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Hero

2002 · Movie · PG-13 · 99 min · ★ 7.5 · 90% critics

DramaAdventureActionHistory

In ancient China, a lone warrior is granted a rare audience with a fearful king after presenting proof that three notorious assassins are dead. As he recounts how it happened, shifting versions of the same events raise doubts, deepen the mystery, and turn a political standoff into a tense test of truth and purpose.

Also known as Jet Li's Hero · Ying Xiong · Héros

IMDb

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Details
Original title
英雄
Years
2002
Release date
2002-12-19
Language
Chinese
Rated
PG-13
Runtime
99 min
Critic score
90/100
TMDB rating
7.5/10 (2,504 votes)
Box office
$177,395,557
Budget
$31,000,000
About

You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a visually lavish, philosophical martial-arts epic with a puzzle-like story and dreamlike action, similar to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or House of Flying Daggers; Not for you if you prefer straightforward plots and constant realism.

Pros: breathtaking color and style; poetic martial arts fights; intriguing shifting perspectives | Cons: story can feel thin; plot may confuse; message may divide viewers

Themes

  • martial arts
  • kung fu
  • right and justice
  • countryside
  • loss of loved one
  • patriot
  • wuxia
  • warring states period
  • 3rd century bc

Awards & recognition

  • Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 2003 · nominated
  • International Submission to the Academy Awards · 2003 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by Zhang Yimou