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"Hero" is a Chinese historical drama film directed by Zhang Yimou, released in 2002. The movie stars Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Maggie Cheung, and Zhang Ziyi, among others. Set in ancient China, the film tells the story of a nameless warrior who is summoned by the king of the Qin dynasty to tell his story of how he defeated three legendary assassins who had threatened the king's life.

The movie takes place in ancient China, where the kingdoms are at war with each other. The Qin king is determined to conquer them all and unify the country. The first part of the film focuses on the journey of the Nameless Warrior, played by Jet Li. He is a skilled warrior, and his village is destroyed by the Qin army, and his family is killed. He vows to seek revenge and becomes an assassin himself. Eventually, he kills the three assassins who had been sent by the other kingdoms to kill the king of the Qin dynasty.

As the Nameless Warrior recounts his story of how he defeated the assassins to the king, each of his stories is played out in a flashback. The first story he tells is of how he defeated Long Sky, played by Donnie Yen, who is a master of spear combat. The second story is about defeating Flying Snow, played by Maggie Cheung, and her lover, Broken Sword, played by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai. The third story details his fight with the Emperor, played by Chen Dao Ming.

Each of these stories is depicted in different colors, which are used to represent the different kingdoms. For example, Long Sky's fight took place in a forest that was bathed in a bright green hue, representing the kingdom of Zhao. In contrast, the fight with Broken Sword and Flying Snow was in a desert-like area, with a yellow color scheme to represent the kingdom of the Han.

The film has a lot of stunning martial arts scenes that are choreographed and performed brilliantly. The fight between Broken Sword and Flying Snow, in particular, is beautifully shot and has an artistic quality to it. Most of the film's fight scenes are slow motion, which adds to the beauty of each move that the characters make.

"Hero," however, is more than just an action film. It is a story about the cost of war, the price of power, and the sacrifices people make for a bigger cause. It explores the theme of self-sacrifice, where people make sacrifices for the greater good. There is a strong philosophical aspect to the story that questions whether or not it is better to do what is best for the greater good, or for oneself.

The acting in the film is top notch, with all actors delivering performances that are both strong and emotional. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, in particular, were outstanding and gave the film its emotional depth. The cinematography is stunning, and the use of different colors to represent the different kingdoms added to the film's beauty.

In conclusion, "Hero" is a masterpiece that combines stunning visuals, beautiful music, and excellent acting to tell a story that explores themes that are still relevant today. It is a movie that has something for everyone - action, drama, philosophy - and does so with style and grace. It's a must-see for anyone who loves martial arts films, Chinese cinema or those who want to discover the works of Zhang Yimou.

Hero is a 1984 drama. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.9 and a MetaScore of 85.