admired its artistic vision, its storytelling, its performances, its action, and its message. The film has a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 210 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website’s critical consensus reads, \”With death-defying action sequences and epic historic sweep, Hero offers everything a martial arts fan could ask for.\” [1] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 85 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating \”universal acclaim\”. [2]

The film was also honored with many awards and nominations. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2003, but lost to Nowhere in Africa. It won the Best Foreign Language Film award at the Golden Globe Awards, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, and the Hong Kong Film Awards. It also won several technical awards, such as Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.

Many critics and filmmakers have praised Hero as one of the best films of its genre and one of the best films of all time. Roger Ebert gave the film four out of four stars and wrote, \”Hero is beautiful and beguiling, a martial arts extravaganza defining the styles and lives of its fighters within Chinese tradition.\” [3] Quentin Tarantino listed Hero as one of his favorite films since he became a director in 1992. [4] James Cameron called Hero \”a masterpiece\” and \”the most visually stunning film I have ever seen.\” [5]

How Hero Showcased Its Talented Actors

Hero also boasts a stellar cast of some of the most famous and acclaimed actors in Chinese cinema. Jet Li plays Nameless, the mysterious and skilled swordsman who claims to have killed the three assassins. Li delivers a restrained and nuanced performance, showing both his martial arts prowess and his emotional depth. Li also performed most of his own stunts, including the fight scene with Donnie Yen on a lake, which took three weeks to film. [1]

Tony Leung Chiu-wai plays Broken Sword, the leader of the assassins and a master calligrapher. Leung portrays a complex and conflicted character, who is torn between his love for Flying Snow, his duty to his homeland, and his admiration for the king. Leung also learned calligraphy for his role, and wrote some of the characters that appear in the film. [2]

Maggie Cheung plays Flying Snow, the lover of Broken Sword and a fierce warrior. Cheung gives a passionate and powerful performance, showing her character’s loyalty, anger, sorrow, and determination. Cheung also performed her own stunts, including the fight scene with Zhang Ziyi in a forest of yellow leaves, which was filmed in one continuous shot. [3]

Zhang Ziyi plays Moon, the apprentice and secret admirer of Broken Sword. Zhang displays her grace and agility as a martial artist, as well as her innocence and devotion as a young woman. Zhang also learned to play the guqin for her role, and played it live on set during the filming of her scenes with Tony Leung. [4]

Donnie Yen plays Sky, the first assassin that Nameless confronts. Yen showcases his speed and skill as a fighter, as well as his charisma and humor as an actor. Yen also choreographed some of his own fight scenes, including the one with Jet Li in the chess house. [5]

Chen Daoming plays the king of Qin, the target of the assassins and the ruler who wants to unify China. Chen portrays a ruthless and ambitious leader, who is also intelligent and curious. Chen also studied history and politics for his role, and tried to understand the king’s perspective and motivation. [6]

Conclusion

Hero is a film that combines stunning visuals, powerful music, compelling storytelling, and superb acting to create a masterpiece of wuxia cinema. The film explores the themes of heroism, loyalty, love, sacrifice, and peace in the context of ancient China, and challenges the viewers to question their own perspectives and values. Hero is not only a thrilling and entertaining film, but also a profound and meaningful one.

86646a7979