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Action adventure film

Hero (2004): Cast, Ratings & Plot

Hero (2004) movie poster

Hero is a 2004 action adventure film directed by Yimou Zhang, starring Jet Li, Daoming Chen and Donnie Yen. It runs 1 hour 39 minutes. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes 2003. Critics gave it 85 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.9/10.

IMDb rating
7.9/10
award nomination
1
Metascore
85
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Hero (2004) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 39m (99 min)
Director
Yimou Zhang
Genres
Action , Adventure , History
Original language
Chinese
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Hero About?

The premise of Hero without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In 2020, three female directors each present a compelling story of strength and determination. The narratives explore the complexities of love, family relationships, and professional aspirations, all set against a backdrop of global uncertainty. These interconnected stories highlight the power of resilience and the enduring connections between women facing personal and societal challenges.

Hero Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • 3rd century b.c.
  • assassin
  • ancient china
  • wuxia
  • lie
  • lovers
  • year 227 b.c.
  • 220s b.c.
  • taiwanese
  • murderess
  • martial arts action
  • candy cinema
+38 more
  • assassination plot
  • love triangle
  • chinese calligraphy
  • sand
  • prefect
  • wind
  • chess
  • wire fu
  • wushu
  • bow and arrow
  • rain drops
  • fantasy scene
  • male female fight scene
  • servant
  • greater good
  • impaled by a sword
  • conspiracy
  • black and white scene
  • qin dynasty
  • great wall of china
  • conqueror
  • change of plans
  • wisdom
  • wise ruler
  • unification
  • period piece
  • nameless protagonist
  • leaf
  • success
  • female warrior
  • wuxia action
  • asia
  • mongolia
  • king
  • china
  • flying
  • sword
  • palace
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Cast & crew

Hero Cast

Jet Li leads the cast, with Daoming Chen and Donnie Yen. Directed by Yimou Zhang; 6 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Hero

· 2 more
From the director

More from Yimou Zhang

More films directed by Yimou Zhang, best-rated first: House of Flying Daggers, Shadow, Not One Less and Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles.

Full filmography
Ratings

Hero Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Hero 85 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.9/10.

Plot

Hero Plot Summary

What happens in Hero from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

China was once fragmented into seven warring kingdoms, but one man’s ambition transformed it into a unified nation. A mysterious figure known only as Nameless (Jet Li) arrives at the court of King Qin (Daoming Chen), where he is celebrated for eliminating three formidable assassins from Zhao: Sky (Donnie Yen), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), and Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai). Nameless, presenting a silver spearhead identified as Sky’s, claims to have dispatched him in a legendary duel. The King is astonished, given Sky’s notorious reputation for being an unparalleled fighter.

Full summary

The whole story of Hero, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Awards

Hero Awards & Nominations

Hero earned 1 award nomination, including Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes 2003.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Quiz

How Well Do You Know Hero?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the mysterious figure summoned to the palace of King Qin?

Seen Hero?

FAQ

Hero FAQ: Cast, Awards & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, awards, post-credit scenes and language of Hero, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Hero?

Hero runs 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes).

When was Hero released?

Hero was released on August 27, 2004.

Who directed Hero?

Hero was directed by Yimou Zhang.

More films by Yimou Zhang

Who is in the cast of Hero?

Hero stars Jet Li, Daoming Chen and Donnie Yen, among 6 credited actors.

How is Hero rated?

Hero has 7.9/10 on IMDb and 85 on Metacritic.

Was Hero nominated for any awards?

Hero received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does Hero have a post-credit scene?

No. Hero has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Hero in?

The original language of Hero is Chinese.

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