He Never Died

If you didn't know Henry Rollins before this, you will know him after you watch this. Of course your enjoyment of the movie is not a given. You have to have a heart for low budget movies and movies that might therefor have a flaw or two from the get-go. But if you're willing to take this ride, then the story and all its tweaks and surprises (if you haven't spoiled it for yourself by reading too much about it) will more than entertain you.

The title of course is a bit of a giveaway, though we don't exactly know why. The appearance of a character remains mysterious too, as many other aspects. But fear not, most will be revealed by the end of the movie. Also the role of that said character. Sometimes it's clearer than you think. Good action, nice ideas

Jack (Henry Rollins) has developed a routine for his life that he sticks to in order to avoid giving into the impulse to engage in cannibalism. He stays away from society other than regular trips to a local diner, bingo games, and to the hospital, where he purchases blood from a hospital intern, Jeremy (Booboo Stewart).

Although there is a little bit of some bad acting (especially characters in the first 10 minutes), this seems to clear up. Rollins is a dominating force, which is no surprise. He has always been great at commanding attention, and this is a character that is well-suited for him.

I am confused about this being listed as a comedy. Some reviewers even say it is "laugh out loud funny", but I just didn't see it. There are some moments of dark humor, but as a whole it really doesn't play as a comedy and I think it would be better if they didn't suggest that it was. Let the film speak for itself.

Most disappointing is how the film is essentially a pilot for a miniseries. I love the characters, love the Biblical themes they were going for, but it was clear this movie was not scripted to be wrapped up in one movie. If the miniseries were to fall through, the movie would suffer as a result. I see that as a shortcoming, though it is one that could yet be rectified.

Netflix has predicted I would like this movie. Because of all the awful reviews I found I've waited for months until I finally played it. I'm here to offset the score a bit.

This dark anti-hero tale has been interesting from the beginning to the end. I found it consistent, unpredictable and well acted. As violent as it can be, I curiously found it subtle on some layers. Reminiscing, I don't remember many special effects which means, in my humble opinion, they were used with measure and when appropriate.

If you can watch a movie without something cheaply exiting or exploding at the screen every few minutes and without every detail spoon-fed you may want to see this one.

I will definitively recommend it around.

And, the really amazing thing, is that the above line of dialog was just a throw-away, not even something important enough to build a scene around. That's the kind of movie this is.

Reviewers Notes:

1. The first legitimate successor to the quirky Canadian horror flick, Ginger Snaps, which is doubly ironic because the two "official" sequels to that film were OMIGAWD terrible.

2. Completely insane and unpredictable yet strangely charming. By coincidence, this reviewer just finished a review of Quentin Tarantino's THE HATEFUL EIGHT and, in said review, pointed out how far QT has strayed from the charm and sly humor which demarked his earlier films. This strange little film could almost pass for an early work of QT, that is how offbeat it is.

3. Henry Rollins is great, almost re-defines the "man with no name" anti-hero persona first created by Clint Eastwood in the 60s. He does not say much, he just wants to be left alone, women initially are torn between wanting to date him and/or calling a cop, picking a fight with him is INVARIABLY A REALLY REALLY BAD IDEA, and his mono-syllabic responses to every question walk the fine line between autism and efficiency.

4. Engaging, charming, and generally a fun ride. Deserves a cult following.

((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

I feel that so many people missed the point of this movie. To explain any more of his character or the world he lives in would simply dumb down the story and remove the mystery that makes this story so haunting. This movie depicts an immortal being that is totally detached from humanity. How could any person alive for 1000's of years still care about petty bullshit and after 1000's of years how wouldn't everything become petty bullshit. Henry Rollins has hilarious dead pan delivery that is funny without betraying his characters apathetic nature. This is brought across even in the action sequences which make them even more gripping and realistic.