Hardcore Henry

Does the name Hardcore Henry sound stupid to you?

Do you think that a film shot entirely from a first person perspective (a la videogames) sounds nauseating and/or also stupid?

Do you get easily squeamish?

Do you lack a dark sense of humor?

Do crazy 80s action/sci-fi movies not appeal to you?

If you answered YES to any or all of these questions above, please know that Hardcore Henry is not a film for you. Plain and simple...you should probably skip this one and that's ok.

Personally, my answers are as follows:

No, I think that name is hilarious -- No, I think that sounds awesome -- Not really -- Ever played Cards Against Humanity? -- No, they're delightfully zany.

So yeah, Hardcore Henry is my type of film, but I presume that the niche for this particular movie is quite narrow and mostly limited to young males who play videogames. Ok, so maybe not that small after all.

I was already excited for Henry from the one trailer I saw because it, at the very least, seemed very unapologetic for what it was. Often I find that stance helps a film to be much more entertaining than it has any right to be (i.e. Piranha 3D). Not to mention I think the filming technique concept is brilliant if not a little hard to believe that it hasn't been done already given how huge videogames have become. Much to my pleasant surprise, I enjoyed Henry even more than I had anticipated as this represents one of those scenarios where my expectations going in were absolutely appropriate. At its best, Hardcore Henry is a flawless and intriguing combination of Drive, Crank, and Far Cry (the game, not the film) with a dash of 80s action absurdity. As most videogames do, it trades story for stylization and action setpieces, and it lacks an emotional connection -- but that's Henry at its worst.

Wait...this isn't a Neil Blomkamp film?!

Hardcore Henry is literally the most balls-to-the-wall action film I've ever seen. That doesn't automatically mean the "best" but it is probably the most continuous string of punching, shooting, chasing, jumping, running, etc. that we've seen this side of Mad Max: Fury Road. I wish the film would have had just a few more moments of peace...not to let me catch my breath...but to expand on the characters/story. There are couple moments here and there that are dialogue-based, but they're quickly wrapped up in favor of more violence. Not exactly a complaint, but I do think there were some effective ways to present a more meaningful story with a little more tranquility. Either way, the continuous action is highly entertaining and surprisingly inventive.  There were a few moments where I would cringe from disgust, drop my "Holy s**t!" jaw, or laugh from the absolute craziness. It really does try to tick all the boxes here: gunplay, parkour, driving, sniping, flying, hand to hand, and everything in between. It's all stunning to watch, though the hand-to-hand combat fares the worst with the unique POV (more on that below). With two human bodies so close together, the camera's shakiness spikes in these segments and there were more than a handful of times, especially during a large physical combat scene, that I kind of had no idea what was going on.  

Aerial takedown! +180XP!

I wholeheartedly admit: the FPS view is a total gimmick, but that doesn't mean it's not an effective one. Without the unique film style, Henry would be a less memorable film. A fun one still, but one that would struggle to stand out from the crowd. If you're wondering if you can "handle" this film format, I'd urge you to use caution if you're even asking the question. I did perfectly fine, but I'm also a gamer. If you're someone who gets sick from even handheld camera films, I'm not sure you'll do too hot in Henry. The first person perspective is wildly in your face and the film doesn't pull any of its punches when it comes to editing this out. That means up close gore at times as well as "camera chaos" when the titular character gets pushed down or is rolling around. It's intense -- I can definitely see how people would get motion sickness in this one.

Anyway, back to the film itself. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would because of two main reasons: it's surprising, but welcome humor, and its fantastic original music/soundtrack. The latter I was really not expecting and it's mostly where the Drive reference comes in. The film soars as Henry is running through the streets of Russia, causing mayhem, and 80s synthesizers are pounding in the background as an accompaniment. Not every soundtrack choice works, but some are marvelous and there are plenty of scenes throughout where the action is in unison with the music and the film sings (no pun intended). The humor was also a great surprise, though it is mostly dark humor so not everyone need apply. Sharlto Copley plays Henry's friend, but to say anymore than that would ruin the story and surprise. Suffice it to say that this might have been the most fun Sharlto has ever had making a movie (or anyone for that matter) and I was laughing out loud on more than one occasion, as was my disappointing sparsely-crowded theater. Do I feel bad for laughing at some of the things I laughed at? Absolutely, but Henry is that kind of film. It's incredibly R-rated. There's blood, gore, language, nudity, and abundant violence, but if you don't know that from a film titled Hardcore Henry then I don't really know what else could clue you in.

Team Kill! +300XP!

Hardcore Henry is not a film for everyone, as I feel like I've alluded to and even outright stated in this review. This is one of those films that I could even completely understand someone hating it. Maybe they got sick in the theater. Maybe they found it offensive. Maybe they found it stupid. It's really all those things, but again, I come back to that title. It's a simple question: does that title sound stupid to you? If so, chances are that this is not the film for you.

No...I envision Henry will have more of a cult following after its release. And who's got two thumbs and is now a proud member of said cult?

This guy!

CONS:

• While the story had more to it than I originally anticipated, it would have benefitted from just a couple more quiet moments where some additional backstory could have emerged. I also wasn't crazy about the ending
• The unique POV works fantastic, but is far less effective during hand-to-hand combat. Unfortunately I don't think the film realizes this and features an abundance of it, particularly in the final showdown
• A few really weird scenes that just don't work
• Several moments where I had no idea what was going on
• No emotional connection despite the up-close-and-personal POV

PROS:

• Very nearly non-stop action. It flows, rather seamlessly actually, from action setpiece to action setpiece and checks the box on nearly everything under the sun. I found the vehicle segments to be the best the film had to offer, but the gunplay was also a blast
• Really strong opening
• This film would have never worked if it had been over 100 minutes in length. Luckily it's a swift 96 minutes and just as I was starting to get exhausted, it wrapped up
• I didn't mention it in the body of my review but it has a strong, creepy villain
• Sharlto Copley is hilarious and his role is brilliant
• There is a dark thread of humor throughout the film and if that's your thing, it can be quite funny
• There's something hilarious about it all happening in Russia too. I couldn't help but think, "Of course this would only happen in Russia!"
• Some may scoff at it, but the first-person camera work is phenomenal and really help this action movie to be that much more unique. Some of the stunt work is bonkers
• Fantastic, synthesized original score and mostly strong song choice for the soundtrack. Probably the most pleasant surprise of the whole package
• Doesn't pull any punches. It's an extremely R-rated movie and is all the better for it
• Wild, zany, memorable, intense, fun ride that's unlike anything I've seen in a theater before. I may be part of a small group, but I loved it

Rath's Review Score: 8.5/10