• Release year: 2024
• Director: Piotr Winiewicz.
• Producers: Rikke Tambo Andersen, Mads Damsbo, and Sam Pressman.
• Cinematography by: Emil Aagaard.

Shotgun Commentary: strange experiment, not necessarily successful.

Review

About a Hero is a film made using an AI generated script that follows a simple premise: “What happened to Dorem Clery?”. If you have any hopes for a straightforward mystery with a neat resolution… abandon all hope, ye who enter.

AI Error

The film begins introducing a death, that of Dorem Clery. You soon realise that this is very much AI made but, to be honest, it kinda works. The statements given by those who knew them are really ChatGPT, especially that of the wife. They feel off, like they are almost human, but not quite there. They are logical and grammatically correct at a glance, but the closer you look, the more tiny errors you notice.

This precise quality adds a layer of creepiness that works wonderfully. Remember when M3GAN (M3GAN, 2022) first says a sentence that doesn’t match her programming? Or I, Robot’s (2004) big reveal? That is exactly the vibe, that chill that runs through your spine in those moments is highlighted by the fact that it is a fully fleshed person saying it. A bit like a terrifying version of Blade Runner (1982) where you never know who is real and who isn’t. And because that confusion is never acknowledged as part of the story, it makes it all the more horrifying.

In her various appearances, the wife talks about Dorem’s suicide, later calling it a murder. She talks about how she called for help, but then mentioned she thought everything was fine. Each statement makes her look more and more like the clumsiest killer to ever exist, or the typical AI with no memory whatsoever. Logic and reality never quite apply to the story, which keeps you on edge at all times, as it is impossible to speculate with any level of certainty about what will happen next.

(Trying to) rule the madness

Of course, this lack of textual coherence is accompanied by a hefty amount of insane moments, amongst which the fictional TV programme and the toaster sex scene are definitely the highlights. Yes, you read that right. Still, to counteract the chaos, this film does what yours truly has criticised many other films for doing: divide the story in segments with intertitles, also known as chapter titles.

If you are a regular here, you already know that the main complaint is about films not taking their audiences seriously. When your movie has a linear structure where events happen A → B → C, you really don’t need chapter titles to help the spectators differentiate between introduction, conflict, and resolution. However, there are a few exceptions where these intertitles have been necessary. One of them being this story.

When your feature is as convoluted and away from logic as this one, chapter titles might be a good idea. In this case, the intertitles are red and black abstract paranoias. Do they help you understand the structure or what’s going on? Hell no. Does it matter? No, not really. When you reach that point in the film when you realise that you will get no help from them, is also around the time you realise that you need to let go of reality if you hope to enjoy what you are watching. So overall, they are a good choice, albeit not a very useful one.

All in all, About a Hero is one of the strangest, if not the strangest, movie to come out in 2025. It is very much a love-it-or-hate-it type of piece, where you either thrive on the madness or loath every second of it. So if you choose to watch it, good luck on your journey.

Advice to take from this movie:

• AI error can be creepy as hell if used cleverly.
• If you switch languages in a film, subtitles are always a good idea.
• Extra hands appearing in a bed will always be bone-chilling.

What’s your take? Have you watched About a Hero? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