I have tried and tried to like Hero, but I just cannot stand that movie. Maybe this one is a much more cultural Chinese thing than the typical kung fu fare, but the story just makes absolutely no sense, and the death of Jet Li's character seems entirely arbitrary. It almost seems to me like a movie written and produced by the government, to remind the people that the country comes first, and that any individual person is unimportant. Maybe I am misinterpreting the movie, but the whole thing just leaves me cold. I wanted to like it, maybe someone who 'gets it' can enlighten me.
I understand where you are coming from, but just in case, make sure you spoiler tag some of your comments since I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone. I think part of the movie's importance was the dynasty that it was set in. More specifically, it was about the Qin Dynasty and an emperor (although short lived) who actually had the ability to unite a feuding China. Spoiler I think it's a little different from most Western themed movies where the hero ends up winning in the end - instead, he kind of does win, through death, because he realizes the greater tragedy that would continue to ensue had he killed the emperor...meanwhile, the other characters who have agreed to let Jet li kill the emperor are driven by their own need for revenge. I truly enjoyed the symbolism throughout the movie, rich Chinese culture (although I'm not Chinese), and choreographed fight scenes. Overall, I thought it was a telling story about revenge, understanding of the greater good, and so forth. Hope this shed some light on it - if you haven't seen it in a while, I would say see it again and then make up your mind...
Bruce Lee: The Big Boss(Fist of Fury) Fist of Fury(Chinese Connection) Way of The Dragon Enter The Dragon <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cKAeyUS91I8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cKAeyUS91I8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> Jackie Chan: Supercop Drunken Master 1&2 Snake In The Eagle's Shadow Police Story 1&2 Armour of God 1&2 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/u1cHynIXweE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/u1cHynIXweE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Jet Li: Once Upon a Time In China 1&2(up to 4) Fong Sai Yuk 1&2 Swordman 2 Fist of Legend Donnie Yen: Dragon Inn Iron Monkey Ip Man Gordon Liu: Fist of the White Lotus The 36th Chamber of Shaolin(The Master Killer and Shaolin Master Killer) Return to the 36th Chamber(Return of the Master Killer or Master Killer II) Disciples Of The 36th Chamber (Disciples of the Master Killer or Master Killer III) Eight-Diagram Pole Fighter <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4jX5P5LGUg8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4jX5P5LGUg8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Shaw Bros: Five Deadly Venoms Kid with the Golden Arm Legendary Weapons of China Others: A Chinese Ghost Story Hero Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon House of Flying Daggers Kung Fu Hustle Shaolin Soccer Ong Bak
Part 2 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i8GyELhcNvs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i8GyELhcNvs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Did you ever see Rashomon? Its a mistake to look at Hero as primarily a martial arts movie when it is about a lot of things such as the nature of memory and langauge along with a cultural statement about Chinese identity. While I thought the martial arts was good that isn't the primary purpose of the movie and even the fight scenes are subservient to the ideas in the movie.
I watched Ong-Bak last month and was underwhelmed by it based on all of it's hype. Good fight scenes but nothing jaw-dropping. Also the director's constant replays during the movie got on my nerves. However, that same director made an awesome fight movie in Chocolate. Both of these flicks made me a fan of Muai Thai Kickboxing. So devastating and violent with the knees and elbows. Any kung-fu fan should get netflix and check out their streaming selection. TONS of old-school kung fu flicks from the 70's and 80's. More recently, I watched Never Back Down over the weekend, which came out in 2008. Good modern, American fighting flick. It's best described as The Karate Kid meets Fight Club with MMA mixed in.
fearless is a good jet li fung fu film kid with the golden fists (or arms) most of the ones id recommend have been mentioned also there is a lesser known comedy gold film named kentuck fried movie (not kung fu), but it has a bruce lee spoof within its skits called "fist full of yen" nothing better
Here are some of my top choices: Enter the Dragon This isn't just a great Kung Fu movie but a great '70's movie. Its part Shaolin, part James Bond and part Shaft. Project 'A' Epitomizes the mixture of humor and artistry of Jackie Chan's style. Anybody who likes Parkour this movie is a must see. Supercop Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh at their best. Once Upon a Time in China III Hard to pick between them as all the Once Upon a Time in China movies are pretty close but the fight between Jet Li and Donnie Yen at end of this one is a classic. Fearless The best of the new generation of dramatic historical Chinese movies. Jet Li pulled a Brett Favre claiming this was the last Kung Fu movie he was going to do but even so he really put his heart into it and it shows in the fight scenes. Ong Bak Tony Jaa is a phenomenal talent.
No, I haven't seen Rashomon, I will have to get hold of it and give it a look. Thanks, I figured it would be something like that, but what struck me as so odd about it was that it is one of the 'period historical' Chinese movies, but it extolled the virtues of the collectivist mentality, which did not infect China until the turn of the last century, which makes me wonder if that kind of a mentality had been there all along, or if this movie was trying to impose its vision on its history.
Thanks for all the replies guys, the little lady and I were watching Office Space, and that scene where Jennifer Aniston is hooked thanks to Kung Fu got us talking about our favorite classics, which prompted watching Enter the Dragon, then Ong Bak. She's not a fan of Jackie Chan, which rules out many of the mentions, but will definitely be checking out the others on the list. Many thanks clutchfans!
No Kung Pow??? Killing is wrong. There should be another word for killing, like bad-wrong or badong. Yes, killing is badong. I shall devote my life to the opposite of killing which is gnillik.
Kung Fu Theater on USA Network was cool back in the day. Wrestling and kung fu back to back, was packed with plenty of win. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SJypR_uuL_w&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SJypR_uuL_w&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Don't know when this will be released here in the states.. The first Indonesian Martial Arts flick to make it big.. <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pT5BN_daUKk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pT5BN_daUKk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>
There was another Indonesian Martial Arts movie that came out about 10 years ago that was set in the Sailendra Dynasty or ancient Java. It had a limited US release too. I can't remember the title right now but if I do I will post it.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8vXMPmohlmI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8vXMPmohlmI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> This movie is a couple of years old. I haven't seen it, but it looks like it has potential.
