Hardcore takes the action flick template and throws it out of the window with reckless abandon before watching gleefully as it plummets five stories down into the street below – let’s just say it looks unlike anything we have ever seen before! 

It tells the story of Henry, a cyborg who has to fight through the streets of Moscow against a litany of psychotic bad guys – including telekinetic mercenaries! – to save his wife/ creator Estelle (Haley Bennett). By Henry’s side is Jimmy, played by South African actor Sharlto Copley (District 9 ; The A Team) 

The action takes place over the course of one day as the story unfolds, and it is all told, and more importantly, shot from Henry’s point of view. 

Writer/ director Ilya Naishuller is shooting the film almost entirely using a GoPro camera, taking advantage of a specially designed rig that provides an immersive and natural look to the film. 

“I wrote and directed the Bad Motherfucker music video for my band Biting Elbows,” writer and director Naishuller says of the film’s origins. 

“It was a ton of fun to make and upon its release last year it was pretty well received getting over 40 million views as well as thousands of messages from people all over the world asking for more. 

“About one week later I came up with the concept that I believe could take a POV film well beyond its slightly gimmicky roots. After a year and a half of writing, shooting and more shooting we finally just wrapped production. The film is called Hardcore and I am proud to say you have never seen anything like it. It is the world’s first action film to be shot 100% from the hero’s perspective.” 

The movie is currently being funded on Indiegogo and they filmmakers have raised 59% of their $250,000 goal already with just over two weeks to go until their initial deadline. 

Hardcore is taking to the next level a style of moviemaking that has been inspired, in part, by video game. 

The 2005 science fiction action film Doom had a much celebrated sequence in which a character went on a rampage, storming through corridors taking down a load of zombie-alien creatures, recreating the game’s POV shoot ‘em-up style. This though was only for a few minutes, not the entire movie!! 

Hardcore though takes this to the next level and then some! 

Check out the teaser trailer and chat track with Naishuller below. 

Support ‘Hardcore’ – The World’s First Action P.O.V. Film – on Indiegogo from Ilya Naishuller on Vimeo.