HERO with Jet Li

[tarkus]

I saw Hero today and it really was an amazing movie. The theater that at which I saw it played the movie far too loudly, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I recommend that everyone see it, even people that don't like Kung- fu movies. I don't really like kung-fu movies and I disliked "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (same director), but this movie was very good. Everyone should go out and see it since, judging by the previews before the movie, we are approaching a real good movie drought.

[LearnedHand]

1. I saw it, too!

I LOVED it. (Oops, almost made a spoiler.) I love martial arts films, and I especially loved "CT,HD"; "Hero" is in many ways more moving and significant (especially now) that the first. And I REALLY loved Itzak Perlman's fiddle playing and the Kodo drummers.

[jeff30997]

2. I haven't seen it but...

The critics are giving this movie really good reviews.Could be the first kung-fu movie that I'm going to see since I was a teen(don't love them either).

[codegreen]

3. is it light on wire-work, not much flying around all over the place?

because that sort of irritated me about Crouching Tiger... it just seemed way overdone...

[tarkus]

6. Some

There is some wire-work, which irritates me as well, but I didn't think it was as annoying as the flying in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Most of the fight scenes were alright, and there were a few instances where the flying was actually kind of neat.

[chenGOD]

10. I have never understood this irritation with wire-work...

These stories are about Chinese heroes. They are legends.

Think of it as the equivalant (somewhat) to a Superman flick, or a Batman movie. I never hear anyone complaining that Superman flew so fast he went back in time or that Batman's car can make 90 degree turns at top speed without crashing...

[tarkus]

11. That is a good point.

I guess I like my fight scenes to have very impressive moves that either push the boundaries of what is possible for a human being or are just beyond the realm of what is possible. Flying goes a bit beyond both of these. I liked the "water- droplet ping-pong" type thing though, so I guess I don't really have a good excuse.

[LeftistGorilla]

27. yup yup....

:thumbsup:

[mark414]

4. i met ang lee once

he was at my mother's cousin's wedding. apparently they're good friends. i was about 5 when it happened, so i don't remember anything. oh well.

[AbbeyRoad]

5. Different Directors

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was done by Ang Lee, and "Hero" was directed by Zhang Yimou.

I'm thinking of seeing it tomorrow. The vast majority of reviews I've seen are positive. The visuals from the trailer look stunning.

I've really enjoyed some of Zhang Yimou's movies in the past, although this will be the first action/martial arts movie that I can recall seeing from him.

[tarkus]

7. Thanks. I feel like a moron now...

[AbbeyRoad]

8. Don't feel like a moron, tarkus

The movies seem kinda similar, so it was no great error on your part.

And anyway, morons don't usually go to movies that require them to read. :P

[chenGOD]

9. The visuals you can thank this man for

Christopher Doyle

If you're a fan of Asian cinema you might recognize is work from Won Kar Wai's "Happy Together", "Fallen Angels", "Ashes of Time" and "Chungking Express"

[Chovexani]

12. I saw an advance screening a few weeks ago

They had a special showing of it at a big anime convention I went to a few weeks ago in Baltimore.

Fantastic movie, but I find myself thinking the same thing I always do whenever I see Jet Li in a period movie: "Jet Li is alright but this movie would have been even better with Chow-Yun Fat".

I'm a huge fan of kung fu movies and I adored it.

[chenGOD]

15. If you like kung-fu movies...

I find it hard to believe you would say Chow Yun Fat would do a better job than Jet Li.
Jet Li has been doing kung-fu movies for a lot longer than Chow Yun Fat. Jet Li has also done many more period movies than Chow Yun Fat.

Advance screening-that's funny as hell, sorry not directed towards you but that movie has been on DVD here for about a year.

[Keirsey]

16. Chow Yun Fat

CYF is not a martial arts actor. He is known in Hong Kong for his dramatic roles. The most popular were made with John Woo, and involve a lot (understatement) of gunplay.

[chenGOD]

23. Well yes absolutely...

I didn't really make my point clear. I meant that Chow Yun Fat is famous for his "hard-boiled" style and he'd only done like two martial arts movies in his life.

Apparantly though,before he became a film star he did do a very famous TV series in Hong Kong that was both a)a period piece and b)involved him doing a fair bit of kung fu.

[Chovexani]

24. My point was that he's a far better actor than Jet Li

No question Jet Li is the superior martial artist. But CYF is a much better actor.

I love cheesy action kung fu movies, to be sure, but on the whole I prefer mine with a little more depth to them.

[Mr. Blonde]

13. Not what I expected

Although I liked it from a critical pov. It was a very beautiful film, and the sound was done very well (intentionally loud I think). However, the fighting I thought was a little too dance like. The fighting needs to be a little more dirty for my tastes. It did not seem too much like a kung fu film to me. More of a drama with some action.

[henslee]

14. Total drought. Though I did like Garden State (already on DVD). Bourne

Conspiracy was quite conventional but still entertaining. Saw a great documentary on Steve Earle, called American Boy.

[Kellanved]

17. OK, I have just ordered the DVD

Missed it when it was in the cinema.

[tarkus]

18. You might lose some of the magic on a small screen, but it should be great

[DrWeird]

19. Mixed feelings.

It had a lot going for it. Great cinematography, plot, characters, editing...

But there was just something about it that was missing. I can't put my finger on what.

[B. P. R. D.]

20. This Movie Might Be Troublesome For American Audiences

No, not because of its supposed Pro-Communist message, but because Americans are idiots. My friends (average Americans) didn't like it because they don't understand the simpliest of concepts. Why are the same scenes being repeated differently? (Anything not 100% linear, they get lost.) Why are different scenes dominated by one color? (Artistic Symbolism doesn't register either.) Why doesn't the ending make any sense. (It does, even if you didn't know anything about the history of China.) Why were there so few fight scenes (The mind plays tricks on simpletons, because the film's entire plot was driven forward by action.) I don't mind people disagreeing with me over films or politics if they know what the hell they are talking about, but they just pissed me off.

[DrWeird]

22. Certainly not pro-communist.

Maybe pro-nationalism and pro-authoritarianism.

[B. P. R. D.]

21. Sorry To Sound Elitist, But This Is What Is Wrong With America

After exiting the theater, I actually thought we would get into a discussion over why Nameless did what he did, and whether it was the right decision or not. Instead I react in horror that they didn't even comprehend it. I tried my best to explain, but they really didn't care since their minds were made up. This is exactly why the public was all for going into Iraq; they didn't really understand what was going on but didn't care either.

[B. P. R. D.]

25. I Feel Like Saving This Topic.

So there.

[Dookus]

26. well let's discuss it

why do YOU think Nameless made his decision, and was it right or wrong?