Hero

[Scotian]

I don't know how long this will last, but the new Jet Li Movie "Hero" has a 100% rating on www.rottentomatoes.com

Mind you there is only 26 reviews, but still...that's something. Looking forward to seeing it.

[Michael]

I don't know how long this will last, but the new Jet Li Movie "Hero" has a 100% rating on www.rottentomatoes.com

Mind you there is only 26 reviews, but still...that's something. Looking forward to seeing it.


I love Jet Li, just can't get past the soundtracks on his American Movies!...Sure wish they'd install a dialog only track!...even my Son has a tough time with them. I prefer the pre-American fame...

[lbangs]

For what it is worth, I loved Hero. I only watched it on an import DVD, and I cannot wait to see it on the big screen.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

[b&w]

I'll give this thread a bump with a copy and paste from a pretty much fluff Jet Li interview. Maybe it will motivate someone to see the movie. I highly suggest this movie by the way. The director is the same director who made the excellent Raise the Red Lantern, To Live, The Story of Qiu Ju, Road Home and other movies.
He's working with martial arts and "wire" action which he really hasn't before, but his overall humanity that infuses all his films is present here. Well worth seeing if you like drama, action, martial arts, or just good movie making.




STAR OF THE WEEK
Q&A: Action 'Hero' Jet Li Just Wants Peace


Chinese superstar Jet Li returns to his roots in Zhang Yimou's dazzling epic 'Hero,' playing a fearless, nameless swordsman. Released in Asia almost two years ago and nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar in 2003, 'Hero' is finally making its way to Stateside theaters. Moviefone kicked it with the affable action hero (and five-time Wushu champion) to find out what's on his mind.

Are you excited that 'Hero' is finally going to find an American audience?
Yeah, I believe all the people working on 'Hero' hoped one day they can show it in the theaters in America. We believe a lot of people already saw the DVD in the States. But in the theater it's different. The sounds, the special effects, the way the picture looks -- in the theater, the image is much stronger than the DVD at home.

You've said this is one of the most important action films you've done. What makes it so significant?
There's a formula for action films: The bad guy killed your family or your master. You go to the mountain to learn martial arts and then come down to kill the bad guy for revenge. Or you're a cop and you have a problem you try to figure out and kill the bad guy. That's it. I think that's a good way, but it's not the only way, and [I found that] in this story. I had tried to find this kind of story. The whole movie you watch and there's no bad guy. Who's the bad guy? And then in the last 30 minutes, there's no action sequences, no fighting, just talk.

How would you compare 'Hero' to 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?'
In Asia, 'Hero' is 10 times bigger than 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' box office-wise. I think it's two different kinds of directors. Ang Lee is a great director who uses martial arts to talk about a love story, and to talk about a girl who grew up in that culture and fights with the family. In this film Zhang Yimou also uses martial arts but to talk about what kind of person can be a hero. Is it just killing the bad guy? Is that good enough, strong enough? Or to sacrifice yourself to take care of more people's lives. It's a different kind of story.

Is it true you turned down 'Crouching Tiger' because of a promise to your wife?
Yes. Ten years ago I told my wife, if she was pregnant, I would stop working until the baby is delivered. And that year (1999), my wife got pregnant and I decided to turn down 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.'

That's pretty heroic. Who is Jet Li's hero?
Making this film made me think in real life I don't want to see heroes. Because why would we need a hero? It's when humans have problems, from the world, or from the bad things that happen -- earthquakes or fire or something that people need help with. If everybody in the Earth is peaceful, life is easy, happy, we have good weather, there are no problems with Mother Nature, why do we need a hero? That's why I don't want to see heroes in the world.

What was your first moviemaking experience like, on 'Shaolin Temple?'
After being champion for five years in China [in the martial art Wushu], finally I made my first film. It was very exciting. I didn't know anything about how to act. There was no pressure, nothing. I just did my best. When your movies are very successful, that's when you get the pressure.

After years of playing the hero in Chinese movies, was it strange making your American debut as a villain in 'Lethal Weapon 4?'
I still think it was the right decision at that time. Because a lot of people tried to convince me, especially in Asia, everybody was saying, "Why go to America to play the villain? You're the hero." But I needed an opportunity to come here to prove that I can do action films. At that time, a lot of the American audience didn't know who Jet Li was. 'Lethal Weapon 4' gave me the opportunity to open the American market.

A couple of your recent American movies ('Romeo Must Die' and 'Cradle 2 the Grave') costarred DMX. Is he your dog?
We're quite different kinds of people. He grew up American; he's a nice guy, but he's like a kid. He plays, and [brings his] cars on the set, and does whatever he wants. We have different personalities.

Movies like 'Kiss of the Dragon' have been criticized for implausible story lines. How important is it for you to not only make a great action movie but to have an engaging, practical narrative?
Right now, more important is the story. 'Hero' is drama with action in it. It's not a typical action film. Last year I made another film, 'Unleashed' [opening in early 2005], with Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins. That's also a unique story. I play a character who's mentally only 10 years old, but physically he's very strong. He acts like a dog, but Morgan Freeman's character brings him back to become a normal person. The most important [element] is the drama. The action is [secondary]. I think in a few years American audiences will want to see different kinds of action films.

