Started out in 2001 as an enormously popular Fuji TV serial also one of the top ten rated Japanese dramas of all time. Director Suzuki Masayuki, who helmed the original television series, takes “Hero” to the big screen, picking up the story right after the television special in 2006 and brings most of the cast members of the 2001 TV series back for a much deserved encore. Fans of the TV show will be very pleased by this film which was proved by the film with topping the Japanese box office for seven consecutive weeks and became Japan's biggest blockbuster of 2007. Idol-group SMAP heartthrob Takuya Kimura is back with his hit character Kohei Kuryu, the prosecutor who shirks suit and tie for a pair of jeans but is never casual about his pursuit for the truth. Besides the original TV series cast, Korean heartthrob Lee-Byung Hung (A Bittersweet Life) is in it and was shot partly in Busan. This time, Kuryu is involved in an obscure case of manslaughter that turns into the trial of the century. Simply put the star studded cast of “Hero” makes watching the movie a whole lot of fun, even with its run-of-the-mill script. Now, it’s time for you to save this film into your collection, Hero DVD is presented with an excellent English subtitles and had scheduled to release on Mach 20, 2008.
Six years (literally) have gone by since Kuryu last strolled into the Josai branch office of Tokyo's public prosecutor, after having been "exiled" at the end of the 2001 series to an out-of-town position (the subject of the 2006 special). His loyal assistant, Maiko Amamiya (Takako Matsu) gives him a hard time for never calling but still carries a major torch for the red-haired thirty something. Kuryu is assigned an apparently simple case of manslaughter, in which a blond-haired security guard accidentally killed a guy during an argument one night. But when the guard suddenly changes his plea from guilty to not guilty, Kuryu and his team find they've been handed a political hot potato. Turns out the guard reps a key alibi for Hanaoka (Kazuyoshi Morita), a former transport minister accused of accepting a huge bribe that same night. Hence the guard's sudden switch (under pressure from Hanaoka's men) to a not-guilty plea. Kuryu's pursuit of the truth takes him and Amamiya to Busan, South Korea, to track down the guard's van, which has mysteriously gone missing. There, amid much linguistic comedy involving the non-Korean-speaking Kuryu and Amamiya, they get caught up with local gangsters, from whom they're rescued by a local cop (Lee Byeong-heon). An uproar ensues as the case begins to twist and turn, hinting a something far bigger and sinister beneath the surface, and exposing Kuryu and his tem to dangers he’s never before experienced. Kuryu and colleague, Amermiya, are going to have to put their careers and their relationship at risk to get at the truth.
Product Details:
Product Title: Hero (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Actors: Takuya Kimura, Takako Matsu, Hiroshi Abe, Haruka Ayase, Lee Byung-hun
Directors: Suzuki Masayuki
Format: Widescreen 16:9 (Anamorphic), Color, NTSC
Languages: Japanese, Cantonese
Subtitle: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
Audio Specs: Digital Surround 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0
Region: Region 3 South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan)
Number of disc: 1 Disc
Country Made: Japan
Genre: Suspense Drama
Feature Film Running Time: 131 Minutes
Distributor: Kam & Ronson Enterprises Co Ltd
Release Date: March 20, 2008 ( Order your copy now!)
Story-Meter: 7/10 – Actors-Meter: 8/10 – Video-Meter: 7/10 – Audio-Meter: 7/10
Hero’s performance review: (By John Li – Moviexclusive)
“Be it the star appeal or the winning storyline, this movie entertains from beginning to end”
This reviewer has heard a lot about this certain Japanese superstar named Takuya Kimura. He hears that this enigmatic member of the pop group SMAP is really popular amongst both young girls and older women. He hears that this married man is the first male star to advertise lipsticks, and thanks to his famed status as a leading television star, the lipsticks’ sales shot sky high.
This reviewer first saw him on the big screen in Wong Kar Wai’s 2046 (2004). He thought that the actor who played Faye Wong’s boyfriend looked awkward. Then he saw him again as a blind samurai in Yoji Yamada’s Love and Honor (2006). He thought Kimura looked haggard.
So what’s the big deal about this Kimura character? After watching his latest feature film outing, this reviewer now understands his widespread appeal. This 35-year-old actor has all the charm and charisma which girls will love, and guys will want to imitate. Even the way he casually swings his Ipod Shuffle earphones appears to be ultra-suave.
Reprising his 2001 television series role of an intelligent and smart prosecutor, Kimura reunites with his former partners to solve a hit-and-run accident involving a soon-to-be-married man, an ex-politician, a security guard and an arson case. So many things, so little time – how does the man do it?
With his sharp observation and quick wits, of course.
Kimura shares screen time with the original cast of the television series, and it is obvious that they still have great chemistry together after six years. One signature scene comes near the end of the movie, where you see the gang of eight characters standing together in one shot – it’s just to cool to be true. Kimura also manages to anchor many of the movie’s most entertaining ensemble scenes with his commanding on-screen presence: look out for the chase sequence at the scrap yard because it will leave you laughing in stitches.
To up the star factor, Kimura travels to Korea with his potential love interest played by another popular Japanese starlet Takako Matsu (The Hidden Blade, Brave Story) to find a clue. In this rather unnecessary segment, we get to see yet another Asian superstar Lee Byung-hun (Bittersweet Life, Everybody Has Secrets) in a cameo which lasts for less than five minutes on screen. But two of Asia’s hottest leading men for the price of one cinema ticket? Why not?
