12 Movies From 2016 That Were Unfairly Hated

The plot of Russian filmmaker Ilya Naishuller’s feature length debut is as simple as it is silly. In Hardcore Henry, the cybernetically resurrected titular character must save his kidnapped scientist wife from a telekinetic Russian warlord, but what sets the film apart is its first-person shooter game inspiration and wildly innovative camerawork. Filmed entirely with GoPro cameras mounted on specially designed masks and shot from a first-person perspective, it’s a non-stop ride of action and extreme violence. Though its camerawork has been called nausea-inducing and it certainly isn’t a movie for those prone to motion sickness, Hardcore Henry’s frenetic POV perspective is exactly what makes it so unique and entertaining without ever limiting the scope of its cinematography.

Yes, it’s low on plot and character development but to criticise solely on such points would be to dismiss that its source material, first-person shooter games, aren’t exactly intricately plotted or character driven but can nevertheless be a lot of fun. Plus, a star turn from District 9 actor Sharlto Copley as Henry’s constantly respawning sidekick in which he appears in personas ranging from a cocaine-addled brothel Casanova to a mohawked punk rocker combined with some of the most inventively gruesome death scenes in recent history keep the movie from ever feeling too stale.

Hardcore Henry is definitely an acquired taste and won’t be for every moviegoer, but in terms of sheer innovation it should be applauded.