Jet Li and Donnie Yen are both brilliant martial arts legends in their own right, and in the early 2000s, audiences got the opportunity to see the two face off for the first time in a decade in Hero, a Zhang Yimou film from 2002 that features ample servings of expert combat, stunning visuals, and pure cinematic gold.

Set in ancient China, Hero follows Jet Li as “Nameless,” a talented warrior who meets the King of Qin to receive a reward after allegedly killing three of his would-be ᴀssᴀssins. Although the movie did receive an Oscar nod for Best Foreign Language Film, it certainly deserved further recognition from the Academy—if for nothing else, due to its pairing of two kung fu icons in a swift and highly-stylized duel. With a captivating episodic narrative and arguably the greatest fight choreography in Jet Li’s career, Hero is truly one of the martial arts masterpieces of cinema.

Hero Has An Incredible Fight Between Donnie Yen & Jet Li

This Battle Between Two Legends Blends Sublimity And Elegance

In Hero, Donnie Yen plays Sky, one of the three ᴀssᴀssins suspected of plotting to kill the King of Qin. In a flashback, we see Nameless confront Sky in a chess courtyard to arrest the warrior, only for the two to engage in one of the most breathtaking fights in cinematic history that sees both actors impossibly soaring through the air in a graceful and harrowing duel to the death.

The fight between Nameless and Sky makes brilliant use of wirework, slow motion, and sound design in a rain-soaked battle marked by balletic grace and aggression. Halfway through the duel, the scene switches color palates, as the two warriors defy gravity amid black and white visuals that ultimately culminate in Nameless standing victorious over Sky after slicing his ᴅᴇᴀᴅly long sword in two.

The whole battle is truly sublime, only made more epic by the haunting score from the “guqin,” an ancient seven-stringed Chinese instrument that transforms the scene into a somber elegy for Jet Li’s ill-fated opponent. Aided by the real-life martial arts expertise of both stars, the impressive choreography of their graceful moments creates a truly epic atmosphere for the battle between Donnie Yen and Jet Li’s characters in Hero.

Hero Is One Of Jet Li’s Best Martial Arts Movies

It’s A Surreal Kung Fu Film Like No Other

Jet Li undoubtedly has many great kung fu movies in his filmography, whether it be Fist of Legend, the Once Upon a Time in China series, or Fearless. However, Hero stands apart from these films through its incredible visuals, surreal use of colors, and sweeping, almost transcendental fight choreography that often appears more like an elegant dance than a traditional kung fu showdown. Furthermore, the chance to see Jet Li fight another kung fu legend—in one of the many films where Donnie Yen faces off against an action icon—is both rare and joyously cinematic.

At the end of the day, Hero is an astounding testament to martial arts’ endurance and the grand power of film as a creative medium. Without spoiling the movie, its poignant final act offers excellent commentary on nonviolence and the cost of peace, and it’s a crying shame that this masterpiece hasn’t reached more people (though we can thank Quentin Tarantino for his considerable involvement in promoting the film in the West). So, whether you’re hearing about Hero for the first time or have seen this cult classic on many occasions, the brilliant fight between Jet Li and Donnie Yen is well worth your time, and will likely go down as one of the greatest duels in martial arts history.