Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer (DVD)

Henry (Michael Rooker) is released from jail having served time for his mother's murder. He gets a job as an exterminator and commits several murders after teaming up with drug dealer and fellow loser, Otis. Loosely based on the life-story of Henry Lee Lucas, who was abused as child by his mother (he'd been forced to wear dresses and watch his mother having sex with strangers, which his defence say created his hatred of women). Not really 'scary' ...
...catch my drift). Thing is, Henry seems so 'normal' as you see him go about his rather dull day-to-day life, but he's a psychopathic killer looking for his next victim. It makes you wonder if the people you see and consider normal (albeit sad loners with no real direction in life) could be hiding deep, dark secrets of their own. Some decent acting, but the film dragged a lot and it looks rather dated now (it came out in 1986). Hardly seems worthy ...

moo-cow 16.10.2005 (19.10.2005) · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer (DVD)

What makes HENRY PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER so brilliant? Well, basically it treads a formula that keeps the movie very simple through out, it delves deep in to the soul core of human emotion and keeps the viewer down in these murky depths for the duration of the experience. There are no fancy angles, over the top preformances or gimmicks in HENRY. The movie runs soley on its own primal instinct from start to finish, resulting in one of the greatest ...
...discribed HENRY POASK as totally evil and a sick peice of cinema that was uncalled for, however for me HENRY is a complety human movie about belivable characters and a study of the way that the human race has behaved since time began. HENRY POASK deals with reality in a way that no other movie of a similer vain had done before and uses a style that many more since have tried to unsuccesfully copy. I'll never forget one particular scene in the movie ...

gcooper 21.01.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer (DVD)

...It follows the story of Henry initiating his accomplice into his own murderous ways, until the thrill gets too much for them. There is one particular scene which shows an uncomfortably long 'camcorder' recording of Henry and his partner in crime abusing, torturing, and eventually killing a whole family for enjoyment. Watch it on Video (most stores stock it for £5.99) then see if you can watch it on the big screen. Only then can you appreciate how ...

Pritpal 05.09.2000 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer (DVD)

...Killers of modern times are Henry Lee Lucas, Charles Manson (more of a cult leader), John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, The NightStalker Richard Ramirez, and many more. There are several films about Serial Killers, here are a few of the best: Ted Bundy: Deliberate Strange (The movie Bundy is set for cinema release) John Wayne Gacy (To Catch A Killer, fantastic 3 hour film) Jeffrey Dahmer - Dahmer... Even more films are in production. ...
...she would force the young Henry of watching her makelove to these complete strangers and if he refused he would beat him, she would always beat him anyway. In the film Michael Rooker who is a fantastic actor plays Henry.In the film the other two main characters are Otis and Becky. Here is the the story of the movie in brief. Otis has not long been out of prison, he and Henry were in the same prison, but Henry was in prison for murdering his mother. ...

starclippings 01.10.2002 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer (DVD)

The central character is a sociopath who kills for no apparent reason and without any apparent emotion. He comes across as cool and detached, as he films himself attacking and killing people at random. It is this feeling of detachment which makes the film so chilling. The use of camcorder footage for some scenes gives it a starkly realistic atmosphere far removed from the glamourised violence of most Hollywood pictures. This film is absolutely ferocious ...

victor 30.06.2000 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer (DVD)

Henry is basically played as a loner, who seems completely emotionless. Random, meaningless killings, which somehow make the film somewhat entertaining. A real insight into serial killers, and disturbingly realistic. Great performances all round. not for the faint hearted, i found some of the killing scenes disturbing, graphic, and i found myself looking the other way at times. Basic plot, Henry joins a man and his sister, who seem normal. (as ...

penpen 27.05.2002 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer (DVD)