Review of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) by Daniel K — 26 Oct 2009
3: This is a film that really seems to highlight something I've often believed, namely that it would be much easier to kill and get away with it than most people seem to believe. It is an extremely unsentimental and unsensationalized view into the mind of a serial killer.
It isn't nearly as powerful a work as some other films from the genre (think Manhunter, Silence of the Lambs, American Psycho, Seven, Zodiac, etc), but it is quite effective in its simplicity and purity.
Everything is matter of fact. The murders are essentially handled in the sdame manner as everything else by both the camera and the characters. I suspect this is part of what is so unnerving for so many viewers.
It has the ring of truth. It's the boy next door gone off the deep end, but his intentions and motivations are mostly obscured from both the audience and from his victims. Not much is explained away and there is definitely no happy ending, unless one was hoping he would murder everyone and get away with it.
Interesting film.
This review of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) was written by Daniel K on 26 Oct 2009.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer has generally received positive reviews.
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