Hero & House of Flying Daggers ( 2002 & 2004): B & A-

“Hero”- B
Originally Written: August 2004

Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Oscars, it’s been a long time coming for this movie to make it to American movie theatres (a movie doesn’t have to have a US release to be nominated for Foreign Film; “Hero” will be eligible for technical and other awards this year). But now, it is finally here courtesy Miramax films and Quentin Tarantino (who is “presenting” the film to American audiences). Was it worth the wait? It’s certainly worth watching. Is it the second coming Miramax has lead us to believe? I don’t know about that. The idea is certainly an good one. Jet Li plays a nameless Chinese Prefect- during a time where China is divided into seven warring providences- who dispatches of three long-time assassins of the King of Qin, the main military superpower of the seven providences, who is trying to unite all seven states under his rule- needless to say, an idea not everyone in the states agrees with. But when he is brought in front of the King for reward, the ruler has some questions about the validity of his story. If the film sounds like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”meets“Rashomon,” the 1950 Akira Kurosawa classic that used flashbacks to create a striking examination of perspective, you would be right. But you would also be short-changing this film to a degree. I’ve never seen any of director Zhang Yimou’s other films (though his Oscar-nominated “Shanghai Triad” has been on my list for a while), but you can tell from this film alone what a startling visual filmmaker he is- the breathtaking cinematography is among the year’s best. What you won’t get from this film is a sense of Yimou as an emotional director. Sure, the movie looks great, and the action surpasses “Crouching Tiger” with over-the-top gusto (you sense “The Matrix Reloaded” and “Revolutions” took some pages from this script’s action ideas), but the story doesn’t really take off emotionally. A little bit, but by the time it happens (near the end), the movie has since become an over-the-top spectacle that- though compelling- starts to become tedious to the point of repetition. Is “Hero” a good film? Unquestionably. Is it disappointing? Alas, it is that as well.

“House of Flying Daggers”- A-
Originally Written: January 2005

While watching Zhang Yimou’s “House of Flying Daggers”- and thinking back to his “Hero” from earlier this year in the process- I wondered if Mel Gibson might have been influenced by his poetic, flamboyant visual style when he was directing “The Passion of the Christ.” However, while I felt the style overwhelmed the story- which thematically, is interesting- in “Hero,” here I felt Yimou melded his visually enthralling stylings with his story- about a blind woman who’s an assassin for a group- the Flying Daggers- looking to overthrow the current ruling government in medieval China- with more grace, and was smart to tell the story straight-forward as opposed to opting for storytelling gimmicks like the time-fractured structure of “Hero,” which was appropriate, but kept emotions at arm’s length in my opinion. This time, Yimou- already one of my favorite visual directors on the strength of “Daggers” and “Hero” (I’m moving his other films- the ones available on DVD, at least- like “To Live” and “Shanghai Triad” to the front of my Netflix Queue)- embraces emotions, which drive the story of the young assassin (played with rapturous spirit by “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s” Zhang Ziyi) who is used by two officers- spirited Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and professional Leo (Andy Lau)- to find the Flying Daggers’ location so the insurrection can be thwarted once and for all. But along the way, feelings of longing and love are revealed by Jin and Leo in surprising ways. Yimou turns the intimate story into thrilling spectacle with a poet’s eye for action, staging one staggering set piece after another with vibrant energy, verve, and ingenuity as Ziyi and Kaneshiro- who’s pretending to be a Flying Daggers supporter- make their way to safety after he helped her break free from prison. Among my favorite moments in the movie- and the year- involve a beautifully poetic fight in a lush bamboo forest (which is also a model of sound editing), and a face off of the three main characters on a picturesque hill that is first clear, only moments later to be covered in a haunting snowfall. Both are examples of the storytelling grace and visual splendor the best foreign filmmaking- of which we’ve seen much of in 2004- has to offer anyone who cares to seek it out. Seek out “House of Flying Daggers”- it’ll expand your horizons, and satisfy your thirst for unique cinema.

Commenting is closed for this article.