Hero

My friend, Q, a fellow scribe who also writes film criticism and movie reviews, presented to me an interesting challenge. A wager, a bet, really: He bet me ten dollars (US), that he could accompany me to a given screening and inside of thirty minutes know what my review or criticism of said film or movie would be, simply: I liked it, I didn't like it.

I considered the bet and made conditions regarding it: I would accept the bet but if his theory proved right he would have to provide specifics as to why I made the decision I did. For example, if I liked a given film or movie and he was able to determine my position inside of thirty minutes of the given screening he would then have to provide specifics as to why it was so.

Q considered my conditions with regards to the bet, and accepted the wager, the bet.

So we decided to attend a screening of the film "Hero", upon which said bet would be made.

Thirty minutes into the screening Q turned to me and said, loudly: I know what you think of this film, and here's why.

Apparently another condition of the bet was required: That Q keep his opinions on my opinions to himself until after the film or movie at hand was over, and the lights were once more up. Failure to include this condition in our wager almost resulted in us being physically removed from the theater by theater management (to whom I apologized, repeatedly, for my friend's less-than acceptable verbal behavior, following the screening we had admission to. To whom I again, herein, apologize. Had I known and realized such a condition of our bet was so desperately needed I would have packed a role or two of duct tap for use, thirty minutes in.)

And what was it Q determined, thirty minutes in to this particular screening, when it came to my opinions of same? That I liked this film, hands down.

As to why it was I liked this film, however, cost him the bet, for none of the reasons and specifics he offered were correct, or even close to being correct.

Director Zhang Yimou, who previously created the wonderful and visually poetic "Raise the Red Lantern", returns to create an equally impressive and beautiful work with his latest film, "Hero", a martial arts extravaganza that transcends form and genre, and simultaneously creates a visual poetry of physical violence and savage beauty. But at the same time he takes the very difficult narrative found in such films as "Rashomon" and literary texts such as "The Canterbury Tales" and redefines it to new heights and measure: Yes, there is a mystery at hand, as told from the perspective of many, but each telling only goes to enhance and make the entire story.

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