HERO (M) Presented in Glorious 35mm

Hero at Revival House Perth

Prepare for Zhang Yimou's breathtaking 2002 martial arts masterpiece—a film so visually stunning it redefined what action cinema could look like. This isn't just a movie; it's a painting in motion, where every frame is composed with the precision of classical Chinese art and every color tells part of the story.

Set during the Warring States period, the film follows Nameless (Jet Li), a warrior who claims to have defeated three legendary assassins plotting to kill the King of Qin. As Nameless recounts his tale, the story shifts and transforms—told and retold in different colors (red for passion, blue for melancholy, white for truth, green for memory) as the King questions the narrative's reliability. Each version peels back another layer of truth about loyalty, sacrifice, and the cost of peace.

Zhang Yimou and legendary cinematographer Christopher Doyle create action sequences that feel like choreographed poetry—a duel on a placid lake, a battle among cascading autumn leaves, a fight in a calligraphy school where philosophy and violence become one. These aren't just fight scenes; they're meditations on beauty, death, and the stories we tell ourselves about heroism.

The film's influence on cinema is immeasurable—without Hero, there's no House of Flying Daggers, probably no modern wuxia renaissance in the West. It earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film and remains the highest-grossing foreign language film ever released in the United States.

This is martial arts cinema as high art—operatic, philosophical, and absolutely gorgeous.

Present in authentic 35mm film for the true cinematic experience!

When: Wednesday, November 12th at 7:45 PM
Where: Revival House Perth
Rating: M - Martial arts violence and themes

Zhang Yimou's visual masterpiece—where every color tells a story and every frame is a work of art.