Jet Li's 'Hero' analysis.

Cinematography and Editing

In a martial arts film, where everything is ecstatic and jumping around like electrons in a current, the cinematography is heavily important, especially in Hero's case. In the Chess Courtyard fight, the scene switches perspectives between the meticulously choreographed sword fight (inside of Jet Li's freakin' mind) and two swordsman simply standing still and facing each other. In terms of action, they're polar opposites, but certain cinematographic techniques make these separate sequences flow seamlessly into one and other. When the battle begins, the camera zooms in to both of the swordsman's faces as their eyes close, as Nameless narrates, "We fought the battle in our minds." Between the two close-ups, there is a shot of a water droplet falling into (what appears to be) a traditional Chinese water gutter. That shot alone emphasises the tranquillity of that scene; whereas most modern action films are big on ear-bursting, larger-than-life amplitudes to convey their action, these two soldiers are so stationary and serene that you can hear individual water droplets falling into gutters. It's a very traditional and respectful fight in that regard. 

In the next shot, without fade, it goes directly to the fight with no introduction. It's a two-person tracking shot with the chess courtyard in the background. There's no shaky-cam or incoherent point-of-view shots, it's just a simple, steady shot of the two swordsman fighting in spectacular style. We can see the fight in real time in immaculate definition. It's then followed by a series of over-the-shoulder shots, detailing the immense precision and skill the swordsmen require to be as impressive as they are. It quickly switches back to the two swordsmen simply standing and facing each other in dead silence, then quickly switches back to the fighting as it continues. 

Mise-en-scene

This simple screenshot (below) is a perfect summation of the entire sequence. The two wooden columns separate the two swordsmen, creating a literal and figurative barrier between them. The 'Old Man' is atop the chess hut, playing his stringed instrument, acting as a judge or a mediator of the fight. The structures are oriental too, with the curvy roof-tiling juxtaposed by the square, restrictive columns. The clothes are ancient oriental, with robes of basic colour and texture.