Henry - Portrait of a Serial Killer (20th Anniversary)

Henry is an awesome film. This movie is so disturbing that it might actually bother you. Each of the three main characters are equally odd in their own right. The scary thought that you come away with is that there are people exactly like these three fictional characters living among us today, everyday. Psychotic predators are everywhere in society. If this film doesn't make you look at people in a different way after seeing it then you need to watch it again. This is simply a great film that obviously took a lot of chances without concerning itself about how popular it would be.

An "underground" treasure.
BRILLIANTLY directed - SUPERBLY acted. Even if you're not "into" this kind of film, trust me, this NOT a Hollywood idiot slasher movie for teenage morons. It's more of a comment on the world we're living in today. I am NOT a devote of "slasher" movies (this is NOT), but because of the reviews I'd read, I thought a "look" had to be given - glad I did.
The violence IS extreem - (some, head-turning) but it was essential to convey this genius directors vision - Nothing slick about this film (ugly) but appropriste in it's grittiness.
We may be rubbing elbows with those monsters, who knows? This intelligent film gave me pause to reflect. NOT A "FEEL GOOD" movie - But BRILLIANT !

Typically the term horror film would be associated with things like the undead, the supernatural, monsters, unstoppable killers, etc. Who would have guessed that one of the best films of the entire genre revolves around the story an ordinary human being? And that's exactly what Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is, a film that shows the disturbing reality of just how sick and crazy this world can be, even when it seems normal.

Loosely based on a real life serial killer, the movie is about a man named Henry who kills simply for sport or personal enjoyment. Henry is more or less normal in appearance and in his public behavior. He is mild mannered and seems to abide the law with the exception of the ocassional murder. In other words, you would never guess in a million years the atrocities he has committed, and he uses this to gain people's trust, (ie: Getting into his car for rides, letting him into their homes). He is basically a drifter, living in a low rent apartment with his ex-jail mate Otis and doing odd jobs to make ends meet. The fact that he is able to deceive his victims so effortlessly is genuinely disturbing, and may even cause you, the viewer, to live a little more cautiously after seeing this movie.

The film is sort of a documentary style in that the events simply happen as they happen. We are not given any solid background info about Henry other than what he says himself, and by the end of the movie we do not find out what eventually happens to him. It's essentially a snapshot of a few weeks in the life of Henry the serial killer. During the film Henry is living with his roomate Otis and Otis's sister Becky. Having a history of sexual abuse and troubled childhoods in common, Henry and Becky identify with one another and develop somewhat of a relationship. Eventually Otis is introduced to Henry's world of random killing and upon his fascination with it, becomes Henry's accomplice.That's about all I can say without spoiling the ending. However I will say that the ending of the film, (if you understand what happened), is truly unsettling and brings about the question: Can you ever really trust another human being?

Overall Henry may have lost a little bit of its edge since its release, but I warn that if you are not accustomed to horror, then this film WILL shock and upset you. Perhaps one of the most disturbing things about the film is that even though all these horrific acts are being committed, the world just keeps on turning, just like real life. One act could change a persons life, and leave anothers life completely unaffected. Henry is truly a brilliant piece of cinema that is absolutely worthy of its reputation as one of the best horror films ever. I recommend this to any movie lover who wants to see a well acted, convincing, and truly scary film.

In the midst of a city, a cold blooded killer named Henry Lee Lucas (Michael Rooker) stays in a apartment with his roommate Otis whom both become partners in crime and Otis's lovely sister is unaware of Henry's brutal plans and dark secrets that hide within him. Henry and Otis then go out on the town and find a stray Prostitute, Henry brutalily murderers her. Otis shocked by what Henry did becomes guilty, But this does not last long. Henry and Otis pillage an innocent family torturing and killing them filming at the same time, later more murders begin happening.

The film is loosely based on the actual life of the murderer Henry Lee Lucas. During his actual time as a killer he murdered many people and having sex with dead bodies, Children, Dead Animals, and having homosexual relationships with Otis and various men. The film is not really a slasher movie but more of a arthouse horror drama that relies on character study and has scenes of realistic & intense violence that made this movie controversial, it was originally filmed in 1986 but due to the MPAA threatening it with X rating it was shelved for 4 years until it finally got released in 1990 with a limited theatrical run in theaters without a rating much like how "Re-Animator", "Dawn of the Dead" and "Evil Dead" all did. The critics hailed the film as a brilliant and often unpleasant sleazefeast and went on to become a classic horror drama for the 90's. A sequel followed in 1996.

The 2-Disc 20th anniversary edition from DarkSky has excellent picture and sound quality with good extras like audio commentary, two featuettes, still gallery, deleted scenes, outtakes, trailers, Original Storyboards.

This is a horror movie ; that's for sure .Is it a scary movie ? If you want to get in the mind of a serial killer , there's no movie that comes close . Well directed B movie , which gritty atmosphere sets the mood for the unforgettable performances of it's three main characters . This movie maybe for the hard core horror movie fan , because once viewed not forgotten . As for being scary , well every night just before I fall asleep , I stop and ask myself ; " Did I lock the front door " .