Hero

Sorry about the late posting guys! Busy week this week, and I am not even sure if I can get any credit on this, but it is worth a shot!

Let me start off by saying that Hero is a beautiful film. The vibrant colors and lush scenery make this movie one of the most visually astounding I have ever seen. The colors play an important role in the film as everyone except Nameless (Jet Li) is clothed in the same color fabric. Also, the scenery takes on the hue of the particular color. While one story is full of red, possibly due to the amount of bloodshed in this tale (Snow killing Sword, the archers firing on the calligraphy school), another tale version of the tale is told where the cast is dressed in a light blue. All the while, Nameless is dressed in the same, black garb. He is the one constant in all of the stories as are his motives up until the very end of the film. The fight scenes are no less vibrant with characters performing inhuman feats of acrobatics and supernatural stunts that include flight and running on water. It is so beautifully done though, as to not look cheesy. Wire assisted fighting is a staple of the Wuxia genre of films and Hero is no different.
The tale in Hero has come under much scrutiny for being a tale about a united China. Problems with Tibet and Taiwan have criticized the film for its seemingly pro-reunification message. In the film, Emperor Qin is trying to unite China through force, a position some feel that the current Communist regime may one day undertake.
Overall, I found Hero to be a very beautiful film with a wonderful score of Chinese music behind it and an ancient tale with relevance in today's world. Although some may disagree, the unified China message in Hero seems to be innocent and not suggestive of a Communist-controlled China. Who can blame a person for wanting to see their fellow Chinese (those who retreated to Taiwan) reunited with the homeland?
-Julian