Hero

"Hero" is a visually stunning production out of China that will dazzle your eyes. That, and the fact that I had to read the subtitles, is what kept me awake. While the martial arts sequences are on par with "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Hero" fails to connect with the viewer over the length of the film.

Nameless (Jet Li) is summoned to the Emperor's palace after defeating the three greatest warriors in the land, who also happen to be the Emperor's most dangerous foes. Nameless tells his story of accomplishment, with each one-on-one battle being played out with amazing skill. At the end of his story, the Emperor tells Nameless he does not believe the victor's tale and proceeds to give his own version. We go through a similar story, with the same characters playing slightly different roles. After being called out by the Emperor, Nameless then tells the true version of what occurred. Again, we revisit the same events but with different elements.

That, for me, is where "Hero" became tedious. Rather than a story that flows from beginning to end, we relive the same story three different times. Again, each version is beautifully filmed. That alone does not make for a great movie. Oh, and don't forget, it is in subtitles. I give it a B.

"Hero" is rated PG-13 with a running time of 96 minutes.