He Never Died (2015) #438

After watching "He Never Died", it's impossible to imagine anyone but Henry Rollins ("Wrong Turn 2", "Feast") playing the lead role of Jack in this film. His performance as Jack is the best I've ever seen of him and his deadpan delivery throughout the movie is pitch perfect. I was weary about watching this film and kept overlooking it because I saw that it was described as a comedy/drama/thriller but that labeling is dead on and actually works in the production. "He Never Died" is a movie that I highly recommend to everyone, horror fan and beyond.

As the movie title suggests, "He Never Died" is about an immortal, Jack, who lives among us but could care less about anything that goes on around him. This is an honest and realistic approach to this kind of character; how long would it take before everyday problems become nothing more than a nuisance to someone who is immortal? Even the during the action scenes, Jack is relaxed and basically unphased by the violence that he inflicts or recives. Jack has a very strict daily routine that hits a bump when he finds out that he has a young adult daughter, Andrea, from a very brief fling he had. He brings her along to bingo and to his favorite local diner. His interactions with her and the waitress of the diner that he frequents are so deadpan and honest that it takes them by surprise, even the the waitress, Cara, who has served him countless times before. 

The antagonists that interrupt Jack's peaceful routine are a pair of mobsters who are looking for a hospital intern that delivers packages to Jack everyday. The intern that works for Jack owes the mobsters money, but their shakedown is interrupted when Jack shows up. After a failed attempt to kill Jack, they resort to kidnapping Jack's daughter Andrea, who was staying with Jack after meeting him a couple of days earlier. Instead of running to her rescue and leaving her to die, Jack is forced to seek out who exactly is calling the shots after a kill team is dispatched to the diner that he goes to every evening. With the help from Cara the waitress, Jack goes out to save his daughter and put an end to the mob once and for all.

The story twists, Jack's dark secrets and mysterious, and the supporting characters making this film fun and unusual. This is most definitely a film to watch for any and all Henry Rollins fans!

Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007)

The original “Wrong Turn” didn’t anything new to genre but was still a mildly entertaining film, depending on the sense of tension built upon the cannibalistic hillbillies chasing their prey more than the script itself. The fact that there was a sequel, a few in fact, that followed shouldn’t be a surprise but what is shocking is how quickly the quality of the franchise sank with its second film. It takes the negative connotations of the backwater hillbilly to a whole new low level, this time focusing on a full family of cannibals which include a sister and mother figure. This film also introduces the reason as to why they are deformed, super strong, and nearly invincible.

The only redeeming thing about this movie is the fact that it stars Henry Rollins! His performance as a former US Marine who is the host of a reality TV pilot was way over the top and he was completely committed to it, which made it great. Just like his role in “Feast”, it seems like he had a blast with his part. 

A group of would-be reality TV show contestants become prey to a cannibalistic hillbilly clan. What else do you need to know??

Henry Rollins and contestants

Henry Rollins hanging outside down, not being gutted

Henry Rollins wearing face camo

Henry Rollins firing a shotgun

Feast (2006)

I’ve loved the movie “Feast” ever since I saw it at a midnight showing at an independent theater back in 2006. While it’s intense and violent, it’s also hilarious and pokes fun at the genre and some of the stereotypes within it. Every time a new character is introduced a blurb about them is flashed on screen which includes there nickname/role such as Hero or Heroine and Beer Guy, as well as a percentage of their chances for surviving the movie. When those chances don’t play out or a Hero or Heroine is killed, someone might be renamed Heroine #2! It’s awesome and the film keeps you guessing by not following the standard course that so many horror movies heed to, intentionally or not. The best part is a brief appearance of Jason Mewes playing the role of Jason Mewes; when did he become a horror movie stereotype?

Another aspect that makes this one great FUN HORROR movie is the fact that there is a scene where the monsters eat their dead baby monster, have sex, and moments later the mother gives birth to a new baby monster…all while the group of survivors are trapped inside and watching. It’s a moment that makes you think WTF because it breaks the action and reminds you that you are not watching a straight forward horror movie. There’s only one other movie where I’ve seen something similar and I’ll be writing about that one tomorrow!

In a bar in the middle of a desert nowhere, there are a group of people enjoying a night out. There’s the staff which includes Bartender, Honey Pie, Tuffy, Boss Man, and Beer Guy. And then there are the patrons such as Bozo, Hot Wheels, Coach, Grandma, Harley Mom, and Jason Mewes. Everything is normal as can be until Hero runs into the bar and tells everyone that something deadly and dangerous is coming; he even shows them a head of a creature but no one heeds his warnings. Suddenly he’s attacked and killed as everyone watches in horror. Then Heroine bursts into the bar and asks where her husband is (Hero). She’s devastated but the group begins to help her secure the bar. Harley Mom is the next to be killed as a mini-monster breaks in and cuts her open. After a bit of close calls, they manage to trap the monster in a beer freezer. This is when Tuffy realizes that her son is still upstairs and when she goes to find him, he’s safe and sound…until a monster breaks reaches in through a window and eats him whole.

With three people dead and their assumed survival stats shot to hell, the survivors dig in and try to figure out how to either escape or kill off these bizarre monsters before its too late.

Favorite moment – This was the first time I had seen Henry Rollins in a horror movie and I loved it. He played the upbeat, proactive Coach, a stereotypical motivational speaker who thinks he has the best solutions to their problems. Before the action begins, he rubs everyone the wrong way when he makes a date with Honey Pie but accidentally drops his wedding ring while he’s paying his bill. What a punk!

It's also important to note that this movie was written by Marcus Dunstan, who would later write "Feast 2 & 3" as well as take over writing the scripts for "Saw 4, 5, and 6". He would also write and direct "The Collector" and "The Collection" and I'm guessing he still has a long career ahead of him considering how successful he's been so far.

Beer Guy and a monster

Honey Pie and Coach

Enough said!