Hardcore Henry Review
R: Non-Stop Bloody Brutal Violence and Mayhem, Language Throughout, Sexual Content/Nudity and Drug Use
STX Entertainment
1 hr and 35 Minutes
Cast: The Many Faces of Sharlto Copley, Haley Bennett, with Danila Kozlovsky, and Tim Roth
" Hardcore Henry is an action film told from a first person perspective: 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; 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. 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... "
REVIEW: Back in September at the Toronto Film Festival this movie premiered and became so popular it started a bidding war for distribution between Lionsgate, Universal and STX Entertainment. Strangely STX won. They have distributed 4 films so far [with more released this year] and from the only films I've seen [The Gift and now Hardcore Henry] they proved that their future with bright with nothing but successful films. Okay you've been behind of a controller with a first person shooter which you have the power to control.Well with Hardcore Henry you have your controller taken away but your eyes nonetheless are glued to the screen.
THE GOOD: Honestly this is film that feels as if it was an exclusive Playstation 4 game that was too good to be a game, so the game developers said screw it lets make it into a movie. Of course that wasn't the case with this film for from the get go the filmmaker's intentions was to make a P.O.V action film which freaking works all the way through. You know how Birdman was a movie supposedly filmed in one shot? It's nearly the same with Hardcore Henry but when the film needs to cut you do see it but the entire film is presented in the first person perspective thanks to the power of GoPros and camera rigs. Besides this being a first person action film, this is also a simple story that is coherent. Yes the entire movie is the "your princess is in another castle" cliche but the bullets it takes just to get there makes the adventure worth it. The movie is very high octane and fast paced with nonstop action. We see the world of Russia through Henry's eyes, but damn they made Russia look so fun to blow up like they did with Turkey in Taken 2. Whereas when destruction happens in other films taken place in other countries police never shows up, but here they get to the scene of the crime immediately and when they do well lets just say the result is very messy. This film is built on nothing but testosterone because this is very violent and bloody but is hardly grotesque and over the top bloody for the most part. There is a very small cast but the person who is the heart and soul of this film is Shartlo Copley. Sorry did I say Shartlo Copley? I meant the many faces and costumes of Sharlto Copley as Jimmy. When he's introduced into the film you get the immediate sense that he is your guide but then when he immediately gets killed only to reappear with another persona, you know this film is here mainly to show Copley's acting range he can take on. And by god the different persona he takes on, the more entertaining he and the film is. He is the main source of humor and emotional residence for the film and you love him all the way through.
THE BAD: What every action film fall short on recently and its a damn shame too is always the villain. Here the enemy Akan who is a telekinetic albino with a Shakespearean voice who is not threatening but your main boss. He's like Bowser in Mario 64 where you have to face him 3 times until you finish the game. There isn't much to him except just having the ability to throw people around in brutal ways which isn't explained how he obtained those abilities but just has them. A lot of different things in this film isn't explained until it is necessary to the story. The movie introduces some characters that are there only to die which is a bit of a shame but the movie doesn't dwell on it. Henry is a cyborg and so seeing through his view gets a bit staticky where some moments of action are skipped and edited in a montage like manner especially when it needs to get into the third act. There are musical sequences where music plays out of nowhere that you question where is this music coming from? Does Henry have a built in radio in his body? But most of all the film the movie suffers from a last minute plot twist. When movies do this, it really messes up the ending and that goes to this. This movie has a twist that comes out of nowhere that you don't see coming but 4 minutes later the movie ends and its so abrupt how it ends. It doesn't give you a minute to settle but instead just ends right there on the spot where it leaves a bit of a bad taste in your mouth
THE RENDY: I find it funny that in action movies made by Americans or the British the Russians are primarily the bad guys and need to be executed in every way necessary. Sometimes the movies made by Americans are very similar with the action that it does [and still is] get a bit stale and repetitive. So the fact that the director of this movie is Russian with a new kind of action movie taking place in Russia is not only a breath of fresh air but also the film feels like a screw you to America. Due to the fact that not only a Russian cast and crew created a new type of movie going experience that you can really get enjoyment from button mashing a controller, but made a plain action story with great set pieces. Like Deadpool this is one of those films that was made by audiences and positive feedback. The director made a music video named Bad Motherfucker for his band Biting Elbows [whose music is in the film too unsurprisingly]. That music video was pretty much the root of where the idea of this film came from. This movie like Anamolisa and Wish I was Here was backed by users with a funding site, but instead of it being from kickstarter this was funded from Indiegogo which is incredible. Personally seeing movies funded by people just to see their personal visions come to life is astounding and after watching this film on the big screen you get a rush of adrenaline that you pleased to have. Instead of Batman V. Superman being in 4DX, this is more deserving of the treatment because by God this is more of a rollercoaster film experience than anything else I've seen this year. If you need to ever have a perfect action film double feature, watch this and Deadpool which will both put the same smile on your face.
LAST STATEMENT: Hardcore Henry is a new kind of action film that is boastfully bloody and violently fun especially in the inventive way the film is presented despite its abrupt ending and weak main villain.
Rating: 3.5/5 | 75%
Super Scene: Jimmy's Cyber Song