You've talked about using martial arts to promote peace. How do you think that can be achieved?
If you see 'Hero,' you will get it. That's why I say this is one of my movies I like most. Violence is not the only solution.



- by Kevin Polowy

[RDK]

I've heard nothing but great things - go see it!

[Aquateen]

Amazing. Even if you are not a fan of martial arts movies it's worth the price of admission just to check out the awesome cinematogrophy.

[lbangs]

Here's a quick review I wrote for the film a few months back:

What a beautiful rush! Zhang Yimou takes an unexpected dip into wuxia, and spends much of the film forcing viewers' jaws open and yanking the bottom plate to the floor. What might be more unexpected is the film's twist into political philosophy, and while it might end that particular journey a bit too quickly and simply, it at least gives this opulent epic quite a bit to feed the brain as well as the eyes. Oh, and it does feed those eyes. A few of the computer images may push matters a bit, but this movie provides so many incredible scenes to gaze at that to quibble would be to complain that a few of Airplane's jokes aren't top rate. It would rather miss the point. Additionally, for an adventure that speeds by with incredible speed, Hero certainly gives its characters more definition and charisma that most action movies ever give their inhabitants. This is a high-water mark for its genre, a surprise from drama-master Zhang Yimou, and a delight for film fans.

It is on my top ten for 2002 films, right below Secretary.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

[Michael]

What's the soundtrack like?

[fyrfytrhoges]

is it just me or does the tv trailer say "quentin tarantino presents hero?"

what does he have to do with the movie?

[Pinknik]

If I remember correctly, Quentin set up some sort of production/distribution company whose major purpose (or at least one of) was to distribute what he felt were great Asian movies here in the states. My memory on this is spotty at best, however, so I hope someone else chimes in soon. :)

[b&w]

is it just me or does the tv trailer say "quentin tarantino presents hero?"

what does he have to do with the movie?

Here is a link with an answer for you..

http://onetimesone.com/film/articles/zhang_yimou.php

[Pug]

I just saw this last night and all I can say is:

:bigeek:

Go see this! It's EXCELLENT!

Sean

[b&w]

What's the soundtrack like?

Its by Tan Dun and very typical of his work. It's very romantic and uses lots of Asian stringed instruments. Lush and dramatic would be other words to describe it also. What's most interesting in my opinion about it is thats it's got fiddle playing by Itzhak Perlman.

[Michael]

Its by Tan Dun and very typical of his work. It's very romantic and uses lots of Asian stringed instruments. Lush and dramatic would be other words to describe it also. What's most interesting in my opinion about it is thats it's got fiddle playing by Itzhak Perlman.

...thanks, that's sounds interesting & refreshing, wonder what made him change the style of his soundracks?

[htom]

I recall following the journey of this film's deal with Miramax shortly after it was first released in China, and an unsubstantiated rumor suggested that the initial delay was due to the American studio hoping to duplicate both aspects of the domestic success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (that is, much box office success and many Oscar nominations). Towards that end, the film would have been submitted for the Academy's consideration for 2003, suggesting a target release date of no earlier than Fall 2003, about one year after the initial Asian release.

However, this was upended by the film's Oscar nomination by China for foreign language film for 2002, which made it ineligible for any nominations in 2003. With this spanner in the works, Miramax sat on what it no longer considered a prestige release, uncertain what to do with it, if anything. An interesting story, which still dovetails with the Tarantino connection well enough. It's still kind of sad that Miramax has to be forced to release their foreign language releases untampered with.

And, of course, that last statement isn't even true if recent statements by Yang Zhimou are considered, and Miramax's deal for "Hero" involved cutting the running time down even before its world premiere in China (hence the long wait for what sounds like a slightly extended home video release, the original cut apparently still under wraps). I'm aware of how "Shall We Dance?" was trimmed for North American release by some 18 minutes, and of course "Iron Monkey" still had its soundtrack redone here. Hopefully that means that the slightly different version of Wong Kar-Wai's "Chungking Express" that is now the only version you can find on DVD was due to Wong's revisiting and reconsidering the film structure (and given that he has apparently done yet more shooting and editing on "2046" after its Cannes premiere, I can believe it), but then I think it saw Western release before Miramax released it in the US.

As to the the film itself? I agree it's visually dazzling and structurally complex. But at the same time I didn't find it as emotionally engaging as the other two key genre releases of recent years (CTHD and Wong Kar-Wai's "Ashes of Time"; this is saying a lot for the second film, since I've seen it four times and the "time jumps" there still leave me every now and ten). Granted, Li's character is deliberately revealing nothing, but the romance between Cheung and Leung is underwritten (or possibly fatally edited?). I showed this one to my parents on DVD (who still had to watch with subtitles since they speak Cantonese, not Mandarin) and they found it a little bit cold as well if still enjoyable. I also asked them about the "nationalist" message of the film that bothered me somewhat and they simply said that it didn't resonate with them either (granted, this is pretty much straight out of the classic chronicle "Three Kingdoms"). So, final verdict here, a film to enjoy and admire, but not really love.