Hero

2002

PG-13

1h 39m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

2.4K

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4 Videos

68 Images

Drama

Adventure

Action

History

During China's Warring States period, a district prefect arrives at the palace of Qin Shi Huang, claiming to have killed the three assassins who had made an attempt on the king's life three years ago.

Directors

Zhang Yimou

Writers

Zhang Yimou(author by)

Bin Wang(author by)

Feng Li(scenario writer by)

Stars

Jet Li

Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Maggie Cheung

See production, box office & company info

Videos4

Photos68

Top cast

Nameless

Broken Sword

Flying Snow

Sky

Moon

King of Qin

Old Scholar

Old Servant

Prime Minister

The Qin Guards' Commander

Qin Emperor (voice)

General

Eunuch

Head Eunuch

Musician

Pianist

Directors

Zhang Yimou

Writers

Zhang Yimou(author by)

Bin Wang(author by)

Feng Li(scenario writer by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews1

Review

Featured review

8/10

Hero: Zhang Yimou's Cinematic Poem of Movement and Meaning In "Hero", Zhang Yimou transcends the martial arts genre, transforming physical combat into a language of profound philosophical discourse. What begins as a seemingly simple narrative about an assassin becomes a breathtaking meditation on individual sacrifice and national unity. Drawing from Kurosawa's multi-perspective storytelling in "Rashomon", Zhang creates something entirely his own. Each retelling of the story is not just a different perspective, but a different visual poem - choreographed fights that are less about violence and more about inner emotional landscapes. The film's fight sequences are revolutionary. They aren't mere action, but abstract ballets where movement, color, and spatial relationships communicate complex philosophical conflicts. A battle in a chess pavilion or a dance of warriors in falling leaves become metaphors for human connection, political ideology, and personal destiny. Zhang's visual language is extraordinary. Color isn't decoration, but narrative - each sequence bathed in a different chromatic tone that reflects emotional and philosophical states. Red speaks of passion, blue of melancholy, white of purity and sacrifice. "Hero" represents an elevation of Zhang's gift for storytelling: a narrative film that is simultaneously a political allegory, a philosophical inquiry, and a visual symphony.

badelf01 Feb, 2025