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Reader comments on Hero
Subject: To each his own
Date: Sep 18, 2004
First, Joshua like everyone is entitled to his opinion. And it is certainly a opinion that is defensible. And everyone's point on some level has some truth to it. The fact is Hero has many different themes one can take from it. It all depends on one's perspective. And with that, here are my thoughts.
I can think of no great nation on earth who did not get it's start through warfare. The Romans slaughtered many in it's conquest. Alexander the Great did so as well. So did Christianity when it came to power in Europe. And the U.S. subjugated the Native Americans. Ancient China was no different. So the question is how does one portray these events? The fact is over the course of history all these great empires' conquests have been viewed positively or negatively depending on the person. Nothing new here.
Now, the question is whether this theme is being used to justify China's actions today? I think what is clear is that the director is suggesting that there are times when the few are sacrificed for the many. Most governments today when making decisions follow that ideal. So there is nothing wrong with that concept, the issue is a matter of how to apply such a concept. I didn't sense from the review that the authour made such a distinction.
Furthermore, in Hero, the decision on whether nameless should be sacrificed was made by nameless himself. His family was slaughtered by Qin's army yet he chose to sacrifice his quest for revenge for the greater good. So what the movie very subtlely suggests is that it is those that suffer from the greater good ideal that make the decision on whether to accept it, not the aggressor. And I think it is clear that those that suffered as a result of Tianamen Square have decided it was not a sacrifice they accepted.
And by including others namely Flying Snow who did not want to accept such a sacrifice, I think whether the director intended it or not, the implication is that not everyone must accept Nameless's decision. It is a matter of personal choice. And the power of Hero is through the various characters it lets the viewer decide whether they should accept the sacrifices made or not.
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Comment index:
Hero from Emily, Aug 25, 2004
truth from What's American, Sep 7, 2004
thanks from barb, Aug 28, 2004
Awesome from Dan Omlor, Sep 13, 2004
» To each his own « from cj, Sep 18, 2004
Re: But from skeptikos, Dec 26, 2004
hero from tso t'an, Feb 21, 2005
ask from mujahid, Mar 31, 2006
Re: ask from Bubba Hotep, Apr 11, 2006
??? from Kessel, Nov 4, 2007
Bravo from tsering, May 29, 2010
Hero from Emily, Aug 25, 2004
truth from What's American, Sep 7, 2004
thanks from barb, Aug 28, 2004
Awesome from Dan Omlor, Sep 13, 2004
» To each his own « from cj, Sep 18, 2004
Re: But from skeptikos, Dec 26, 2004
hero from tso t'an, Feb 21, 2005
ask from mujahid, Mar 31, 2006
Re: ask from Bubba Hotep, Apr 11, 2006
??? from Kessel, Nov 4, 2007
Bravo from tsering, May 29, 2010
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