Hero UMD-Video For PSP Review

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Title: Hero: UMD-Video For PSP

Region: One

Genre: Romantic Martial Arts Action Fantasy

Stars: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, Chen Dao Ming, and Donnie Yen

Writer: Li Feng, Zhiang Yimou, and Wang Bin

Based On A Story By: Zhiang Yimou, Li Feng, and Wang Bin

Director: Zhiang Yimou

Feature length: 99 minutes

Extras: Inside The Action A Conversation With Quentin Tarantino and Jet Li Featurette and Storyboard Comparisons,

Languages: Mandarin Stereo Sound and English and French Language Dubbed Stereo Sound

Subtitles: English and Spanish Language Subtitles

Packaging: Keep Case

Chapter Stops: 14

Sound: Stereo Sound

Year of Original Theatrical Release: 2002/UMD Release: 2005

Theatrical Distributor: Miramax Films

Home Video Distributor: Miramax Home Entertainment

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

“Hero” is an interesting mix of legend, history, romance, martial arts action and fantasy told with epic scale by Co-Writer and Director Zhang Yimou. Set over two thousand years ago, the story examines the actions of a group of legendary warriors who set out to assassinate a warlord whose marauding armies are destined to unite the nation states of their land into the union we now know as China. International martial arts action movie star Jet Li delivers in my opinion one of his finest performances as the lead warrior assassin who faces the cunning Emperor to be at his vast, but heavily guarded palace. I have never felt that American filmmakers have used Jet Li to his full potential and now I know why – I think it is because most American filmmakers do not know how, except maybe Quentin Tarantino, and that’s just because he’s an aficionado with a gift at mimicking certain genres while making them seem original by putting his own spin on it. This is not at all meant to be an insult toward Mr. Tarantino because filmmakers and other artists do the same thing all of the time. It’s all about the presentation and even here in “Hero” I was reminded a little bit of Akira Kurosawa’s “Rashomon,” which I cannot go into more specifically because of the spoiler factor involved as well as some other films produced in both Asia and the United States.

The film also features the beautiful Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) as well as Maggie Cheung, Chen Dao Ming, and Donnie Yen, who shares an excellent martial arts fight with Li early on in the film. It is the first time both performers have appeared onscreen together in at least a decade. Actually though my favorite scenes are the conversations between Jet Li’s character who is referred to as being “nameless” and the King, who is destined to become the first Emperor of China and fortify China by having the legendary great wall built. The King is no fool and despite whatever reasons we hear about the amount of death he will bring upon the lands, it is easy to understand how he still might represent the lesser of two evils.

The film is a visual treat with compositions that emphasize the colors gold, blue, red, green, white, sepia, and charcoal. The UMD-Video for PSP actually trumps the DVD version with an anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) transfer. “Hero” also features a choice of the original Mandarin Stereo Soundtrack as well as English and Spanish Language Stereo Soundtracks. English and Spanish Language Subtitles are also available as options.

The UMD features two bonus features that also appear on the DVD counterpart. There is a short interview segment with Quentin Tarantino talking to Jet Li about his previous films and background as a martial artist as well as worldwide action star presented in a 4 by 3 aspect ratio. This also features clips from some of Li’s previous films as well as “Hero.” Storyboard to completed scene comparisons detailing the “Golden Forest,” “Library,” “Ring of Iron,” and “Lake” sequences are presented with the storyboards on top and the actual scene as it appears in the film on the bottom. These scenes can be viewed individually or as one reel using the Play All feature accessible through the interactive UMD menus. The aspect ratio for watching these bonus materials can be changed while viewing them from 4 by 3 standard viewing mode to 16 by 9 magnification mode or full screen, which will make the characters stretch out horizontally, but there is no loss in picture information. Personally I prefer to watch the materials in the normal format in which they were shot. The interactive menus are completely animated with full motion scene selections and all are easy to navigate. “Hero” is available on UMD now for PSP at retailers on and offline courtesy of Miramax Home Entertainment.

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