Today’s quick reivew: Hardcore Henry. Henry wakes up in a lab with no memories, no voice, and a cybernetically enhanced body. His wife Estelle (Haley Bennett) promises him answers, but before she can deliver them, Akan (Danila Kozlovsky) storms the compound and kidnaps Estelle. Henry escapes into the streets of Moscow, where a resourceful man named Jimmy (Sharlto Copley) helps him fight his way through dozens of Akan’s soldiers to rescue his wife.
Hardcore Henry is an indie action film shot entirely from a first-person perspective. With heavy doses of video game logic, one very impressive supporting actor, and a well-chosen soundtrack, Hardcore Henry promises and delivers exactly one thing: unfettered violence. Henry shoots, stabs, and pummels his way through Akan’s endless army of mercenaries with only minutes to catch his breath, using katanas, miniguns, and any other weapon he can get his cyborg hands on.
Hardcore Henry’s action is entertaining but not phenomenal. It lacks the polish of higher-budget films, but the stunts are competent, the kills are creative, and the gore is plentiful. Hardcore Henry gets much of its character from its simple, video game-esque plot logic: silent protagonist, first-person perspective, linear objectives, minimal plot, unlimited waves of enemies, and a knack for spectacle.
There is little acting to speak of, with one notable exception. Henry himself has no dialogue and only a few brief glimmers of personality, while Akan is a subpar villain redeemed by his unexplained telekinesis. But Sharlto Copley carries the film as Jimmy, Henry’s remarkably resilient sidekick. Jimmy’s erratic personality and devil-may-care attitude give Hardcore Henry a personality beyond its violence, and he is the source of the film’s humor and exposition.
Hardcore Henry is well worth a watch for fans of the action genre. While not as polished as other action films, Hardcore Henry offers fast-paced, spectacle-heavy action that makes great use of the movie’s unique first-person gimmick. Skip it if you are sensitive to violence or are looking for something more than action for action’s sake.
6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for solid action and a surprisingly successful gimmick.