DVD Review: Hero

I have seen a lot of films and every now and then I come across one that really touches me with its story and action . This is one of those films.

Hero is a tale about loyalty and trust, about a code of honour among warriors. It follows the story of a nameless assassin in the third century BC in China who tells the King of Qin that he has killed his three fiercest enemies. But is he telling the truth?

Hero is full of strong, vibrant colours and great choreography. Some of the film is shot in black and white (the house of chess sequence) and some scenes are almost totally red. Color plays a dominant role as it has many connotations. It gives the film a stylised look.

Hero is full of visual poetry. The wood sequence where Moon seeks vengeance after her master's death is a spectacular action sequence. As Moon and Flying Snow fight, hundreds of golden leaves fly through the air. My favorite sequence is the one on the lake. It is so beautifully shot. It is one of the most memorable sequences of the film. The blue of Broken Sword's clothes blends well with the setting. There is a lot of wire work and when Broken Sword and Nameless bounce off the water you can imagine how much time and effort went into the choreography.

The scenes of Hero are full of emotion and the music reflects the mood of the characters well. It also features a lot of exotic locations. Hero ticks all of the right boxes - action, story, direction, music, location... I could go on forever.