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Hero (2002)
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Chinese master Zhang Yimou's first foray into wuxia (swordplay martial arts) will inevitably invite comparisons with Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but Hero could be judged as superior on a number of levels. In a series of Rashomon-style flashbacks, Zhang tells the tale of a nameless warrior (Jet Li) who has apparently risked all to slay a group of assassins intent on killing a powerful warlord. But, while the story is diverting, it's the visuals that dazzle, with each sequence seemingly surpassing the last, both in inventiveness and beauty. Highlights include a battle in a rain-drenched chess arena and another in an autumnal forest, while the pièce de résistance is an astounding midair swordfight conducted above a crystal lake. Christopher Doyle's gorgeous, colour-saturated cinematography complements the gripping tale, though western viewers may be surprised at the film's ultimate theme: a defence of totalitarianism against the chaos and insecurity of freedom. AS
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| Contains violence. |
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Tell us what you think
Email us at rtfilmcomments@bbc.co.uk to tell us what you think of this film. Your comments may appear in Radio Times magazine.
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Running time
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95min
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Country of origin
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HK / Chi / US
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Genre
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Martial arts Fantasy
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Alternate title
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Yingxiong
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Original language
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Mandarin
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Screenplay
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Zhang Yimou, Li Feng, Wang Bin, from their story
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Theatrical distributor
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Buena Vista
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UK cinema certificate
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12A
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UK cinema release date
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September 2004
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Subtitling information
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In Mandarin with subtitles
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| awards information |
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Award |
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Nominee/Winner |
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| Academy 2002 |
Foreign Language Film |
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Nominee |
| Golden Globe 2002 |
Best Foreign Language Film |
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Nominee |
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Film certification logos reproduced by kind permission of BBFC |
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Director
Zhang Yimou |
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Starring
Jet Li
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