'Hardcore Henry': The First Movie That Truly Plays by Video Games' Rules
No film has ever emulated videogames more thoroughly than Hardcore Henry, the new action film from first-time director Ilya Naischuller. An extreme blast of violent insanity, this unique — and sure-to-be-polarizing — genre effort follows a man who’s reborn as an amnesiac cyborgian superman, and then embarks on a quest through Russia to learn his identity and save his wife from the villain who brought him back to life. Employing a first-person perspective that gives the mayhem a dizzying up-close-and-personal energy, Naischuller’s maiden feature is clearly modeled after a PS4 or XBox One first-person shooter (FPS). Yet that’s not the only way that this brutal extravaganza channels its interactive brethren. Here are 10 ways Hardcore Henry is just like a videogame.
First-Person Point-of-View
Naischuller’s film mirrors an FPS, assuming the POV of its protagonist as a surrogate for the viewer. Henry’s voice is never heard (he has to flee danger before his vocal capabilities are restored), and his tattooed hands are routinely seen extending away from the screen. The camera moves on a swivel as the hero is forced to run, slide, crawl, and jump around a variety of environments, sometimes to nauseating effect. In short: We see only what Henry sees.
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Power-Ups
Henry begins his saga in weak condition, and that makes him vulnerable to the hordes of bad guys on his trail. However, like any good videogame character, Henry — thanks to his semi-robotic construction — has various ways to boost his abilities. Courtesy of new parts that he steals from opponents, Henry intermittently powers-up in order to combat the ever-stronger adversaries in his path.
Increasingly Outrageous Weapons
Just as Henry’s strength intensifies the further he goes, his weapons also become more formidable. While he takes down his first mercenary with nothing but a rusty windshield wiper blade, Henry — who does considerable damage with his titanium-knuckled fists — eventually wields a sword, a pistol, dual firearms, automatic rifles, and even a Gatling gun.
Health Kits
Henry’s well-being is a constant concern throughout Hardcore Henry, and an early device visualizes his waning strength via a videogame-ish health meter. If that weren’t wink-wink enough, Henry sporadically heals himself at restorative medical stations and, during the finale, two syringes of adrenaline found in an FPS-style white med-kit.
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Diverse Levels
Hardcore Henry’s story is structured like a game, with each of its main sequences functioning as a different sort of level — including foot chases, one-vs.-many hand-to-hand battles, vehicular sequences, sniper-rifle sharpshooting campaigns, and even stealth assignments. At every turn, the film’s action is highly attuned to the various modes (set in wildly different environments) found in a first-person videogame.
Identical Anonymous Adversaries
Henry’s enemies largely consist of faceless, nameless gunmen and bruisers in matching outfits (black get-ups and helmets; white jumpsuits). As such, they’re clearly intended to suggest the anonymous drones that populate — in endlessly re-spawning numbers – FPS.
Boss Battles
No game-inspired film would be complete without its “levels” ending with a showdown against a truly titanic foe. Be it a man with a flamethrower, a nemesis who must be pursued through multiple locales, a gigantic brawler, or the film’s climactic showdown against Akan (Danila Kozlovsky) — the fiend who created Henry, and who boasts imposing telekinetic powers and white-blonde locks that make him resemble Metal Gear Solid’s Raiden — Henry can never proceed to the next stage without first triumphing over some larger-than-life antagonist.
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Video-Monitor Interludes
Hardcore Henry’s story revolves around its hero’s quest to save his wife Estelle (Haley Bennett) from the clutches of Akan. To keep that mission front-and-center amidst all the chaotic action, the director has both characters make recurring appearances via video-monitor broadcasts (to encourage or taunt Henry, respectively). Designed to help move the plot forward, this device is one that any gamer will quickly recognize.
Storyline Guide
Also propelling Hardcore Henry’s story are his encounters with Jimmy (Sharlto Copley), a comic-relief figure who appears in different disguises, cracks wise, and then suddenly dies — only to then mysteriously reappear a short time later with a new identity. Jimmy’s habit of directing Henry to destinations via a cell phone’s GPS function (reminiscent of a FPS’s map), as well as a revelation about his true identity, are further aspects of the material’s game-y nature.
Surprise Twists
As in the Bioshock series, with which it shares its closest thematic ties, Hardcore Henry delivers two bombshells — one about Jimmy, one about Akan — that force the viewer to reassess everything that’s come before. They’re twists that comment on the very idea of control, and offer some weighty issues to ponder once the bloodshed has finally subsided.
Watch a videogame-like road battle from ‘Hardcore Henry’:
