This year's heavyweight in Chinese cinema's hit the big screen on Friday, and was shown to almost full houses in Beijing. 

Movie-goers in Beijing waited in queues for up to two hours to ensure they got a good seat at the cinema.

Box office takings hit a record high on the first day, as nearly all the cinemas sold out their tickets.

Staring Taiwan actor Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chinese mainland actress Zhang Ziyi, and Hong Kong star Andy Lau, the film is director Zhang Yimou's second martial arts flick following Hero in 2002.

(Chinabroadcast.cn July 16, 2004)