The stunning Hero takes place in ancient China and features Jet Li as Nameless, a mighty warrior who, after defeating three assassins, tells the story of his victory to an eager Qin, a mighty ruler hellbent on uniting China no matter what the cost. Nameless's defeating of assassins Broken Sword, Flying Snow and Sky is of particular interest to Qin because of various assassination attempts made on his life in this most turbulent time.

At a glance, many will be quick to point out that Hero is similar in style to Ang Lee's gorgeous Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. While the numerous fighting sequences are certainly reminiscent of those on display in that picture, Hero is much different in terms of story. And in fact, those who don't pay attention may find themselves lost as this picture unfolds in a series of Rashomon like flashbacks. This technique lends a dramatic weight to Hero.

Jet Li is silent, intelligent, and graceful as Nameless, but it is Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Maggie Cheung who really carry the movie as Broken Sword and Flying Snow, two devoted assassins with a deep passion for one another.

Yimou Zhang has fashioned a vibrant, awe inspiring adventure that I can honestly say blew me away with visual imagery I've never seen before. The fight choreography is absolutely stunning. When these warriors go to battle, the end result is brutal but incredibly graceful. It's like watching ballet. While clearly, much of these enormous sequences were done with wires, they're seamless and an absolute marvel to behold.

There are other incredible moments in this picture to speak of including an unforgettable sequence in which two of the film's major characters deflect thousands of arrows that soar into a village, courtesy of enemy archers. This is breathtaking stuff, and I can't even begin to describe it in words. You really need to see it.

What's more, the fighting sequences never get boring because each one occurs in a new, distinct location. There are desert battles, a spellbinding duel atop a lake (in which two characters literally walk on water), and a mesmerizing sequence in which two warriors sword fight in a forest, with beautiful yellow leaves falling in the background.

Cinematographer Christopher Doyle is to be commended for perhaps the most stunning camera work of the year. The colors, lighting and various vistas on display in this movie have to be seen to be believed, and Doyle never takes the easy way out. Hero is theatrical to be sure, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. This is outstanding work.

If Hero has any flaws at all, they lie in the screenplay, but they are minimal. I suppose I felt that towards the end of the picture, things got a tad melodramatic, but not enough to distract me from the overall beauty of this magical movie. And I have to say, I was surprised by Broken Sword's revelation near the end of the movie. I was expecting something over the top. A kind of grand twist in the tradition of say, The Empire Strikes Back. This doesn't happen though, and I'm glad because it would have felt false in a picture like this. Hero takes a more restrained approach, and I was really fooled by it.

This summer has seen it's share of big budget, large cast, war films (i.e. Troy, King Arthur etc.), but this flick is the cream of the crop. I even prefer it to the dazzling Zatoichi. Hero moves at a quick pace, and features dozens of stunning fight sequences, but it's also brimming with romance and drama, and that above all takes this beautiful piece of work to a higher level.

Grade: A-