Hero
Zhang Yimou’s Hero is so beautiful that it made me want to fight someone in slow motion, preferably near a lake full of autumn leaves. Every color-coded scene had me thinking, “Wow, my wardrobe is garbage.”
The fights? They’re less like fights and more like a ballet where people occasionally stab each other. Jet Li barely raises his voice throughout the movie, but still manages to be the coolest guy alive. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung have enough romantic tension to power the entire Chinese empire, and Zhang Ziyi could probably take me down with just a glare.
The story unfolds Rashomon-style, with multiple versions of events that twist and turn. By the end, you’re questioning everything and wondering if anyone in ancient China ever told a straightforward story. Then it smacks you with a finale so epic I almost stood up and saluted my TV.
Why did it take me this long to watch this? Probably because I was too busy not being a legendary warrior.