Hero

Three and One Half Stars
Jet Li

I have never been a big fan of Jet Li or Kung Fu movies, nor have I been a follower of Asian cinema altogether. However I will admit to being drawn in by the recent popularity of movies with plots about ancient China and the mythical powers of ancient warriors and the mind blowing wire stunts they perform. "Hero" is a fabulous foray inro that genre and leaves little to be desired.

The visual power of this film is off the charts. It feels as if every frame is carefully composed to dictate a feeling and character though color and light. The actors (with one exception) project incredible feeling even without a word or dialouge. Perhaps the most outstading featrue of the film comes from the the mind blowing conclusion that caps the twists and turns of the previous two hours.

As far as saving that last half star only one thing needed to be done: remove the sex! It was completly inexplicable to me that in center of this eye poping drama and action, this skin and sensuality is forced like screeching metal into the smooth wood grain of the film. The only other failing of the movie is that Jet Li seems to lack the acting prowess of his co-stars. Yimou Zhang uses this to his advantage and incorporates the cold blank stare into the character so we aren't left hollow by the performance.