Jumpcut gets extreme for the first-person action thrill ride Hardcore Henry for a two-minute spoiler-free review. Expect more of these quick film reviews in the near future, and don’t forget to subscribe to the Crooked Table YouTube channel for all the latest from CrookedTable.com!

TRANSCRIPT BELOW:

Late in the 96-minute runtime of Hardcore Henry, the classic Cole Porter tune “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” takes center stage in a surreal sequence that stands out even among the insanity of Ilya Naishuller’s directorial debut. The film centers on the titular hero, who awakes with no memory only to find he’s been augmented by cybernetics. When an incredibly over-the-top villain (Danila Kozlovsky) kidnaps his wife (Haley Bennett), Henry goes on the warpath to save her and discover the truth of his newfound abilities.

While that vague premise could honestly apply to any number of revenge-driven action thrillers, Hardcore Henry has a trump card up its sleeve (and no, it doesn’t revolve around building a really big wall). The story is told entirely from the first-person perspective of Henry himself, literally putting viewers in the character’s position throughout every shootout, car chase and insane plot development. Imagine a more action-heavy, feature-length version of Prodigy’s ground-breaking — and incredibly controversial — music video for “Smack My Bitch Up”, and you have some idea what you’re getting yourself into with Hardcore Henry.

Story-wise, the film has little regard for providing a logical explanation behind the chaos onscreen, and the characters themselves are almost universally fodder for Henry’s murderous rage. Perhaps the sole exception is Sharlto Copley’s Jimmy, who serves primarily as an omniscient exposition machine guiding Henry along on his journey. Copley, of course, is best known for his regular appearances in Neill Blomkamp films like District 9 and Elysium, and he brings a ton of charisma and humor to Hardcore Henry, elevating the film beyond its admittedly shallow ambitions.

The best litmus test for whether moviegoers will dig Hardcore Henry or walk out of the theater with a headache and a grimace will likely boil down to their interest in video games. Naishuller and his team blatantly model the film after testosterone-fueled 1990s first-person shooters like the Duke Nukem series, with all the logical lapses and sexist overtones that entails. Structurally, Hardcore Henry plays like a progressive sequence of challenging stages, from a chase in which Henry rides in a side car (but of course!) to a scene in which he must wield a sniper rifle to take out enemies from afar. The character even — for reasons that are just as contrived as the rest of the film — remains silent throughout, keeping the illusion intact that viewers themselves are the ones in his increasingly dire situation.

To be sure, Hardcore Henry features a number of deliciously outrageous moments and action beats that will make viewers chuckle and/or cringe excitedly. Produced by Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov, the film features much of the same frenetic energy and is buoyed by a non-stop soundtrack (its use of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” is particularly ingenious). Many moviegoers will find themselves turning to their fellow audience members with an incredulous “are you seeing this?” expression on their faces.

Yet, for some viewers (like me), Hardcore Henry may be hard to get through due to the first-person storytelling device. If you’re interested in the film but prone to motion sickness, it’s probably best to at least wait until it hits home video before checking it out. However, if you’ve seen the trailer and are unsure about Hardcore Henry, be forewarned that it plays essentially like one long, continuous action scene. Those searching for little more than some crazy stunt work and tons of violence will be pleased, but if you need a little more substance to your action films, Hardcore Henry might be one thrill ride you should pass by.

Have you seen Hardcore Henry? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. And visit CrookedTable.com for more videos, podcasts, reviews and other movie-related goodies.

Rating: 3 out of 5

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