Hardcore Henry is an action film, and it shares most of the flaws that action films do, except for a gimmick: first person perspective. However, the creators of Hardcore Henry committed to that simple concept with a level of clarity that elevates the work and makes it truly unique.
What I find truly impressive is how much more real everything feels from a first person perspective. Every chase scene feels real, every gunfight, every visceral punch just looks and feels so right. Using a gopro for the entire film doesn't lend itself well to a beautiful image, but committing to such a concept anchors it in reality, and that's the important thing. As well, the main character is a mute, which immediately cals to mind the silent FPS protagonist, and allows the viewer to imprint upon them. It's fantastic.
I'm not going to talk about what doesn't work, because it's the same problems most action flicks have: it's unrealistic, it's goofy, it has too much music, and it's story isn't terribly well written or interesting. But it looks damn good, and it feels damn good, and that's all I care about. I wish there were more movies like this.
What I find truly impressive is how much more real everything feels from a first person perspective. Every chase scene feels real, every gunfight, every visceral punch just looks and feels so right. Using a gopro for the entire film doesn't lend itself well to a beautiful image, but committing to such a concept anchors it in reality, and that's the important thing. As well, the main character is a mute, which immediately cals to mind the silent FPS protagonist, and allows the viewer to imprint upon them. It's fantastic.
I'm not going to talk about what doesn't work, because it's the same problems most action flicks have: it's unrealistic, it's goofy, it has too much music, and it's story isn't terribly well written or interesting. But it looks damn good, and it feels damn good, and that's all I care about. I wish there were more movies like this.