This review may contain spoilers
Even if you start at a disadvantage, you can still be first across the finish line
Zero to Hero is an inspiring biopic about twelve-time Paralympic medalist So Wa Wai. So was the first para-athlete from Hong Kong to win gold and still holds the record in the 200m sprint. Zero to Hero is a feel good movie that also doesn't shy away from it's characters' faults and harsh reality.So Wa Wai was born with haemolytic jaundice which resulted in cerebral palsy. His mother was told he would never walk or be able to hold chopsticks. And he would only be able to hear 10-20%. She carried him on her back, literally, until he was four. In a desperate life or death moment, the mother challenged him to walk. As he gained more ability, they learned he may not walk well, but he could run.
As a teenager he joined the para-athlete's association and trained to run in competitions. The way to his success did not always run smoothly. His family was poor and used desperately needed funds to help him achieve his success. The movie highlighted how difficult it was for Paralympic athletes to continue training and competing with few subsidies from the government.
The true heart of this movie was the mother-son relationship. Sandra Ng gave a beautiful performance as the resolute mother who refused to give up on her child and sacrificed greatly to ensure he became all he could be and that he would have a financially secure future after she was gone. This created conflict with Wa Wai as he worried she was using him at one point and with his younger brother who felt at times that his only role was to be Wa Wai's future caretaker. Though perhaps flawed, the strength of this mother's love and determination to gain the best for her son and for him to overcome his limitations shined through. "Run to me at the finish line."
Leung Chung Hang's performance never felt patronizing. He poignantly portrayed a child dependent on his mother who grew into a man with his own goals and need to help his family. Yet in the end, it was the love for his dedicated mother that gave him the strength to attain those goals.
Heartwarming and inspirational with enough realistic edge to keep it from being treacly, Zero to Hero is a winner.
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Inspirational and heart warming
It was great to know So Wa wai, his personal and professional life. This movie is a classic example of story writing done well. when real-life hits the screen (biopic) makers always sugarcoat reality, portray leads as nothing but good characters, and justify their wrongdoings. In this one, the audience is left to make their own judgments. The story starts on a strong note with mother's love for her child and her conviction to make him better. I cried and laughed at every So Wa wai's accomplishments like a proud mom. They shed light on the huge pay gap between Olympic and paralympic athletes when the effort they make is same. It is sad that potential sportsmen are unable to compete due to financial circumstances. Also validated Asian parents insecurities and their intervening nature accurately.Everyone acted well and perfect fit for their roles. Actors who played So Wa wai in every phase of his life are brilliant to the point I had to search if they casted someone with disability.
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Zero to Hero to Zero to Hero and so on...
This movie is based on a true story, and though we can not know how true every element is, the story does come off as believable, at times a bit sad other times uplifting and so on, focusing more on the process than the actual Zero and Hero partWhat I like about this story is that it is not afraid to confront the use of people with disabilities to inspire able bodied people... with a whole lot of if he can so should you and so on as there is quite a bit of criticism towards the add industry and how Paralympic athletes are treated. Along side the day to day life and importance becoming a hero has for the athlete with a disability for as as long as they can classify as heroes they will not be treated as badly as other people with disabilities. Do not get them wrong they still get treated as stereotypes, get controlled and risk being used by others to add on the stereotyping of people with disabilities. But at least they have a chance at making a living.
I also like how they show the people in this movie as humans, both the able bodied and disabled people portrayed here are not made to look neither overly pathetic or too heroic. The brother who was brought to the world just to take care of his brother does not just accept his destiny and shows that having a brother with a disability is not always fun and games either.
However there is something about the way it was edited that seemed at times to speak agains itself, on the one hand saying do not use people with disabilities as inspirational crap, but also please look at this montage with violins and mix in the real guy this is based on to try to get the viewers to feel a bunch of emotions which kind of put me off.
To sum it up a pretty good movie, not without its problems but defiantly a movie worth watching.
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This review may contain spoilers
As much as I want to like this movie, I see so many shortcomings.
After watching this movie, I know that my expectations were too high. The story itself is emotional and moving, but this film lacks a lot.I understand that the creators wanted to arouse sadness and sympathy in the viewers, but the dramatic, inconsistent music in almost every scene were too much. Some scenes were also overly dramatic. This made the movie hard to watch. The story itself was engaging and it seems as if the creators wanted to evoke too many emotions at once, which resulted in the opposite.
The actors who played the roles of So Wa Wai did a good job, but the performances of the others were worse.
One more thing bothers me after watching this movie. Briefly mentioned plots of side characters have been forgotten. There was no development. Without them, nothing would have changed in this film. One example is when Wa Wai's brother sold his medals. After that, during an argument with his mother, he expressed his feelings about his parents' treatment. After he left slamming the door, there was no further reference to this situation later in the film. There are more examples like this.
As much as I want to like this movie, I see so many shortcomings.
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