There’s a scene in this movie that sums up exactly why this film is one of the best “serial killer” films of all time. Henry’s roommate, Otis, assaults his own sister, Becky, while Henry goes out to “get something from the gas station.” When Henry comes back, you can see a shot of him walking slowly up the staircase, with the screams and pleads of Becky echoing in the background. The film then cuts to Henry kicking down the door and killing Otis, making Becky believe he’s a “good man”.
Henry is one of the most horrifying portrayals of a serial killer primarily because of how reserved he is. He’s not loud or rude, he’s someone you wouldn’t even bat an eye at if you saw him. That being said, he’s one of the most evil characters in film due to how cold and calculating he is. He knows Becky was assaulted by her own father, and then tells an embellished story of him being abused by his mother to gain her trust. Then he leaves her alone with Otis, who is someone who he knows is a sexual predator, and has tried assaulting Becky before. He barges into the room and kills Otis, not out of any actual love for Becky, but because he wanted to murder her before Otis did.
Henry’s calculated in everything he does. You see him look around for cops any time he enters or exits a building or alleyway, he puts his victims at ease with his jovial attitude before he murders them, and he never leaves a shred of evidence behind, regardless of who or what it is. It’s terrifying how good the performance here is, Micheal Rooker knocks it out of the park here, undoubtedly one of my favorite performances in cinema history. The cinematography is wonderful too, a lot of the shots here have a Neo-noir feel to them, especially the neon soaked night scenes.
There’s a seedy feeling to this film, which is helped by the soundtrack. It feels like an audio representation of Henry’s inner psyche, just a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Other than that, the special effects are amazing, a lot of the violence here is genuinely hard to watch because of how good the makeup and blood effects are. There’s a scene where Otis and Henry kill a TV salesman, that made my jaw drop from how vicious it was, I don’t think I’ve ever been that stupefied by a movie kill before.
I really can’t recommend this film enough, if you’re into psychological dramas or hyper-violent cinema, this is an absolute must watch.
There’s a scene in this movie that sums up exactly why this film is one of the best “serial killer” films of all time. Henry’s roommate, Otis, assaults his own sister, Becky, while Henry goes out to “get something from the gas station.” When Henry comes back, you can see a shot of him walking slowly up the staircase, with the screams and pleads of Becky echoing in the background. The film then cuts to Henry kicking down the door and killing Otis, making Becky believe he’s a “good man”.
Henry is one of the most horrifying portrayals of a serial killer primarily because of how reserved he is. He’s not loud or rude, he’s someone you wouldn’t even bat an eye at if you saw him. That being said, he’s one of the most evil characters in film due to how cold and calculating he is. He knows Becky was assaulted by her own father, and then tells an embellished story of him being abused by his mother to gain her trust. Then he leaves her alone with Otis, who is someone who he knows is a sexual predator, and has tried assaulting Becky before. He barges into the room and kills Otis, not out of any actual love for Becky, but because he wanted to murder her before Otis did.
Henry’s calculated in everything he does. You see him look around for cops any time he enters or exits a building or alleyway, he puts his victims at ease with his jovial attitude before he murders them, and he never leaves a shred of evidence behind, regardless of who or what it is. It’s terrifying how good the performance here is, Micheal Rooker knocks it out of the park here, undoubtedly one of my favorite performances in cinema history. The cinematography is wonderful too, a lot of the shots here have a Neo-noir feel to them, especially the neon soaked night scenes.
There’s a seedy feeling to this film, which is helped by the soundtrack. It feels like an audio representation of Henry’s inner psyche, just a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Other than that, the special effects are amazing, a lot of the violence here is genuinely hard to watch because of how good the makeup and blood effects are. There’s a scene where Otis and Henry kill a TV salesman, that made my jaw drop from how vicious it was, I don’t think I’ve ever been that stupefied by a movie kill before.
I really can’t recommend this film enough, if you’re into psychological dramas or hyper-violent cinema, this is an absolute must watch.
