Chinese master Zhang Yimou's first foray into wuxia (swordplay martial arts) will inevitably invite comparisons with Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but Hero could be judged as superior on a number of levels. In a series of Rashomon-style flashbacks, Zhang tells the tale of a nameless warrior (Jet Li) who has apparently risked all to slay a group of assassins intent on killing a powerful warlord. But, while the story is diverting, it's the visuals that dazzle, with each sequence seemingly surpassing the last, both in inventiveness and beauty. Highlights include a battle in a rain-drenched chess arena and another in an autumnal forest, while the pièce de résistance is an astounding midair swordfight conducted above a crystal lake. Christopher Doyle's gorgeous, colour-saturated cinematography complements the gripping tale, though western viewers may be surprised at the film's ultimate theme: a defence of totalitarianism against the chaos and insecurity of freedom.

During China's Warring States period, a district prefect arrives at the palace of Qin Shi Huang, claiming to have killed the three assassins who had made an attempt on the king's life three years ago.