CS Video: Copley, Naishuller and Bekmambetov on Hardcore Henry

April 7, 2016

There’s a lot of talking about nausea when it comes to Hardcore Henry, but not in a bad way. The unique action film replicates the feeling of a first-person shooter video game at the price of a wealth of issues average action films don’t have to worry about, like how to keep the audience from getting sick while the camera is constantly moving.

First-time director Ilya Naishuller can appreciate the feeling as he prepares to wheel his long-gestating baby – he spent years testing how to rig the cameras and how to shoot the film just to deal with the vertigo issue before even starting fight and camera choreagraphy – in front of audiences this month.

“It’s a lot scarier getting in front of lot of people when you don’t have a guitar and a band behind you,” the Biting Elbows frontman admitted as he finally began previewing the film for audiences leading up to its April wide release.

He, producer Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) and star Sharlto Copley – who “never worked harder on a film in his life” – sat down with ComingSoon.net in classic Hardcore Henry FPS style to discuss how the film came about and what it took to get a truly unique action film on screen.

You remember nothing. Mainly because you’ve just been brought back from the dead by your wife (Haley Bennett). She tells you that your name is Henry. Five minutes later, you are being shot at, your wife has been kidnapped, and you should probably go get her back. Who’s got her? His name’s Akan (Danila Kozlovsky); he’s a powerful warlord with an army of mercenaries, and a plan for world domination. You’re also in an unfamiliar city of Moscow, and everyone wants you dead. Everyone except for a mysterious British fellow called Jimmy (Sharlto Copley). He may be on your side, but you aren’t sure. If you can survive the insanity, and solve the mystery, you might just discover your purpose and the truth behind your identity. Good luck, Henry. You’re likely going to need it…