FilmBlather.com

"How swift your sword is."

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was such a distinctive addition to American pop culture that when Hero hits theaters in October (with any luck), it's likely to be perceived as a knock-off rather than as what it actually is -- a superlative entry into the Asian martial arts genre; indeed, better than the one people are most familiar with. Held prisoner in Miramax's vault for almost two years, Hero will hopefully find the wider audience it deserves thanks to the presence of Jet Li, but even before that, it has the potential to become an arthouse sensation. It's the kind of movie people go crazy over.

But first, a disclaimer: I am far from being an Asian action aficionado. My experience with the genre extends beyond that of the average person, but not very far beyond, alas. It's something I'm working on, but in any case, that should let you gauge how much use you'll have for my thoughts on Hero. If, for example, you already know who Zhang Yimou is, you may wish to find another reviewer.

Thankfully, you do not have to be a devotee of the genre to appreciate the wonders on display here. The martial arts sequences that punctuate Hero transcend genre preferences -- the eye-popping compositions of light, color and action stand on their own. One such set piece takes place as the two characters, standing at the ready, play out the ensuing combat in their mind, and the combination of the cutting and the black-and-white photography is an incredible encapsulation of the sceneÕs nature -- not only is there never a moment of confusion, but thereÕs an artful, distinct rhythm to the scene that lets us know precisely what Yimou is trying to accomplish.

Other sequences allow for more conventional interpretations of beauty. Some take place in a calligraphy school where two notorious assassins are hiding from the Emperor of Qin, the man they have been trying to kill for decades. At one point, Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), one of those assassins, and Nameless (Jet Li), a presumed servant of the Emperor, fend off a blistering archer attack on the building. It's an astonishing dance -- impossible, of course, but that's the whole point; these movies are rarely interested in exploring the possible. Perhaps the most memorable sequence, the duel between Flying Snow and Moon (Zhang Ziyi), an apprentice of Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), is even less "realistic" -- a poetic tangle of flying bodies, swooshing swords, and a universe of fallen leaves. Surely these are some of the most purely gorgeous minutes of the year.

Such sights hardly need context, yet Hero is able to provide it, narratively and thematically. The plot's mystery recalls Rashomon in its multiple flashback structure, as Nameless is allowed to approach the great warlord of Qin as a reward for supposedly murdering the three most dangerous assassins of the Kingdom of Zhao and begins to recall his actions. The characters' intentions are constantly called into question as layers are peeled away, and though the film begins as cheesily entertaining mytho-historical claptrap, it quickly becomes a uniquely compelling mystery that builds suspense in both the past and the present.

The story attempts to address the unexpectedly pertinent (the movie was completed in 2002) question of whether or not war is a desirable method of bringing about peace. The issue is raised in the opening minutes, and I expected the film to go in a certain direction, but a left turn in the third act takes it somewhere else. The twist -- perhaps best described as the revelation of a position the film held all along but chose to keep close to its chest -- leads to a conclusion that's logical but abrupt and not possessed of the raw emotional force I was expecting.

A quibble, of course. Hero is impossibly gorgeous -- so much so that it renders irrelevant all other factors in deciding whether or not to watch it. Don't like martial arts? Who cares? Believe me, you won't.