For those (like this reviewer) who did not experience the fad that was the 2001 “Hero” television series, the 130-minute movie may be a little confusing at first, but let yourself settle in nicely and you’d be enjoying this flick like any other entertaining courtroom drama.
And you’d also be familiar with the catchy theme music by the time the movie ends on a bright and upbeat note.
Other Blockbuster DVD Choices: Seven Days, The Host, The Warlords, Lust, Caution
Six years (literally) have gone by since Kuryu last strolled into the Josai branch office of Tokyo's public prosecutor, after having been "exiled" at the end of the 2001 series to an out-of-town position (the subject of the 2006 special). His loyal assistant, Maiko Amamiya (Takako Matsu) gives him a hard time for never calling but still carries a major torch for the red-haired thirty something. Kuryu is assigned an apparently simple case of manslaughter, in which a blond-haired security guard accidentally killed a guy during an argument one night. But when the guard suddenly changes his plea from guilty to not guilty, Kuryu and his team find they've been handed a political hot potato. Turns out the guard reps a key alibi for Hanaoka (Kazuyoshi Morita), a former transport minister accused of accepting a huge bribe that same night. Hence the guard's sudden switch (under pressure from Hanaoka's men) to a not-guilty plea. Kuryu's pursuit of the truth takes him and Amamiya to Busan, South Korea, to track down the guard's van, which has mysteriously gone missing. There, amid much linguistic comedy involving the non-Korean-speaking Kuryu and Amamiya, they get caught up with local gangsters, from whom they're rescued by a local cop (Lee Byeong-heon). An uproar ensues as the case begins to twist and turn, hinting a something far bigger and sinister beneath the surface, and exposing Kuryu and his tem to dangers he’s never before experienced. Kuryu and colleague, Amermiya, are going to have to put their careers and their relationship at risk to get at the truth.
Product Details:Product Title: Hero (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Actors: Takuya Kimura, Takako Matsu, Hiroshi Abe, Haruka Ayase, Lee Byung-hun
Directors: Suzuki Masayuki
Format: Widescreen 16:9 (Anamorphic), Color, NTSC
Languages: Japanese, Cantonese
Subtitle: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
Audio Specs: Digital Surround 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0
Region: Region 3 South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan)
Number of disc: 1 Disc
Country Made: Japan
Genre: Suspense Drama
Feature Film Running Time: 131 Minutes
Distributor: Kam & Ronson Enterprises Co Ltd
Release Date: March 20, 2008 ( Order your copy now!)
Story-Meter: 7/10 – Actors-Meter: 8/10 – Video-Meter: 7/10 – Audio-Meter: 7/10Hero’s performance review: (By John Li – Moviexclusive)
“Be it the star appeal or the winning storyline, this movie entertains from beginning to end”
This reviewer has heard a lot about this certain Japanese superstar named Takuya Kimura. He hears that this enigmatic member of the pop group SMAP is really popular amongst both young girls and older women. He hears that this married man is the first male star to advertise lipsticks, and thanks to his famed status as a leading television star, the lipsticks’ sales shot sky high.
This reviewer first saw him on the big screen in Wong Kar Wai’s 2046 (2004). He thought that the actor who played Faye Wong’s boyfriend looked awkward. Then he saw him again as a blind samurai in Yoji Yamada’s Love and Honor (2006). He thought Kimura looked haggard.
So what’s the big deal about this Kimura character? After watching his latest feature film outing, this reviewer now understands his widespread appeal. This 35-year-old actor has all the charm and charisma which girls will love, and guys will want to imitate. Even the way he casually swings his Ipod Shuffle earphones appears to be ultra-suave.
Reprising his 2001 television series role of an intelligent and smart prosecutor, Kimura reunites with his former partners to solve a hit-and-run accident involving a soon-to-be-married man, an ex-politician, a security guard and an arson case. So many things, so little time – how does the man do it?With his sharp observation and quick wits, of course.
Kimura shares screen time with the original cast of the television series, and it is obvious that they still have great chemistry together after six years. One signature scene comes near the end of the movie, where you see the gang of eight characters standing together in one shot – it’s just to cool to be true. Kimura also manages to anchor many of the movie’s most entertaining ensemble scenes with his commanding on-screen presence: look out for the chase sequence at the scrap yard because it will leave you laughing in stitches.
To up the star factor, Kimura travels to Korea with his potential love interest played by another popular Japanese starlet Takako Matsu (The Hidden Blade, Brave Story) to find a clue. In this rather unnecessary segment, we get to see yet another Asian superstar Lee Byung-hun (Bittersweet Life, Everybody Has Secrets) in a cameo which lasts for less than five minutes on screen. But two of Asia’s hottest leading men for the price of one cinema ticket? Why not?
For those (like this reviewer) who did not experience the fad that was the 2001 “Hero” television series, the 130-minute movie may be a little confusing at first, but let yourself settle in nicely and you’d be enjoying this flick like any other entertaining courtroom drama.
And you’d also be familiar with the catchy theme music by the time the movie ends on a bright and upbeat note.
Other Blockbuster DVD Choices: Seven Days, The Host, The Warlords, Lust, Caution
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