Common Sense Media Review
By Liz Perle
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gorgeous martial arts movie for older kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Hero
What's the Story?
Set in a time before the unification of China, HERO follows the story of a nameless warrior (martial arts star Jet Li) who plans to assassinate the ruthless ruler of the kingdom of Qin. He tells the king he has killed the king's three most feared enemies -- Sky, Snow, and Broken Sword -- but the king doesn't believe his story. Three further flashback stories ensue in scenes accented with reds, whites, blues, and greens.
Is It Any Good?
Hero is a very sophisticated movie. It's not Jackie Chan or even Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but a serious meditation on the nature of heroism. This may be one of the most beautiful movies ever shot.
There is some blood, a good deal of suspense and, in what is guaranteed to confuse younger kids, "nameless" tells four different versions of the story to the king. As one 10-year-old said, "It doesn't have a clear plot, but it does have a clear moral."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the movie told the same story four different ways and why the nameless hero does what he does in the end.
Also, this movie is an excellent springboard to talk about what it took to make the modern nation states we have today.
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 27, 2004
- On DVD or streaming : November 30, 2004
- Cast : Jet Li , Maggie Cheung , Zhang Ziyi
- Director : Zhang Yimou
- Studio : Miramax
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : stylized martial arts violence and a scene of sensuality
- Last updated : February 1, 2026
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