Hardcore Henry

STX Entertainment

Originally funded through Indiegogo, by writer and director Ilya Naishuller, this film is an amazing achievement in the sphere of independent film financing, and probably couldn't have been made otherwise. Looking at the mere premise of the film it feels like it's going to be sloppy, dizzying, and ridiculously flawed, but in reality "Hardcore Henry" is an adrenaline inducing thrill ride through the POV of a newly awakened cyborg named Henry.

 The film is great for a number of reasons, primarily because of what it accomplishes with its visual style. Since the film is entirely shot on the GoPro Hero 3 camera, using a rig that attaches to the head, everything you see visually has to be from first person. The cutting is almost impossible, and I seriously don't know how some of the scenes were filmed, or how the man doing all of these stunts faired. (It's reported that ten different stuntmen and cameramen accomplished Henry's feats, including director Naishuller.) The action scenes are incredible, the use of weaponry is phenomenal, and you never feel rested during the entirety of the film, making it very much like a video game experience.

 Detractors of the film point to the lack of coherent plot as evidence that this movie doesn’t work. That means unanswered questions, plot holes, and strange decisions in the tone and style of certain scenes. While I left the theater with a mountain of questions to sift through, it did not diminish my enjoyment of this film. Just like last year's "Mad Max: Fury Road," started with a vague, semi-coherent backstory that didn't lend to the narrative, so too there are unanswered questions in this film. No I'm not sure why the villain can levitate people, or what Dimitry is going to tell Henry, or who the biker chicks are and why they help Henry and Jimmy. Still, everything works, because these are visual and tonal staples from other action movies. That means that "Henry" isn't exactly doing anything new plot wise, but between the gimmick of the POV and the intense sci-fi it's already accomplishing a lot for what it is.

 "Henry" is also cool for its use of music, the prevalence of sci-fi, and while there are times you feel dizzy as a viewer, the visuals always keep your attention. This is a film that is very small and needs avid interest from the public to make it profitable, so more of their kind are made. Please lend support to this film, because I promise you it will be worth the thrill.