Zhang Yimou's Hero (2002) is a visually stunning martial arts film that serves as a pivotal turning point in the director's career. It is famous for its revolutionary use of color, its complex, Rashomon-style narrative, and the intense debate it sparked about nationalism and political philosophy.

Set in ancient China during the Warring States period (3rd century BCE), the film follows a nameless prefect (Jet Li) who is summoned before the King of Qin (Chen Daoming). The King has long feared three powerful assassins—Broken Sword (Tony Leung), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), and Sky (Donnie Yen)—who wish to kill him. Nameless claims to have defeated all three and recounts his epic battles to a skeptical King. However, as the King begins to question the details of Nameless's story, the narrative shifts, revealing different versions of the same events.

During the Warring States period, seven major states fought for dominance, leading to endless bloodshed and chaos. This period of instability is often viewed as one of the most brutal in China's long history. Understanding this context is key, as it frames the film's central question: is it worth sacrificing personal freedom for the sake of ending centuries of war? The King of Qin's goal of unification, while ruthless, is presented as a path to end this suffering.

The film is most celebrated for its extraordinary visual style. Each version of the story is told in a different, dominant color palette—black, red, blue, green, and white—each reflecting the mood and themes of that perspective. This, combined with the breathtaking, balletic action sequences choreographed by Tony Ching Siu-Tung and the cinematography of Christopher Doyle, makes the film a sensory masterpiece

Hero is the film that marks the definitive transition in Zhang Yimou's career between two distinct phases. Zhang Yimou first gained international fame as a leading figure of China's "Fifth Generation" of filmmakers. He directed intimate, critically acclaimed dramas set in historical China, such as Red Sorghum (1987), Ju Dou (1990), and Raise the Red Lantern (1991). These films were known for their lush visual style and social critique but were small-scale art-house productions. With a budget of $30-35 million, Hero was the most expensive Chinese film ever made at the time. It was a conscious and ambitious attempt to create a massive commercial blockbuster. Zhang moved away from intimate social realism to grand, large-scale spectacle. While his earlier films used color beautifully, Hero weaponized it as a central narrative device. The massive success of Hero (it was a record-breaking hit in China) allowed Zhang to continue making big-budget historical epics. He followed it with another visually spectacular martial arts film, House of Flying Daggers (2004), and later the historical drama Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). This period cemented his reputation not just as an arthouse auteur, but as a director capable of handling massive, commercially successful productions. This experience would later lead him to direct the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

This Film Club is convened by Peter Valerio.

Film

Hero​ 英雄(China)

Directed by

Zheng Yimou​ 张艺谋

Language

Mandarin with English subtitles

Starring

Jet Li ​李连杰

Leung Chiu-Wai​ 梁朝伟

Chen Daoming​ 陈道明

Maggie Cheung​ 张曼玉

Zhang Ziyi​ 章子怡

Donnie Chen​ 甄子丹

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