Heroes Don't Die (2019) User Reviews

Interesting, almost terrible, but works out in the end

[axapvov · 6/10 · 19 May 2023]

Interesting faux-documentary style to reflect on death and generational ennui. The main issue I have is the character of Joachim, he's the worst. Fortunately, he's not the protagonist, but he got on my nerves... Is he meant to represent his generation? Are we really so narcissistic and naive? Adèle Haenel guides us as much as the characters. She carries a plot that really asks the audience to hold on, until she manages a beautiful monologue before a satisfying climax.

It's an interesting film to talk about, with seemingly empty scenes carrying a lot of subtext, but I still found it oddly executed.

Pure nonsense

[Ebert · 1/10 · 17 January 2021]

There is no justification for the fact that a Frenchman who may die of the heart is deceived by his friends who reinforce his belief that he is the "reincarnation" of a Bosnian soldier. A nonsensical film. Nonsense from beginning to end. Don't waste your time.

Proud

[irenalu · 7/10 · 24 January 2021]

I am Serbian and I was extremly interested to see this movie. The other language is Serbian. The story is about reincarnation and war, about life and death, about family, love and loss. It covers many topics. I loved how honest it looked, like some documentary. It kept me intersted the whole time. Also, loved seeing Adele speaking serbian :)

emotional, religious, cultural, saint, magical, funny

[NijazBaBs · 7/10 · 16 April 2021]

I am satisfied to amazed. As a Bosniak I find this to be good movie about my country, maybe not that good as some others, but for tourists, for French good enough. I could reconnect with various statistics, habits, cuisine, facts, emotions. Meaning, it brings various emotions like nostalgia, sadness, hope... Bit funny, mostly realistic, and magical because this is one of those movies that are more subjective (about characters) rather than objective (about war, money...). Bit unclear ending and reasons, but that is what makes it magical, leaving us with lots of questions, curiosity, inspiration. It reminds us of Bosnian war, but also of our place, culture, religion, and everything. For tourists, good introduction and based on facts. So still amateur, but not empty. Good for Bosniaks and for tourists. Not too deep. All 3 to 4 dialogues with Bosniak or Serb people are funny, and one is epic. So also good comedy and creative. All looks as I would expect from typical Bosniak or Serb.

Spiritual yet grounded

[BrorsanW · 9/10 · 10 November 2019]

Heroes Don't Die carries themes of healing, history and friendship in a beatiful combination of several unexpected elements.

The "found-footage" style of filming is finally used for something else than horror and works very well. In a film about friends pushing each other to new frontiers it serves the viewer well to feel so engaged and in the middle of it as the camera could possibly allow us.

Our protagonists, Joachim and Alice, both seem like real, genuine people. Watching Joachim as he goes on a crazy journey of self-discovery we can't help but feel angry at him, feel sorry for him or laugh at him. His screen-presence is so commanding, so deep. It feels as though he has so much going on inside his head, but we can never know exactly what: he's a real human being.

The most divisive part of the film will be it's use of the Srebrenica genocide. I understod it as being used for several purposes. Among others, it juxtaposes the main characters's small-scale suffering with that of the Bosnian villagers we meet in the movie. Clever as the filmmakers are, they make it very clear they know what they are doing and how sensitive the subject is.

In the end of the film we find ourselves with some answers, but not all of them. We as viewers have gone through a spiritual journey with the group of friends yet find ourselves back where we started. We're unsure whether we were truly healed or not. If we can be healed at all. I feel as though I followed these people through one hell of a journey. Hell, I feel light-headed just thinking about it. It's one hell of a trip.

A good first feature

[sanchezghp · 8/10 · 3 October 2020]

A good first feature. Adèle shines as always, and the "hero" is also very much believable and moving. Love - death - mourning - friendship are underlying themes of that movie, which remained with me a long time after watching it. I will follow Aude-Lea's career for sure.

Good

[simone-corami-1 · 8/10 · 23 January 2021]

A way to Survive to death and loss of ourselvelves and The tragedy of The war.

Bad reviewers don't understand this movie

[ginschy · 10/10 · 2 February 2021]

This movie is about creating a bizarre situation (Joachim thinks he is a re-incarnated war criminal) and then explores the border between real deep feelings and ridiculousness with the story that evolves... and also the "empty" lives of the young generation in relation to the interrupted, but full lives of the elder Bosniaks.

It's been a long time since I've seen something so mind-opening... thanks a lot for this movie.

Worth seeing

[gphgrm01 · 8/10 · 8 May 2021]

Interesting film, in spite of many blurry and rough spots in the plot. However. If you really engage in it, you will understand the point. A "dead man" walking, a terminally ill French guy Joachim, gets all of a sudden some "calling" in his life, some feeling that he is reincarnation of a Bosnian-Serbian soldier who died the day he was born, in 1983. His friend Alice who has already spent some time in Bosnia earlier, wants to help him live up this fantasy and agrees to make a documentary about this so they travel to Bosnia. But Alice is also haunted by her own ghosts of dead Bosnian Muslims who died in Bosnia in the war 1990s. So these two stories which are actually unrelated, Bosnian Serbian who dies in the 1980s and massacre of Bosnian Muslims in 1990s come together in one synchronized tune in the end, lived through the moving friendship of protagonists and their engagement with the local Balkan rustic retro environment and picturesque people. For those people who know Bosnian and Balkan context local history and people, this film is actually better than it looks like for somebody unrelated. It is obvious it was made by someone who knows the context and has an authentic relationship with region, people, language etc.

Underrated. Much better than some Palm d'Or winners!

[tommirhp · 9/10 · 15 May 2023]

This film is very good becose it has everything that a movie needs: Entertaining story, funny at times, and then the glimpse into the awful war that really happened and destroyed many lifes. At first, the viewer thinks: "A guy who is a reincarnated soldier, how cool!". Then, the harsh truth appears. The characters are just French tourists making up stories not realizing, how this awful thing really affected innocent people.

I especially like the dialogue near the end. The one where Alice tells Joachim about love. In a way she tells, how she wanted to be with him after all. I think there was something more than platonic love on her side. Adéle Haenel's performance is great as always.

At the end there was still some things that left me wondering: Did he make it all up? Why did she do all this? What did she do in the beginning? Sometimes the pace was a bit too slow, but over all a great movie!!!