“The annals of Chinese history are abound with tales of the assassins sent to kill the [Qin] King. This is one of the legends….” With that, Hero was born. Directed by Zhang Yimou in 2002, Hero is a Chinese martial arts movie that follows a non-linear narrative. One notable characteristic of Hero is its use of color to give structure to the mystery within the movie. The movie starts with the protagonist, Nameless, in the black throne room recounting how he was able to kill the three assassins after the Qin King. As Nameless talks, the scene shifts between the throne room and flashbacks of the events he is describing. From the color of the walls to the characters’ attire, this entire section is in red to express the passion and strong emotions present. As the movie progresses, the audience and the King start to doubt Nameless’s story because of how often Nameless alters the details to “appease” the King. Thus, the King reveals his version of events. As the King’s story comes to light, there is a shift in the color scheme: now, the scenes are in blue, then white, and then finally green. These color changes, unique from other non-linear narrative movies, act as logical cues to help the audience understand the shifts in the angle of narration.

Another remarkable aspect of Hero is its artistic flair, which Zhang Yimou is known for. Each scene is carefully executed and done masterfully to express landscapes of breathtaking beauty. In one scene, as Nameless launches himself at his opponent in the rain, his sword slowly slices through a suspended cloud of raindrops that crashes to the ground and scatters like crystals. In another scene, Nameless and his opponent fight floating above a lake, soothed by the serene embrace of nature. Their swords occasionally dip into the water, creating swirling patterns that revitalize them with every contact. At one point, there is a fight scene in a vast autumn garden. As the two characters fight, the yellow leaves become whirling tornados that envelop them and add to the flair of the fight. Then, as one of the characters meet their fate, the entire landscape shifts to reveal a nearly identical scene, except this time, everything is in red. 

With a thought-out plotline and visually spectacular scenes, Hero is an example of a movie that transcends the typical action and violence within the martial arts genre. It is a story of Romance (depicting the intertwining fates of two of the assassins), strategy, and ultimately a struggle of morality. Although the King’s version of events is logical and gives the movie a sense of closure, we can’t help wondering if this second retelling is indeed what happened, or if the mystery remains for the audience to unsolve.