| A Man Called Hero | |
|---|---|
DVD cover art |
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| Traditional | 中華英雄 |
| Simplified | 中华英雄 |
| Mandarin | Zhōng Huá Yīng Xíong |
| Cantonese | Zung1 Waa4 Jing1 Hung4 |
| Directed by | Andrew Lau |
| Produced by | Manfred Wong Barbie Tung |
| Screenplay by | Manfred Wong |
| Story by | Ma Wing-shing |
| Starring | Ekin Cheng Shu Qi Kristy Yang Nicholas Tse Yuen Biao |
| Music by | Chan Kwong-wing |
| Cinematography | Andrew Lau |
| Editing by | Danny Pang |
| Studio | Golden Harvest Centro Digital Pictures Limited BoB and Partners Co. Ltd. |
| Distributed by | Golden Harvest Sahamongkol Film International |
| Release date(s) | July 17, 1999 (Hong Kong) July 31, 1999 (Taiwan) July 16, 1999 (Thailand) |
| Running time | 116 minutes 105 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Gross revenue | HK$23,368,902 |
A Man Called Hero is a 1999 Hong Kong film based on the manhua series Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword by artist Ma Wing-shing. Directed by Andrew Lau, the film starred Ekin Cheng, Shu Qi, Kristy Yang, Nicholas Tse and Yuen Biao. The film's theme song Tin Sat Ku Hsing (天煞孤星) was performed by Ekin Cheng in Cantonese. Cheng also performed the Mandarin version of the theme song, titled Tianya Haijiao (天涯海角).
Contents |
In 1914, Hero is given the Red Sword (his family heirloom) and accepted by Pride as a disciple after passing a test. When he returns home, he discovers that his family had been murdered by foreigners for opposing opium trading. That night, Hero breaks up the foreigners' party and kills them for revenge. He flees from China after bidding farewell to his love interest, Jade, and sails to America.
16 years later, Hero's childhood friend Sheng and Hero's son Sword arrive in America. They meet Monk Lohan in China House in Chinatown and hear news about Hero. Lohan tells them of his meeting with Hero while they were on board the ship for America and their experiences as labourers in Steel Bull Canyon. They travel to Jade's grave later and Sheng tells Sword of how he and Jade travelled to America 16 years ago in search of Hero, as well as their reunion and the subsequent marriage of Hero and Jade in America.
Sheng and Sword meet Hero's senior, Shadow, who tells them of their skirmish with some Japanese ninjas and the story behind Sword's birth. Sword and his twin sister were born in China House amidst a blaze set by the ninjas. Sword's sister was taken away shortly after her birth by a traitor named Bigot and no news have been heard of her since then. Shadow also tells them of Hero's encounter with a fortune teller, who told Hero that he was born under the Star of Death and will be condemned to a life of loneliness. Lastly, Shadow tells them of their teacher Pride's duel with Invincible in Japan for the rightful possession of the martial arts manual "China Secret". Pride transferred all of his powers to Hero before his death.
At China House, the Boss, along with Sword, Shadow and the others, plan to liberate the labourers at Steel Bull Canyon. They disguise themselves as an opera troupe and infiltrate the canyon. They catch the American supervisors off guard with their surprise attack and succeed in freeing the Chinese labourers there. Lohan is killed in action and Sword is threatened at gunpoint by Bigot when he confronted Bigot on the whereabouts of his twin sister. The long-lost Hero appears at the critical moment and joins in the battle, defeating the villains eventually. However, his daughter's whereabouts are still unknown.
Sword is happy to see his father for the first time after hearing the various stories about his father. However, Hero maintains a cold attitude towards his son and constantly keeps a distance away from him. Hero persistently believes that he was born under the Star of Death and he would lose his loved ones and spend the rest of his life in solitude. Just then, Invincible arrives in America to finish the duel with Pride and since Pride had died, Invincible turns on Hero, Pride's successor. Hero and Invincible have a spectacular duel atop the Statue of Liberty and eventually Hero defeats Invincible. Before the film ends, Sword and Sheng prepare to leave America while Hero observes them from a distance.
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