Heroes

One of the best motorsports documentary. Best 2hr Spent this year

What makes a human work? That's a too general question you may have. Let's be more specific and dive into the mindset of racers. Mostly male racers, but we get one female too. And you can imagine her issues or rather issues others had with her being in the racing world. And all not taking place too much in the past.

This is really well done and while Michael Schumacher is still recovering (as far as we know, his family protects him and shields him from anyone outside their circle, good on them), we get bits and pieces from his past ... and the other 5 racers reflecting on him. Either through admiring, rivalry they once had or even being their racing partner.

This is quite in depth and will please anyone who yearns for a look behind the curtain. It may be "niche" or can be only considered to be of interest for a certain group of people ... but then again, that is true for many other movies and genres too.

Written and directed by Manish Pandey, this movie is fascinating at so many levels.

The premise is simple: invite four race car drivers to share some time in an English mansion. All of them famous in their own category: Tom Kristensen (aka Mr. Le Mans) 9-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Mika Hakkinen, twice Formula 1 World Champion, Michèle Mouton 4-time rally winner in the World Rally Championship, and Felipe Massa, strong with 11 F1 Grand Prix wins.

While they share stories about their lives, careers, struggles, triumphs and life philosophy, we realize they're all connected through a fifth driver: the great Michael Schumacher, 7-time Formula 1 Champion who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident, back in December 2013. The famous German is not physically at the meeting, but his spirit is present throughout the whole movie.

Between insightful discussions and fast-pace real-life race action, beautifully filmed "Heroes" goes even faster than watching a Grand Prix. From rarely seen footage (personal and racing) to famous race action, this (close to) 2-hour movie is a must-see for motor racing fans, sports addicts and anyone who might not be interested in racing.

I cannot put into words how Panday has captured our collective memories as motorsport fans over the years. All interconnected with one common man. A must-watch for motorsport fans that respect the sport and drivers. #keepfightingmichael

Coming from Manish Pandey, writer and executive producer on Senna (2010), this latest documentary on the lives, careers and intertwined fates of five memorable racing drivers of the 80s, 90s and 2000s is memorable, yet tough to take.

Parts feel distinctly staged, insights could have been more revealing, but the movie does very, very well in capturing the protagonists' states of mind and the emotions going with them. For me, it was indeed terribly emotional, as beyond the stories of Hakkinen, Massa, Mouton and Kristensen lies that of Michael Schumacher, to whom I attach so many of the joys and tribulations of my youth.

Pandey might not have Asif Kapadia's flair, but he shares the sense for tragedy and loss, which underlies almost everything in Heroes. Mandatory viewing for enthusiasts.