For a couple of years now, word on the
street has been touting a martial arts film
that would become the crowning
achievement of the genre, a film of
intense beauty and majesty, surpassing
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in
all aspects. That film is Zhang Yimous
Hero, starring, of all people, Jet Li;
it is already an artistic success. (It was
nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar
a couple of years ago.) Is it better than
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?
In my opinion, no. Is it a film that deserves
high regard within the genre, making it
pretty damn impressive in its own right?
You bet. Yimou, through the use of the
flashbacks, is able to stage multiple fight
scenes with the same opponents, the
color schemes and character motivations
changing each time. This tactic is both
brilliant and occasionally tedious. The
visuals are always impressive, but the
movie is not for those who like their
martial artists with their feet planted firmly
on the ground. Yes, the fighters fly
around, Crouching Tiger-style.