A unique slice of action insanity that did huge numbers and still flopped made the most of being a one-trick pony

Striking out as 100 percent unique in a genre that’s as over-saturated as action has become increasingly difficult over the years, but it wouldn’t be a stretch in the slightest to say that there’s nothing out there quite like Hardcore Henry.

Utterly demented from its very first frame to the second the credits come up, writer and director Ilya Naishuller dives headfirst into the craziest of concepts with reckless abandon, delivering a shoot ’em up filmed entirely from a first-person perspective that knows fine well it’s been branded as a one-trick pony, and uses the gimmick to the fullest throughout.

Admittedly, the end result proved to be fairly polarizing among both critics and audiences, but the most surprising thing about Hardcore Henry is the fact that it bombed. After all, the outlandish sci-fi thriller with a trigger-happy twist brought in almost $17 million at the box office on a $2 million budget, which would indicate the profit margins were through the roof.

However, STX Films paid an initial $10 million to secure the distribution rights, so once the additional marketing and promotional costs were factored in, a gonzo actioner that recouped its production costs eight times over from theaters ended up in the red. Nonetheless, Hardcore Henry has been edging ever closer to cult status in the seven years since, which is about the least it deserves.

To that end, Redditors have been out in force celebrating the film for delivering exactly what was promised; there’s blood, bullets, batsh*t plot twists, Sharlto Copley acting hammier than a holiday hamper, and plenty more besides. If you were to build a cult gem from the ground up and slap it with an eye-catching premise and singular stylistic hook, then the odds are very high it would turn out a lot like this.