‘It’s hard to live when you can’t die’
He Never Died is a 2015 Canadian/American comedic horror film written and directed by Jason Krawczyk. It stars Henry Rollins as an immortal, cannibalistic loner who has withdrawn from society to protect both himself and others. A miniseries continuation of the film is currently in development.
Main cast:
Henry Rollins (Suck; Wrong Turn 2), Booboo Stewart, Steven Ogg, Jordan Todosey, Kate Greenhouse.
Plot:
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). After returning from one trip, Jack is confronted by mobsters Steve and Short, who are looking for Jeremy.
Jack’s routine is further interrupted by a phone call from his ex-girlfriend, Gillian, who asks him to find their daughter, Andrea (Jordan Todosey), who tried to contact him earlier that day. Unhappy, Jack agrees to locate Andrea, but stresses that he wants no further contact with Gillian. He finds Andrea and takes her with him to his favorite diner, where she meets Cara (Kate Greenhouse), a waitress with a crush on Jack. While Jack slowly bonds with Andrea he begins to see visions of an old man with a goatee, wearing a Trilby hat…
Reviews:
“Beyond a few animalistic howls letting out whatever beast is dwelling inside him, Jack keeps his emotions in check throughout, and it is to Rollins’ credit that he makes such a closed-off character compelling, empathetic, funny despite himself and, in the end, more human than he probably knows.” Michael Gingold, Fangoria
“The violence is done in quick blasts and plays like more of a nuisance than any kind of real threat but there are some memorable moments where Rollins looks like he could have easily pulled off roles like The Terminator and even Dalton in Road House. If you think you’ve seen Rollins before and know his limits, be sure to seek out his first lead role ever in He Never Died.” Drew Tinnin, Dread Central
“He Never Died is laugh out loud funny thanks almost exclusively to Rollins’ delivery and reaction shots, but the acts of violence and character details are just as entertaining. It’s a darkly comic thriller that also serves as a fantastic introduction to a character I hope we see again soon.” Rob Hunter, Film School Rejects
“Herein lies the problem – can you really get excited about a character who can’t seem to die? No matter how many times Jack is shot, tortured, or thrown in a river, he always comes back meaner and badder than before. I know that watching Henry Rollins go all Herculean sounds like great fun, but a lack of understanding sullies the gory bouts of blood drinking that send Jack into a ferocious rage.” Matt Donato, We Got This Covered
“The best way to figure out if He Never Died is for you is to consider the scene where Rollins, as Jack, rattles off a list of odd jobs he’s performed during his life. Jack’s list is interminable, which is itself funny. But Rollins’s comic delivery really makes the scene great.” Simon Abrams, RogerEbert.com
“He Never Died isn’t as fleshed out as it could be, but what the film lacks in vivid supporting characters and rich plotting it gets back from Rollins, whose innate charisma carries the film. More than anything, this is a memorable character sketch, tracing the grubby life of a lonely superman. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a vintage Black Flag rager.” Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times
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Cast and characters:
- Henry Rollins as Jack
- Booboo Stewart as Jeremy
- Steven Ogg as Alex
- Jordan Todosey as Andrea
- Kate Greenhouse as Cara
- James Cade as Short
- Michael Cram as Tim
- David Richmond-Peck as Steve
- Chantal Craig
- Austin Macdonald as Teenager #1
- Tamara Almeida as Paramedic
- Elias Edraki as Ben
- Jerry A. Ziler as Thug
- Walter Alza as Derrick
- Scott Edgecombe as Bartender
- Craig Burnatowski as Leather
- Don Francks as The Man with the Goatee
Filming locations:
Toronto, Canada
