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| roger |
If I am not wrong, this chinese movie HERO was shown way back in early 2003, when I was still in Taiwan. Back then it was a hit in all of Greater China.
Now more than a year later, it has been realeased in the states, and it is on no.1. The critics are raving it.
Well it may be a good movie, but I think we can't deny that the americans are hungry for some new concept movie, a break from Hollywood production. Give them a few more martial arts movies and they will get bored, just as it is now with Jackie Chan movies. |
| bb |
| Yes, it is an old movie...where chinese people are concerned. I saw the movie way back. Quentin Tarantino just bought the rights to the movie to showcase it here and people don't have a clue. I am talking about here where people are paying around $13 or less depending if it's matinees when they can just go to those stores like the pacific mall and get the dvd for less than $6.
The movie was alright; has the same graceful ballet fighting scenes as crouching tiger, hidden dragon. I am not really a fan of that style. Interesting concept though. |
| roger |
| Saw this movie atlast, on DVD.
Coudn't undestand the chinese, seems some hifi chinese.
Beside the story, which I can't comment on, I feel the sword action scenes was dragged at times, I hard to FWD too often. Many of Matrix kind of shots.
The only reason USA liked it is because it is new to them. |
| roger |
| Ok, an update review from me. [:D]
Got the subtitles working and I could understand at last, already saw this movie 6 times in a week.
The sound-track is awessome, the visuals very pleasing.
The story was superb and flawless too. The americans may not understand about chinese calligraphy, but there are lot of history in chinese words. If anyone had gone to the Exhibition Theatre in Kowloon Harbour in HongKong, you will see a pillar with chinese words. My uncle who writes beautiful chinese says that those words are real ugly, will any one second that?
The acting was stoic. I especially like the scenes inside the palace, the talk between Nameless and King Qin. Personally, I think the actor that played the role of the King was superb.
We get to know the meaning behind the chinese word "Sword".
The ending was dramatic too, the King wanted to forgive Nameless but under pressure from his court officials and to set an example to 'bring peace all under heaven', he had to execute Nameless.
What an irony? The reason he is alive was because Nameless told him that conviction. [^]
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| Mizzter_lee |
| Very good movie indeed, I think a must see if you are a Chinese. Also a visit to the Forbidden City and the entire king palaces in Beijing will makes one understand how this movie can be so real and realistic. Though this movie is only a visionary epic, I sure was glad that I have visited Beijing and saw it all before I see this movie. Many kwailor loves this movie too but most of them have hard time understanding it. Just because this very Chinese to them~{!-~}. I don~{!/~}t know what the critics say. I give 4 and half stars out of 5, two big thumbs up!
Maggie cheung, my fav [^] [^] Zhang Ziyi, my fav [^] [^] Jet Li, [^] [^] Leung chiu wei, [^] [^] Chen Dao Ming, [^] [^]
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| Mizzter_lee |
| I went ahead and saw this movie again for the third time; simply I miss Cheung Man-yuk and my sweetheart zhang ziyi [:D]
I think another reason why kwailor hard to believe or understand this movie was, not only is the Movie too Chinese for them also the shooting involved the most unique picturesque landscape. Almost looked like a fairy tale to them because the behind the scene scenery almost like a work of a Chinese imagination or a vision of a director or something. Besides the king~{!/~}s Palace, which I mentioned just looked like most king palace in Beijing. Let~{!/~}s talk about during half way of the movie, when Maggie~{!/~}s death body was lying in a pavilion in the middle of a lake and the sword fighting between Jet Li and Leung Chiu wei, although I think the sword fights here is a bit way too much to swallowed and exaggerating. Totally fake and un-realistic in other words, to makes matter worse, the behind the scene of the lake and the mountains. Just adding to it looked even more artificial and fake.
What I~{!/~}m about to say is, One should never under-estimate the beautiful picturesque landscape of our mother-land; believe me the place does exist and it~{!/~}s in ~{!0~}Guilin, Guangxi province~{!1~}. that~{!/~}s exactly where that was, another must go place if you are a Chinese, to visit Guilin one can join the package tour is the most convenient and easiest way from Shenzhen(just across the border from HK)or Guangzhou(2 hours train from HK), a most common package are 4 days 3 nights and cost around US$ 300 inclusive of, round-trip airfare, hotel, 3 meals a day, tour guide, and also the most spectacular Li jian river cruise to see all of those mountains and caves. Including the river cruise takes you all the way to Yangshou a town about 70 km south of Guilin, this small town is a unique backpacker paradise for all kwailor. With unique East and West feel and atmosphere, many westerners just love this place they end-up living here months after months. I remembered during my trip here I end-up making friends with some kwaiMoi from Portugal [^] [^]
some introduction of Guilin here,
http://www.chinatour.com/attraction/guilin.htm
no wonder our (20 yuan)20 RMB also feature Guilin,
http://www.chinatoday.com/fin/mon/
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| roger |
| I think the best fight scene was between Nameless and Sky. I had to pay close attention to all their balletic moves. Initially when Sky fights with the 7 warriors, he dont' even take off the cover of his spear. He also thinks Nameless is a low official, but after a few fights, he could feel the power of Nameless force, then he decides to be more serious. The director just pans for a while on the spear reverberating, he dont' loafer around there too long.
Basically, if a cinema goer is half sleeping in a movie and dont' pay attention to every details, I dont' think the director should try hard to explain to such movie-goers. One reason I hate multiple action takes in Jackie Chan stunts.
The fight scene on the lake was the most boring, utter nonsense. On a wide screen, one guy in on the left flying up and down, the other guy is on the right, doing the same, they look like clowns. The director took too many takes on those scenes to the point of boring, e.g. the sword blading through the water, or they skimping through the water surface. [?]
To tour china, you can consider http://www.heromovie.org/
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| Mizzter_lee |
| Nice website and information, Jet Li Kung fu was indeed awesome in this Movie. Thanks but no thanks for the suggested itinerary tour from the site; I think the tour is a bit expensive. But this is good tailor for kwailor who needs English guided tour, and also a better accommodation. So quite obviously the travel agency has to make-up and throws in and adds couple of extras places. To make it more fancy so they can charge higher price. Which most are within a train journey actually doesn~{!/~}t cost much, if they are to actually name Guangxi province and that from Shanghai is a bit far so more money, beside, most of Yangzi River is more or less look-alike to kwailor from any side of the river. Except Guilin has thousands more special pointing shape mountains and even more spectacular unspoiled land.
If one come from North American-land to Shanghai, a round-trip ticket cost anything from US$1000 to US$1500 depends on season or off-peak season, also from East or West coast. If one come from European-land to Shanghai that even cost more money, Adding Another US$ 2,280 to join the tour from Shanghai, and here let me add more hidden charges, such as daily tips for the tour guide and bus driver which is about 5 to 10 dollars per person on average. And many extras like foods (not fully inclusive, some nights you have free functions for individual like shopping and stuffs), all adds up to about US 4 to 5 grand. Mama Mia!
All I~{!/~}m saying is as a Chinese you don~{!/~}t need all of that. By joining the local tour one can do it half the cost, yes. Absolutely doable, my suggestion is to join the Tour from any Chinatown in any kwailor-land you pay about half the price comparing to tour cater for kwailor tastes. as a Chinese by joinning the tour in Guangzhou is even cheaper. If one wants to be more daring and adventurous, may I suggest backpacking? In fact this is my styles of traveling and visiting places, Next on my agenda is Chengdu. Sichuan province, Xian, shaanxi province, And kunming. yunnan province, hopefully very soon sometime spring of 2005.
( is this consider off-topic? [:0] ) am i? [yap]
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