Review of Hero (1983) by Julie K — 18 Nov 2009

You know what? I love lingerie. I really do. A lot. It's good looking stuff. But you will never see me wear it. This is because lingerie is not meant for me. Likewise, this is how I feel about Hero. It's very pretty, and it's an interesting and moving story well told. It just ain't for me.

The major problem I have with the film is its excessive dramatization of the fights. I know, I know - it's artistic, it's intentional, etc, etc. I don't think there's anything wrong with a film having a strong aesthetic: I'm a big fan of both 300 and The Fall in large part for that very reason. However, the artfulness in the presentation of these two films is different from Hero on a very important point: the heightened reality created by those films always serves the story; only what is necessary is done, and not a bit more. The fight scenes in Hero are so consciously artful that I found myself being distanced from the action and the beauty which was supposed to be there. The fights would be going along just fine and then - woops! - someone would perform a move which went beyond the bounds of even the most suspended of suspensions of disbelief that I could muster.

Is it worth it to condemn a film based on such a small point? Seeing how pivotal the fight scenes are - indeed the pivotal role which fighting in general plays in this film - it is no small problem that is created when I find myself scoffing and laughing at what is supposed to be so beautiful.

Was the acting great? It was good enough. Ziyi Zhang did go a wee bit over the top at times, but - hey - she really got screwed, so its understandable that she'd be upset. Was the cinematography good? Yep. Story? Yep. But the style - oh, the style. It really caused a problem for me. One note Johnny though it may make me, this one point really ruined my enjoyment of a film which otherwise I think I really would have liked. I guess it's just not for me.