In the realm of myth and legend, and in the artistry of Chinese Martial Arts films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon comes a brilliant movie, Hero that raises questions of violence throughout. For the film makers, a hero is a person who lays down his life for the greater good or for someone other than himself/herself.
What is interesting is the critique of the emperor in the end. Though the Chinese government has in the past censored some of director's Zhang Yimou movies, this one made it to the world stage because of its support of China's identity to its people as being "Our Land." Yet underneath, it was the hero who died for the greater good and who lived up to the highest ideal--that the sword would disappear and there would only be peace for the warrior.
There were three ideals expounded in the movie that are crucial for this part. 1. The warrior first learns his craft and becomes one with the sword (Zen like, you could say). Here even a blade of grass can be the warriors weapon. 2. The sword of the warrior now resides inside his heart and he needs no weapon to defeat his enemy but does so with his bare hands. 3. The warrior's sword disappears altogether and he no longer needs or uses violence to achieve peace. He is the real Hero.
In the movie, the emperor is at most at level 1. Where the heroes who were seeking to subvert the empire achieved this highest ideal of non-violence. Even the emperor's noble goal of unifying the land is not an excuse to use any means necessary. In the end, the emperor was not a Hero but would depict a government who continues to violently oppose dissenting views within its borders. Tiananmen Square is a modern example.
The irony of the film is its action and violence in a message that helps us remember, revenge is not justice nor is revenge ours to take. To counter violence with violence only leads to more violence. True heroes lay down their lives for others.
