First
off, here’s my A Little TLC(w) addition to my Hero review: “Recommend? In General – Absolutely, yes. It’s undeniably artsy and can be a little
pretentious, but this gorgeous film features an interesting narrative, great
acting, and a stunning color palette. Tony
Leung Chiu-wai – Yes, yes, yes. I
really love Broken Sword, and despite having his dialogue dubbed, Leung tears
it up in this movie.” Now that that’s
taken care of? Broken Sword (some
spoilers.)
As with
most things in Hero, Broken Sword is
hard to pin down precisely, because we see several different versions of him,
only one of which is the real thing.
Nameless’s original story paints him as a brilliant swordsman, an artist
as well as a killer, who writes the secret of his swordplay within the lines of
his calligraphy. He’s still in love with
Snow despite three years’ of distance between them, and it’s that love that
makes him lash out when he sees unavoidable proof of Snow’s continued affection
for Sky. He plays mind games to hurt
her, and they result in his death. A
passionate genius, but impulsively emotional.
Meanwhile, the Emperor’s supposition about Broken Sword sees him as far
more noble. Still a brilliant swordsman,
this Broken Sword is a dedicated lover, in sync with Snow in all things. Although Nameless only needs one of them for
his scheme to work, Broken Sword and Snow agree to die together, both
sacrificing their lives to further Nameless’s aim of assassinating the Emperor
– and if she ultimately goes instead of him, it’s only because her sword is faster
than his in delivering a non-fatal wound to keep him from meeting Nameless in
combat.
There are
elements of both of these characterizations in the real Broken Sword. Still brilliant with both a sword and a
brush. Still impulsive, but in a much quieter,
subtler way. Still a dedicated lover,
still willing to die for what he believes in.
But there’s an important aspect missing from the false Broken Swords –
over the years, the assassin has become a pacifist. He’s particularly steadfast in his belief
that the Emperor shouldn’t be killed, feeling that there’s no other way to
unite the kingdoms, but he’s learned to shy from the sword altogether. This is the reason he and Snow have drifted
from each other, nothing to do with infidelity, and though he still loves her
more than nearly anything in the world, he won’t bend when it comes to his
belief in bringing the kingdoms together.
A
pacifist assassin – not too many wuxia
films have one of those! Broken Sword is
still and strong, drawing fortitude from a well deep within himself. His love is enduring, and there’s only one
ideal he prizes more dearly than that, but it’s the one thing standing between
him and the one he loves. Faced with the
choice, he can do nothing but follow what he believes, endeavoring until the
end to make her see what he sees.
I can’t
quite remember how the order went, but this was either the first or second
movie I saw Leung in (it’s between this one and Infernal Affairs,) and I was completely captivated by him. He and Maggie Cheung aren’t the best martial
artists in the film – when you have an extended scene of Jet Li and Donnie Yen
fighting each other? Forget about it –
but their acting is on a whole other level.
In every iteration of the story, Snow and Broken Sword are its
soul. They’re fire and water, Broken
Sword fluid and calming in the wake of Snow’s heat (I know this write-up is
about Broken Sword, but it’s really hard to discuss one without bringing in the
other.) And I just love how, of all the
warriors in the film, the one who uses his sword the least is still so strong,
so sure in his resolve. In Leung’s
hands, Broken Sword carries himself with such a quiet dignity, overflowing with
love for both his lover and his country, but he’s never diminished for that love. I could watch him all day – so, so masterfully done.
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