He Never Died

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.

"My landlord thought I was robbing my own apartment. Really? Isn't your landlord, like, 90 years old?"

A brilliant, original horror. That's what you might say after watching "He never died". A subtle mix of sometimes gory images and clever humor. And this shown in an even surprising way by Henry Rollins, the former front-man of the legendary punk band "Black flag". A bundle of muscles who already surprised in the past with his poetry. And now he shows that he's also capable to take a leading role for his account. His stoic calmness and indifference create hilarious situations several times. And the story on his own is contrived in such an original way. I watched with amazement and after a while I was wondering what the hell it was about anyway. Did it have something to do with vampires? Was Jack a solitary zombie (due to his grayish look) who attempts to remain anonymous? And what about those demonic and satanic sounds he sometimes makes?

Jack (Henry Rollins) seems depressed and drags on through life as a worn out man. The only things he does to fill his days is sleep, eat something in the same small restaurant and occasionally play bingo among the elderly. Waitress Cara (Kate Greenhouse) tries to change Jack's fatalistic attitude. But she isn't really successful in doing that. Jack clearly isn't enthusiastic about her flirting. Most of the time a quiet, nondescript look is his answer to it and then he turns his back on her without blinking. Also, his daughter Andrea (Jordan Todosey), who appeared out of nowhere, can't break down this erected wall of aloofness. It's obvious Jack isn't an ordinary, average citizen. The title of the film, of course, reveals much and isn't really a spoiler. Apparently Jack is immortal and needs his dose of blood on a regular base. When his blood supplier Jeremy (Booboo Stewart) (an intern who works in a hospital, I suppose) runs into trouble with a local gang of criminals, he's no longer able to provide Jack with the much needed blood. After his daughter is being kidnapped, all hell breaks loose with the obvious casualties. Except Jack, of course ...

Rollins is a performer and this movie was the appropriate stage for him. His imperturbable gaze and brute force gave him a Schwarzenegger-like appearance. The limited conversations with brief, evasive answers contributed to the overall tone of this absurd film. A fatal head injury made such an impression on him as a tiny splinter in his finger. Unmoved he uses pliers to treat the injuries. At that time I wondered whether it was meant humorously or creepy. He's an emotionless bloke who storms through a decaying society like a bulldozer, full of rage and aggressiveness. At first Jack seems to be a dull figure, but when his true identity is revealed in the end, his way of reacting and his world-weariness is justified.

I'm afraid that "He never died" will only appeal to a limited audience . And I belong to that limited audience. I appreciate such an absurd horror filled with brutal violence and a special storyline once and a while. The subtle humor was enjoyable. And above all, they made sure it didn't become a parody. "He never died" exceeds all horror-comedy up to now. And probably until eternity ...

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

Mythical entity or immortal is usually portrayed as suave gentleman with silver tongue in cinema, however it's utterly surprising that Terminator-esque robotic personality with tendency to be overly literal in his speech proves to be equally appealing. The whole set-up works due to the main lead Henry Rollins, who is truly an unorthodox cast as his works primarily consists of voice acting and hosting documentary in History Channel, yet he's displaying a knack for comedy and action almost effortlessly.

This is a sort of mix between the vengeance theme movies like John Wick or Equalizer from last year with incredibly odd lead character in Jack (Henry Rollins). He is straightforward and awkward in mannerism, nearly devoid of any formality yet still remains serendipitously humorous. Rollins can even be frightening if needs be, a complete package for comedy thriller.

It's an example of the actors fits the character so well that it can be amusing even when doing mundane things like playing bingo. The two supporting cast Jordan Todosey as Andrea and Kate Greenhouse as Cara are good addition. They make some of the more hilarious scenes simply because the contrasting nature against Jack's rigidity, especially Cara who tiptoes between silly love interest, reluctant accomplish and mild comedy relief.

There is a good balance of violence action for every humor thrown at the gritty tone. The blood and gore come out of nowhere, which just add to the shocking effect from normal setting of small city's diner and apartments. By utilizing the gap between humor and violence, it creates an indifference mood that might be overblown elsewhere, but with the deliberate presentation of the nihilist main character, the movie remains entertaining on both aspects.

This is an immortality angle done right, with intense excessive brutality, fun jab at humor and an impeccable actor as the near superhero and terribly jaded lead.

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))