It was difficult not to instinctively reach for a video game controller through the duration of Ilya Naishuller’s debut feature film, “Hardcore Henry.” The movie, entirely shot in the first person, is reminiscent of the countless first-person shooter video games, and it’s as much fun as holding a controller — just don’t expect a great story.
The film begins with a man who is missing an arm and leg and is floating in some sort of scientific contraption. A scientist explains his origins to him, for he has lost his memory. The dialogue is incredibly expository, detailing the main arcs of the movie and nearly every motivation for Henry.
The scientist, Estelle (Haley Bennett), explains that she is his wife and replaces his missing limbs. An attack on the laboratory forces Henry to escape, but not before Estelle is captured by the strange villain Akan (Danila Kozlovsky).
The film does not get any more complicated, except for the introduction of Sharlto Copley’s character, Jimmy. Jimmy is perhaps the shining beacon of light in this film. He breathes life into scenes that would be otherwise dry or unnecessary, and he appears at different times in the movie. Each time he appears, he seems to be a different person.
The character’s purpose isn’t fully explained until the third act of the movie, creating the film’s most interesting plot line.
As Henry constantly tries to save Estelle from Akan, he runs into nameless villains with whom he fights, alongside his nameless sidekicks. Henry, of course, saves the day, but the final fight lacks a sense of urgency — the plot itself has not allowed for any emotional ties to the characters.
The actors don’t capitalize on the little development that the plot does allow for. The main problem that plagues the movie is that Henry often doesn’t feel like a character but a bystander, due to the fact that we aren’t able to see his reactions. As a passive character, it is hard to feel a strong connection to Henry.
The film’s three main actors — Copley, Bennett and Kozlovsky — balance each other out. Copley brought the Jimmy character to life with some over-the-top antics, while Bennett and Kozlovsky delivered flat performances.
Bennett is supposed to be playing the damsel in distress, motivating Henry to fight countless enemies to save her. However, she seems bored with the role. Kozlovsky, on the other hand, is an uncomfortable presence on screen. His mannerisms seem to mimic those of Heath Ledger’s Joker in “The Dark Knight,” but it comes off cheesy and takes away from the intensity of situations.
As both the writer and director, Naishuller gives less attention to the scenes that involve interactions between the characters. She scales down potentially dull dialogue and focuses on the adrenaline-fueled scenes instead.
The film relies heavily on the action scenes, yet the choreography often fails to capture any realistic sense of fighting aside from a few instances of gore that elicited reactions from the audience. Though shot in first person, it was difficult to feel like a part of the action at most times.
The film’s first-person narrative is unique, but the gimmick gets tiring. Though the perspective is fresh, it can be a bit disorienting at times. During some action sequences, all we are able to see is Henry looking at the ground for a few seconds at a time after getting beaten down.
Though the film ventures into new territory, it proves to be detrimental in some aspects. The story, void of any real motivation, does not allow for the audience to bond with the characters. At a runtime of one hour and 36 minutes, this video game of a movie may excite those who love first-person shooters, but it will fail to capture the attention of anyone looking for a story.
“Hardcore Henry” is now playing in theaters nationwide.
