Zhang Yimou’s historical epic Hero finally reaches western screens two years after it was released in the east. Has it been worth the wait? With a top-notch cast and an Oscar-nominated (Raise the Red Lantern) director, hopes are high.

In the third century BC a lowly sheriff, Nameless (Jet Li), announces to the ruthless King of Qin that he has killed the three legendary assassins who have been seeking the King’s life. Invited to recount the tale, Nameless tells of his encounters with the three deadly foes – Broken Sword (Tony Leung), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Sky (Donnie Yen). But is Nameless’ story truth or fiction?

Hero is a sumptuous film which will linger long in the mind. Yimou’s direction and Christopher Doyle’s cinematography combine to create one of the most visually satisfying films that cinema can boast. Colour and beauty drip from the screen. Comparisons with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon are to be expected and while both contain gravity defying fight sequences and stunning photography, Hero is a less straightforward film. With Hero, the focus is not one central relationship but a blend of friendships, loves and loyalties, both personal and political. So each vignette in Nameless’ story is given a different colour on screen and as the truth behind Nameless’ stories begins to emerge, we see each scenario with a different outcome.

If Hero is a martial arts film, the emphasis is very much on the ‘arts’. The action scenes are dances rather than fights and Yimou invests them with a natural and supernatural power beyond the abilities of the performers. And there are some breathtaking sequences. There’s a chase over the clear surface of a lake, footsteps brushing the water. A fight between Maggie Cheung and rival-in-love Zhang Ziyi whips up a swirl of autumn leaves. An archery attack on the assassins’ calligraphy-school hideout, is a visual tour de force. Yimou takes care with every frame, creating a sensuous flow of images, vistas, palettes and balletic displays.

To classify Hero as a martial arts film doesn’t do justice either to the richness of Yimou’s creation or to martial arts movies in general. With Donnie Yen and Jet Li, Hero has two of the greatest martial artists on the planet but the film is no showcase for their talents, which may disappoint some. The slow-motion fight in the rain between Yen and Li shows only glimpses of what these men are capable of. It’s good, though, to see Jet Li carrying a more dramatic role, pivotal to the film. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung (two of Hong Kong’s most talented actors, united again after In the Mood for Love) are convincing as the assassins whose love for each other is overshadowed by their mission.

Hero is a film where pictures speak a thousand words. It may not be as action-packed as some might like. But for those who enjoy stunning visuals, it’s a cinematic treat.

Glenn Watson, 14.09.04