2. He Never Died
Punk legend Henry Rollins (Black Flag) plays Jack - an introverted, solitary character whose only real sources of human interaction are at the bingo hall or with the waitress at the local diner, Cara. Now, this doesnt really adhere to the preconceptions youd conjure up when you know the film focuses on an immortal cannibal, but thats entirely the point. He Never Died often feels like more of a character study in depression and existentialism than a horror intended to scare, and this gives the film a refreshing, original pulse. This film has a lot to it, both in terms of narrative and style. Jacks whole origin story is cryptic, with brilliantly subtle flashes here and there. What so exciting is that, thanks to there being so many different generic conventions on show, the film actually manages to shake loose any clear genre restrictions. For example, you could watch the film and argue Jack is a vampire (one scene is very evocative of Del Toros Cronos), but there are also elements of hard-boiled noir. He Never Died has more than enough blood splattering and bone crushing to keep the avid horror fan entertained, but it also has a depth and a gauged inclusion of genuine humour that may draw sceptics to its cause.
Ford Maddox Brown
Contributor
Most of my time is occupied by reading, staring at a screen, being oppressed by the government and awaiting the return of the Great Old One Cthulhu... I also write a little too.
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