Hero

PG-13

Now Playing

1 hr. 33 min.

Action

History

Drama

List

94%

210 Reviews

Tomatometer

87%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In this visually arresting martial arts epic set in ancient China, an unnamed fighter (Jet Li) is being honored for defeating three of the king's most dangerous enemies. When Nameless recounts his battles with the assassins -- Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) and Moon (Zhang Ziyi) -- the king begins to question some of the details. As Nameless goes on, the king challenges the tales, interjecting his own take on these perhaps suspect version of events.

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Critics Consensus

With death-defying action sequences and epic historic sweep, Hero offers everything a martial arts fan could ask for.

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Alec B

Love the colorful Rashomon-style narrative. The anticlimactic ending, while initially frustrating, ultimately makes sense given the character's choices.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/21/24

Full Review

Pallas K

I recently watched a fantastic movie starring Jet Li, and it was a work of art. The martial arts scenes were particularly special, not like the usual stuff you see all the time. The atmosphere in those scenes was exciting, and the choreography was more like art than crude action. Although the laws of physics may have been ignored, the story was still deep, meaningful, dramatic, and captivating. It even made me cry a little. Overall, it was an excellent movie that I highly recommend.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/24

Full Review

Dan L

Great movie, Jet Li at his finest!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/24

Full Review

Layhs D

Achei muito joia, um filme ideal para crianças adolescentes e adultos, mistura realidade com ficção de uma forma fácil de entender, indico muito!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/23/23

Full Review

Geisiane O

artes marciais visual impressionante da China antiga, os chineses sempre me surpreendendo com sua imaginação excelente.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/23/23

Full Review

Bruno F

Excelente filme 👏👏

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/23/23

Full Review

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Yimou Zhang

Director

Jet Li

Nameless

Tony Leung Chiu Wai

Broken Sword

Maggie Cheung

Flying Snow

Donnie Yen

Sky

Chen Daoming

The King of Qin

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Terry Nguyen

Vox

Through the film's striking use of color and landscape, combined with its riveting action sequences, it goes beyond the chronological constraints of a typical blockbuster film.

Oct 8, 2021

Full Review

Christopher Orr

The New Republic

Until the final 15 minutes of its deceptively short hour-and-a-half running time, Hero is a marvel, one of the best films to be released in the United States this year. It concludes, however, on a note both emotionally unsatisfying and morally idiotic.

Jan 5, 2018

Full Review

Joanne Kaufman

Wall Street Journal

As they move through the martial-arts sequences, the performers leave the impression that the laws of gravity are subject to amendment. The rules of love and war -- all's fair -- are, Hero makes clear, immutable.

Mar 18, 2014

Full Review

Sean Collier

Box Office Prophets

A tremendously entertaining and visually rich spectacle.

Rated: 9/10

Jun 26, 2021

Full Review

David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

The drama and ideas are not sufficiently compelling to sustain the martial arts. Inevitably the fighting becomes a thing in itself, a mere tour de force and loses interest.

Feb 15, 2021

Full Review

Diane Carson

KDHX (St. Louis)

[Zhang Yimou] has taken the wuxia style to another level in "Hero."

Feb 12, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

In this visually arresting martial arts epic set in ancient China, an unnamed fighter (Jet Li) is being honored for defeating three of the king's most dangerous enemies. When Nameless recounts his battles with the assassins -- Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) and Moon (Zhang Ziyi) -- the king begins to question some of the details. As Nameless goes on, the king challenges the tales, interjecting his own take on these perhaps suspect version of events.

Director: Yimou Zhang
Screenwriter: Yimou Zhang, Li Feng, Wang Bin
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Beijing New Picture Film Co.
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, History, Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 27, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $53.6M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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