When I was younger, the majority of my friends loved to play video games. Hangouts and sleepovers were usually spent seeing who could beat a level faster or who would win against the other. I dabbled in video games but they never became my primary form of entertainment (movies did, of course!). So, I usually spent time watching my friends play games and pretended to be interested. It's quite an alienating way to spend time. But that's just me.
Imagine how I felt watching "Hardcore Henry," which is essentially watching someone play a video game for 96 minutes. At least when you are watching your friends play games, you can talk and laugh a bit but as movie theater protocol dictates, this is not acceptable. So for 96 long minutes, you must sit and take in the sensory overload of "Hardcore Henry."
Director Ilya Naishuller has crafted a film entirely from the POV of Henry, who is brought back to life as a robot with no memory. When Henry wakes up, he is being assembled by Estelle (Haley Bennett), who informs him that they are married. Before Estelle can resurrect Henry's voice, their airplane lab is invaded by Akan (Danila Kozlovsky), a crime lord who can move things with his mind, and his crew. Estelle is taken and Henry must go on the run of his life, often aided by the mysterious Jimmy (Sharlto Copley).
We run, duck, stop, drop and roll with Henry as he dodges Akan and his elite team of super baddies. The entire film is built on the first-person gimmick, which has the potential to be enjoyable if executed correctly. Therein lies the problem with "Hardcore Henry" - it's all concept with no real execution. Naishuller's script must have been real short, just a few pages of exposition and then "SHOOT! SHOOT! SHOOT!"
Rarely has a shoot-'em-up been so tiring and boring. There's very little explanation to the who and the why of the story, which makes it difficult to become fully invested in what's going on. We learn nothing about Henry or Jimmy, and the questions surrounding their characters distract what's happening on screen.
My friend, who saw the film with me, also hated every second of what was happening on screen. We tried to find a point amongst the chaos but couldn't seem to pinpoint one. When the film ended, the entire theater erupted in applause, confusing my friend and I. I hated this film but knew a cult classic had been born.
| Movie title | Hardcore Henry |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2016 |
| MPAA Rating | R |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | This first-person shoot-em-up is all concept and no execution. |
