Review: HARDCORE HENRY

HARDCORE HENRY is one of the best action movies ever made.

Told entirely in the first person POV perspective, HARDCORE HENRY plays like a found footage film that actually legitimizes its reason for continuing to record through the end credits. It all starts when Henry wakes up in a laboratory, submerged in water in a tank, while an unknown blonde woman attaches robotic limbs to his human body. As she tests Henry’s grip, she tells him that her name is Estelle, and that the two of them are actually married. She goes on to explain that her scientific research has given her the tools necessary to repair him with machinery, thus making him part human, part cyborg.

Just as Henry and Estelle make their way to the next room to begin installing Henry’s speech module, chaos erupts, as a telekinetic albino villain named Akan barges in with his gang, and begins destroying all of their equipment, in the hopes of stealing whatever it is that makes Henry so special. When his plan fails, Akan simply kidnaps Estelle, the brains of the operation, and assumes that she can make him a better prototype in the future. Akan’s posse then beats Henry to a bloody pulp and leaves him to die in a pile of rubble, before grabbing Estelle and taking off. What Akan doesn’t realize, however, is that what Henry lacks in dialogue, he makes up for tenfold in unleashing sadistic, no-holds-barred violence. With the help of a newfound friend named Jimmy, Henry starts down a rough and brutal road to hunt down Akan and retrieve his wife, all while eviscerating any minion who dare stand in his way.

It’s hard to make an action movie stand out these days. In this modern era where superhero films are all the rage and James Bond has become the standard to beat, differentiating a story from the millions that have come before it seems nearly impossible, especially when franchises with built-in fan bases have seemingly taken over Hollywood. The greats, like DIE HARD, FIRST BLOOD, and TERMINATOR 2, have already conquered the familiar traits that make the genre so potent, such as hand-to-hand combat, one-liners, and deeper, more meaningful reasons for redemption. Where then, does one head when attempting to throw his or her hat in the ring? How can a fresh new action movie from a relatively unknown filmmaker stand apart from the pack, while simultaneously create material memorable enough to possibly span its very own series?

For Henry, it keeps it somewhat light, but at the same time, personal. By engaging the audience in a first person POV, it approaches the old story of rescue and revenge through a new angle, by bringing the viewers closer to the battle than ever before. This approach is not only groundbreaking, but it gives us a glimpse as to what to expect from the future of action movies.

Sharlto Copley is hilarious as Jimmy, the side man that guides Henry along the way, and provides witty little quips in the face of danger. Although dramatic tales of heartfelt absolution have often proven to be interesting and worthwhile, in the current state of pop culture where cinema is seemingly over-saturated with tedious melodrama, it’s extremely refreshing to share a laugh with the lead characters, and see a filmmaker have a little fun with his debauchery.

Because the entire movie is told through the first person perspective, much in the same style as past films LADY IN THE LAKE and Franck Khalfoun’s MANIAC, the audience winds up actually becoming Henry, a unique tactic that has yet to be truly tackled properly in the action world – until now. Combining this perspective with the fact that Henry is mute, and that the whole film feels like a first-person shooter, much in the same vein as GOLDENEYE or CALL OF DUTY, the result is a non-stop, high intensity roller coaster ride that never loses its momentum, and never apologizes for its gratuitous bloodshed. It revels in its absurd, over-the-top action sequences, and the audience can’t help but smile and giggle in its depraved glory, right along with Henry and Jimmy.

Aside from its innovative setup, this is one of those films that has people leaving the theater riding a high of adrenaline-based happiness, and that’s what makes it one of the best action movies to ever exist, at least thus far. Joining the ranks of MAD MAX: FURY ROAD and THE RAID, the myriad heart racing, breathtaking epic moments are present from start to finish, proving that although first time director Ilya Naishuller is new to the game, he’s already hit the ground running.

Audiences need more action movies like this, and to make that happen, directors need movie goers who would enjoy a film like this to see it in the theater, snuggled up right next to their bloodthirsty companions.

Catch this one when it hits the big screen on April 7^th, 2016. You’ll be glad you did.