User reviews

This is a music video (short film) shot entirely in 1st person. It is unique and you don't see too many videos executed so well. It is freely available on YouTube so check it out. If you grew up playing FPS (first-person shooter) games then you will enjoy this.

This is a precursor to the follow-up feature length film, Hardcore Henry. If you like what you see in this short film, I recommend that you check out Hardcore Henry. You can clearly see the influences of this video and what a bigger budget can do.

The director of this film and Hardcore Henry is apparently part of the music ground Biting Elbows. Not entirely sure what they play but it sounds like some sort of electronic punk rock music. If you are into that type of music, might be worth checking out that group.

As the title suggests, this is a music video first and a short film second but such technicalities shouldn't be allowed to bother you because this is a really enjoyable 5-minute short film. The plot sees a man pursuing a powerful device in a suitcase, trying to recover it from a load of black suited men. This plot is deliberately thin because really what the film is about is the delivery of a 5-minute action sequence of the chase from a viewpoint of a first-person shooter (ie we see the arms and occasionally legs of the main character but nothing else).

As an idea it is simple but it works very well indeed. It would be easy to assume it was a simple film to make (strap camera to a person and set him off running) but I very much doubt this is the case since some of the shots could not have been obtained this way even though they are made to look like they were. The action starts in an office building but crosses buildings, rooftops, decommissioned military jets, snowy mountains and so on, all the way with good movement and stunts. The track of the title plays constantly and it matches the action very well and the repetitive nature of the chorus will mean it gets stuck in your head.

There are probably not too many music videos from Russian electro-punk bands that are worth a look but this is one of them.

This isn't just a music video; it's a short, intense cinematic experience that redefined what action content could be. The use of the first-person perspective (POV) here isn't a gimmick; it's the core of the work, putting you directly in the heart of the action. You feel every punch, bullet, and jump as if it's actually happening to you. It's an incredibly immersive experience that makes most traditional action films look pale in comparison.

Director Ilya Naishuller's genius is evident in every frame. The choreography and combat are stunning, seamlessly blending parkour, gunfights, and frantic chases into a masterfully controlled chaotic ballet. The synchronization of the visual rhythm with Biting Elbows' loud rock music creates a continuous wave of adrenaline that makes it impossible to look away from the screen.