Jet Li is an amazing martial arts talent and his latest effort Hero is a tour de force tribute to wu shu; a discipline of which he is a master. The film explains the 3 basic tenets of the discipline in an engaging way, against the backdrop of a hero on a quest.

But Nameless – Jet Li’s character – is not the classic watered down, westernized hero; he’s much more than that. So If you’re looking for Rocky vs. the armies of China, look elsewhere.

Dreamlike fight sequences, loaded with wire work and stop action maneuvers seem impossible in the moment but all make sense through course of the story arc. Visually, theres much here for guys to like, and the core message is universal enough that it just might appeal to a broader audience.

Here’s what works about Hero:

1)Photography and Cinematography – all top shelf and then some. This helps with pacing of the story. Very visually appealing.

2)There’s a theme that delivers a sermon free message. Better yet, it’s a good message.

3)While the ending is not altogether unexpected, it’s not a disappointment.

And some caveats…

1)Subtitles – there’s not much that can be done about them, the film was shot for Chinese audiences. Overdubs would have eroded the film further, compounding the gap between what the actors said in Chinese and the English translation.

2)Flashbacks – the film is loaded with them. Since some flashbacks override other flashbacks which impacts the coherence of the story in spots. However, in the end, the film ties everything together.

Verdict – matinee and DVD it. Serve with cold beer or warm sake.

It’s easy to write a negative movie review; but instead of panning a film that misses the mark – so far I have abstained from commenting on such movies. That’s been the foundational rule of the reviews here at samhilliard.com. However, in the interest of public safety and community wellness, sometimes rules must be broken.

Less than an hour ago, I suffered through 79 minutes of pure, 100 percent unadulterated crap. Any more crappy and the screen would’ve turned brown. Open Water is an awful movie on every level.

The premise, a term used loosely here – take a couple on vacation and separate them from the dive boat. And that’s the whole movie. Looking for a plot twists? Dialog that’s interesting? Characters you don’t want to push down the stairs? A camera that’s held by someone who’s sober? Sorry, please try again.

15 minutes in, I was begging for the sharks to put me out of my misery and eat the couple. The only thing that would make this movie better is a full refund and an apology.

I booed along with several other people during the credits.

Verdict: Open Water = BAD. Don’t see it, don’t rent it, don’t watch it on cable or the Lifetime network.

Michael Mann understands the good versus evil paradigm, a skill that has served him well for many decades. His latest film Collateral, pits goods against evil in the most benign of places, a LA taxi cab.

Jamie Foxx plays an ordinary man catapulted into an extraordinary dilemma: for the next 2 hours his only fare is on a mission to kill 5 people before catching a flight out of LAX. As an added twist, Tom Cruise is the villain, a job description that suits Cruise. He approaches the role with such skill it’s hard to believe he spent 20 years playing good guys.

What works about this film:

1) Concept – it’s a fresh backdrop.

2) Acting – Cruise delivers a skilled performance.

3) Cinematography – not since To Live and Die in LA has a filmmaker portrayed the city in such a glossy and gritty light.

But there’s a few caveats with Collateral too…

1) Jamie Foxx is miscast here. He’s a comic who has yet to master the dramedy.

2) Plot – there’s a few holes in the story plot wise.

3) Pacing – some of the narrative could’ve have been streamlined.

Verdict: Matinee or DVD it.

There’s a lot of Internet hype and misconception around the M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village.

As always these reviews are spoiler free, although I’m sorely tempted in this case to provide a long list of what this movie is not to debunk the hyperbole.

Here’s what The Village does:

1) Explores of various kinds of love, particularly those denied.

2) Dares – it’s his riskiest film yet.

3) Sends a message – this film is a metaphor about the perils of deceit even where the intent seems just. Some may interpret this message as an anti war film – but I disagree.

4) Introduces an excellent talent, Bryce Howard. Yep, Opie’s daughter.

5) Defies expectations.

Bottom line : M. Night at his worst, is better than 90 percent of the movies out there. This is a different sort of film from him. Matinee or DVD it.