It was only a matter of time before these two appeared. While I can't say I'm a huge wuxia fan (I enjoy the films I've seen, but I don't seek it out,) Hero is a slam dunk. The acting is terrific, the story is layered and affecting, the art direction is gorgeous, and the wire-fu never crosses the line from cool to ridiculous.
But today's post isn't about Hero as a whole - it's about Flying Snow and Broken Sword. The film's protagonist, Nameless, meets this legendary pair of assassins, and they go on to play a significant role in the story. Right off the bat, we're given an assortment of both hard and soft edges. They're lethal killing machines. They're artists and teachers at a calligraphy school. They've tried to take out the Emperor himself. They're lovers. And, given the unreliable narrative, they're pretty hard to pin down. The same event plays out three times in different ways, each one offering a different version of their relationship. Is their love pure or possessive? Are they rash or thoughtful? Is their match equal or uneven?
The red section (each iteration of the scene uses its own palette) seethes with tension and resentment, depicting lovers who've been together too long and have fallen out. Their home life is marked by a heavy distance, and yet neither can cut the other loose. Broken Sword lashes out, and Flying Snow responds in kind. In the blue section, however, they're almost wholly wrapped up in one another, living and dying for each other and as one. When I think of the term "soulmate," this is the image I conjure up. (Also, the blue section has one of the loveliest, most emotional love scenes I've ever seen.). Between these opposing portrayals lies the white section, in which Flying Snow and Broken Sword are partners in the truest sense of the word. While they mean fathoms to one another and fight as if they share the same body, each has their own mind that doesn't always align with the other's. They aren't one another's entire world, and they clash when they feel it's necessary.
So, what can we really tell of them? We know that, in many ways, Flying Snow is stronger than Broken Sword. Her drive burns brightly within her, propelling her forward. She's ready for drastic action, which she sometimes takes too impulsively. Quieter, stiller Broken Sword often defers to her; he's found a place for himself in her life. However, he isn't a mere extension of her, doesn't fall in line at her every word. He's not opposed to standing up to his more outspoken lover, and he defends his own views with soft but determined resolve.
And of course, they're played by Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai of, among other things, In the Mood for Love. This movie was the first time I saw them onscreen together, and I knew I was watching something special. They're so completely in sync, creating three distinct dynamics for the different versions of their relationship, and each feels perfectly organic. Whenever they share a scene, I can't take my eyes off them.
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