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TADFF Review: ‘I Am a Hero’ Rises to Meet its Incredible Potential

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I Am a Hero

Horror films give us a glimpse into the heroic potential that lives inside us all. Heroes of horror don’t need the tools and training of an expert secret agent – they’re everyday people thrown into an unreal situation who must rise to the occasion if they hope to survive. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them. I Am a Hero is the wildly entertaining tale of a man who is woefully unprepared for that kind of responsibility.

I Am a Hero (based on the manga series of the same name) follows Hideo Suzuki (Yô Ôizumi, Spirited Away, Fullmetal Alchemist), a mild-mannered 35-year old manga artist assistant with low self-esteem and unfulfilled dreams. He’s deeply unsatisfied with his life – as is his girlfriend, who kicks him out of their shared apartment. Hideo is left with no safe haven as the volatile ZQN virus wreaks havoc through the city (though he is – at first – comically oblivious to the chaos around him).

When fleeing the city, Hideo meets a young woman named Hiromi (Kasumi Arimura, Samurai Angel Wars) who he vows to protect. Despite his best intentions, Hideo is not immediately suited for heroism. Armed with his sporting shotgun and faced with a world full of danger, Hideo must find the courage to step up for their survival.

via IMDb

In I Am a Hero, the ZQN virus turns its infected into zombified shells of their former selves. When they’re not consuming the flesh of the living, the infected show echoes of their humanity by repeating habitual actions; commuters ride an invisible subway while competitive athletes go through the motions of their former sport.

This characteristic of the virus is a clever way to redirect the usual shambling, mindless nature of the undead, and it makes each transformation uniquely horrific.

One particular scene early in the film shows an infected woman as she unnaturally contorts her body, thrashing around in attack. It’s brilliantly traumatic and very personal – like the spider walk in The Exorcist if Regan was completely dedicated to eating you alive.

via IMDb

Director Shinsuke Sato (Bleach, The Princess Blade) uses great skill to add visually affecting scenes that remind the viewer of the epic, dramatic scale of the outbreak. Other times, he will punch emotion into the chaos with quiet, focused character moments. Hideo’s fear and anxiety are well communicated thanks to Sato’s direction and Ôizumi’s stunning performance.

The talented Ôizumi is very effective as he leads Hideo on an emotional journey. We initially see his shortcomings as a fantastic point of humor, but as society continues to collapse, it is clear that Hideo is not built for this dark new world.

I Am a Hero speaks to our natural desire to be great – a champion for ourselves and others – and the crushing defeat that comes with the realization that you’re not meeting your own expectations.

Hideo finally makes a decision that culminates in a phenomenal finale that blasts away the psychological remnants of his former life.

via IMDb

The film’s climax also contains some of the most deeply satisfying zombie kills I’ve seen in a long time. There’s a joyful emotional payoff connected to each bashed skull. It’s a scene that runs long – it feels long – but it drives home the exhaustion of this last stand.

I Am a Hero is a viciously entertaining zombie film with a triumphant transformation. It’s a story about courage – about risk and breaking a lifelong acceptance of “average”. The zombie outbreak may be the end of the world, but for Hideo, it’s a new beginning.

 

I Am a Hero is now available on DVD. You can watch the trailer below!

via IMDb

For more from Toronto After Dark, check out our reviews for Anna and the Apocalypse and Tigers Are Not Afraid.

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Jake Gyllenhaal’s Thriller ‘Presumed Innocent’ Series Gets Early Release Date

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Jake gyllenhaal presumed innocent

Jake Gyllenhaal’s limited series Presumed Innocent is dropping on AppleTV+ on June 12 instead of June 14 as originally planned. The star, whose Road House reboot has brought mixed reviews on Amazon Prime, is embracing the small screen for the first time since his appearance on Homicide: Life on the Street in 1994.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s in ‘Presumed Innocent’

Presumed Innocent is being produced by David E. Kelley, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, and Warner Bros. It is an adaptation of Scott Turow’s 1990 film in which Harrison Ford plays a lawyer doing double duty as an investigator looking for the murderer of his colleague.

These types of sexy thrillers were popular in the ’90s and usually contained twist endings. Here’s the trailer for the original:

According to Deadline, Presumed Innocent doesn’t stray far from the source material: “…the Presumed Innocent series will explore obsession, sex, politics and the power and limits of love as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.”

Up next for Gyllenhaal is the Guy Ritchie action movie titled In the Grey scheduled for release in January 2025.

Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series set to stream on AppleTV+ starting June 12.

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Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

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The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

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lizzie borden house

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

Inside the Lizzie Borden House

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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