He Never Died (2015)

Dir: Jason Krawczyk

Writer and director Jason Krawczyk's HE NEVER DIED tells the tale of world weary Jack (Henry Rollins (WRONG TURN 2). Jack likes to sleep, watch television, eat at a local diner, and play bingo. He generally avoids people and keeps to himself. Jack does have a few quirks. There's a trunk in his apartment filled with cash and antique coins. He buys something from the hospital intern Jeremy (Booboo Stewart TALES OF HALLOWEEN) on a weekly basis; something that requires refrigeration. Oh, and he can take a punch to the face, knife to the gut or a gunshot to the hand as if it were nothing. Like breaking a nail.

The film hints as to Jack's true nature early on using not only audio cues but also his deadpan attitude towards events (such as getting shot in the hand) that would be a bit more worrisome to someone fully human.

There is a lot going on lately in Jack's normally quiet life.

A couple of thugs with a beef with Jeremy turn their sights on Jack. Despite getting shot in the hand Jack dispatches the thugs as if he was performing a household chore like taking out the trash. Trouble is the thugs haven't learned a lesson so they bring along more thugs. And when they get a beat down instead of killing Jack they bring in even more thugs. Pretty soon our mystery man Jack is at war with the entire criminal gang.

Then there's something far worse to contend with than a gang war; a daughter. A daughter, Andrea (Jordan Todosey REIGN), who Jack didn't know he had until she shows up on his doorstep and now wants to crash at his place for a few days. A daughter who's pastime seems to be getting drunk and getting DUIs.

Yes, this is a darkly comedic tale.

Henry Rollins' hang dog portrayal of a man who is either oblivious to the world and all that happens in it, or has seen it all over and over to the point of tedium, or both, is spot on. Jack is both powerful and vulnerable as he dukes it out with a gang or fumbles awkwardly on a date with the waitress (Kate Greenhouse THE DARK HOURS) from the local diner he visits day after day. The supporting players all do a good job in service of a script that blends comedy, drama and horror.

*** out of ****