Ying xiong (2002)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Yimou Zhang

Writers:

Feng Li (writer)
Bin Wang (writer)

Release Date:

27 August 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

Kono kuni wa mada, hontô no hero wo shiranai [Japan] (This land doesn't know a real hero. Yet.)

Plot:

A series of Rashomon-like flashback accounts shape the story of how one man defeated three assassins who sought to murder the most powerful warlord in pre-unified China.

Plot Keywords:

China | Sword | Assassin | Palace | King

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 26 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Jet Li	...	Nameless
Tony Leung Chiu Wai	...	Broken Sword
Maggie Cheung	...	Flying Snow (as Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk)
Ziyi Zhang	...	Moon (as Zhang Ziyi)
Daoming Chen	...	King of Qin
Donnie Yen	...	Sky
Liu Zhong Yuan	...	Scholar
Zheng Tia Yong	...	Old Servant
Yan Qin	...	Prime Minister
Chang Xiao Yang	...	General
Yakun Zhang	...	Commander
Ma Wen Hua	...	Head Eunuch
Jin Ming	...	Eunuch
Xu Kuang Hua	...	Pianist
Wang Shou Xin	...	Musician

Also Known As:

Hero (Canada: English title) (literal English title) (UK) (USA)
Jet Li's Hero (USA)
Quentin Tarantino Presents Hero (USA) (promotional title)
Ying hung (China: Cantonese title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for stylized martial arts violence and a scene of sensuality.

Runtime:

99 min | China:107 min (extended version) | China:93 min | Turkey:89 min (TV version)

Country:

Hong Kong | China

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

France:U | Malaysia:18SG | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:L (original rating) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 (bw) | Ireland:12 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39290)

Filming Locations:

Dunhuang, Gansu, China

Company:

Beijing New Picture Film Co.

Trivia:

Director Yimou Zhang did not like the initial batch of the red cloth used in the "red sequence"; none of the test samples came out right on camera. Therefore, a special shade of red dye was Fedex'ed from England, and costume designer Emi Wada ended up dying the cloth AND making all the costumes locally (with help, of course).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nameless goes outside to help Flying Snow to fend off arrows, he shuts the door. Then later we still can see the door open.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Nameless: [voiceover] I was orphaned at a young age and was never given a name. People simply called me Nameless. With no family name to live up to, I devoted myself to the sword. I spent ten years perfecting unique skills as a swordsman. The King of Qin has summoned me to court, for what I have accomplished has astonished the kingdom.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2004-08-28)" (2004)

Beautiful.

In all honesty, Hero required a bit more patience than I thought. Tarantino wanted to present this movie to North American audiences so I thought there would have been more action, but surprise! There is much drama in Hero and the movie begins with one intention and unfolds, in a deceptively beautiful fashion, into a legend that is much larger than the characters themselves are involved! Why did it have to take so long to prove such a point?

Anyway, a man who shall remain Nameless has dispatched the kingdom's three top assassins, thus easing the King's mind that he could sleep at night. But the King is curious and we see the true story and how the tale unfolds.

The fights are beautiful. The battle between Snow and Moon, though lopsided, was a joy. It was art in itself. But overall, be patient. With the many changes in the story, I lost my concentration adjusting to it. But any fan of martial arts and drama must see this movie. It is that elegant.