Hardcore Henry - Probably the greatest film ever

Yes, it’s true, when historians look back at the finest works of art ever committed to celluloid, ‘Hardcore Henry’ will trump Citizen Cane, Empire Strikes Back and the Godfather.  Just kidding.  However, just because it won’t sweep the Oscars doesn’t mean that it’s not a blast.

First of all, before you decide whether or not to see it, let me ask you a question… do you know what an ‘FPS’ is?  If the answer is ‘no’ then you probably won’t agree with my – slightly flippant – opening comment about ‘Hardcore Henry’ being the greatest film ever.  If you do know that ‘FPS’ is a computer-gaming term referring to ‘first person shooters’ then you’ll probably be aware that the entire film is shot through the eyes of the titular ‘Henry’ – a genetically-enhanced human who has the skills (and firepower) to shoot, blast and kick his way through hordes of faceless enemy goons (oh, and one telekinetic ‘end-of-level’ boss).

Basically, this ‘film’ (and I put ‘film’ deliberately in quotes) plays out like one long computer game (or ‘FPS’ I should say).  It has minimal story and character development, simply moving from one breath-taking set-piece to the next.  So, if you’re looking for deep and meaningful story-telling, then best you look somewhere else.  This plays out like one long music video, relaying on special effects and awesome stunts to wow the audience – as long as you’re aware of this (and possibly have a healthy appreciation for the FPS genre) then you should be entertained.  Oh, and just because Henry stays mute throughout the whole film, doesn’t mean that there isn’t some pretty snappy and hilarious dialogue courtesy of the (ever reliable) Sharlto Copely.

And ‘entertained’ is the word.  This film’s selling points is its stunts, not its story.  And it is a landmark achievement in film-making, if not storytelling.  It really is well-done when you consider that it’s trying to tell a story using a silent main character and shot entirely from his point of view.  Basically, ‘Hardcore Henry’ isn’t Shakespeare, it’s just good, daft, action-packed fun.  And, if you’re aware of this, you should enjoy its pure over-the-top silliness, shooting and stunts.

8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one