Bullet Points: Never Leave Alive
Looking at the ever expanding filmography of John Hennigan and it is clear that John is putting forth the same amazing work ethic he has displayed over the course of his professional wrestling career into his second career as a Hollywood actor. At this point you are just as likely to see John pop up in a movie or television show as you are to see him compete in a wrestling ring.
As a fan of John’s work both inside and outside the ring, I jumped at the chance to watch him in 2017’s Never Leave Alive…
- The Loathe Boat: After the credits roll we our introduced to our hero Rick Rainsford (John Hennigan). Rick is a professional hunter and the star of his own reality show. Rick is also an alcoholic and his off screen transgressions including being arrested for public drunkenness and DUI on multiple occasions have sullied his image. Rick’s manager/friend Thomas (Alistair McKenzie) has arranged for Rick to go on a Wilderness Explorer cruise as a way for Rick to start digging out of the PR hole he finds himself in. Thomas hires an ambitious photo journalist named Anna (Michelle Taylor) to document Rick’s journey and conduct a photo shoot with the reality star. To say Anna is not a fan of Rick Rainsford would be a major understatement and it is quickly established that she absolutely loathes the man but took the assignment because she knew it would get her noticed. But the obvious discord between Rick and Anna is soon to be the least of their problems as the boat is rocked by several explosions and Rick, Anna and Samuel (a very injured member of the ship’s crew) find themselves in a life raft washed up on a deserted island.
- Zaroff’s Island: The trio of castaways are helped by a hairless hulk named Ivan (Joseph Gatt). Ivan helps Rick carry the injured Samuel to the camp that Ivan stays at with the only other inhabitant of the island Col. Zaroff (Eric Etebari) formerly of the KGB. While Ivan and Anna tend to Samuel’s wounds, Zaroff invites Rick to join him for a drink in his cabin an offer Rick the Booze Hound can not pass up. Things seem cordial at first between Zaroff and Rick. Rick admires Zaroff’s hunting trophy room but when he finds out that Zaroff has all the animals he hunts shipped to the island he accuses Zaroff of not being a real hunter. Rick claims that since Zaroff is not hunting these animals in their natural habitat and the fact that the island setting means the animals can never get away, Zaroff has an unfair advantage. Zaroff disagrees with Rick and you can feel the tension between the two build as this scene goes on and that is about the time Rick realizes he has been drugged by Zaroff. While Rick is trying to fight off the effects of the drugs in his system, Zaroff reveals that he was the one who sabotaged the ship that Rick was on. Zaroff did this to get “the ultimate hunter” Rick Rainsford on the island so he could play Zaroff’s sick and twisted game and in turn become Zaroff’s greatest conquest!
- Let the Games Begin: Rick and Anna are now forced into playing the psychotic Zaroff’s dangerous game. There are only two ways for Rick and Anna to win the game. Get to the boat on the other side of the island and escape OR kill Zaroff before he kills them. Anna and a still loopy Rick are given a head start. After Rick stumbles on their way he has a sobering moment when he spots some rotting human remains… if the strange bedfellows didn’t believe Zaroff was crazy enough to actually hunt and kill them before, those rotting corpses erased all doubt. Rick and Anna start navigating their way to the other side of the island but it is no easy task. The wilderness and terrain they must cross to get to the boat is filled with multiple booby traps (there’s even some quicksand) and they know it won’t be too long before Zaroff and Ivan are on their trail. Oh yeah… and they hate each other. Fortunately for Rick and Anna they quickly realize they are going to need to put their differences aside or else they will never leave alive!
Never Leave Alive is the latest film to be inspired by a short story published back in the 1920’s titled The Most Dangerous Game (in fact at one point Never Leave Alive was titled The Most Dangerous Game). Over the years many films have used The Most Dangerous Game formula for the simple reason that it works.
Never Leave Alive works not just because of the tried and true formula but because of the performances by those involved… Eric Etebari was masterful as the villain living in his own world where all his heinous acts are completely justified… Joseph Gatt is a face I expect to see again and again for years to come. Gatt’s unique look makes him perfect for any movie that requires some menacing muscle and I could not help but compare him to character actors of the past… Michelle Taylor’s Anna was the right combination of damsel in distress and tough chick. She was not afraid to call out every man in the movie on their bullshit… Last but not least is the star of the movie, John Hennigan. Hennigan brings the look and physicality of an action star and combines it with an almost goofy charm that makes it damn near impossible to not want to root for the guy.
It is also damn near impossible for me to write a review without including some Bonus Bullet Points…
- Back to Life, Back to Reality: John Hennigan also played a reality TV star that had to redeem himself in 2017’s Boone: The Bounty Hunter.
- If You Ever: …wanted to hear John Hennigan talk about Thomas Kinkade (The Painter of Light), then this is the movie for you!
- Bring a Knife to a Knife Fight: I liked the fact that the final battle between Rick Rainsford and Col. Zaroff was a knife fight. It seems like the proper weapon choice in a battle of the hunters.
- AKA: The film is also known as 3 Hours Until Dead.
- Root Cause: In a tender moment around the campfire, Rick Rainsford reveals to Anna that as a kid he witnessed his father’s death in a hunting accident. This tragedy is no doubt what led to Rick’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
- Common Ground: I was pleased to find that I have something in common with Rick Rainsford. No we aren’t both rugged outdoors men, but we both consider Thin Mints to be our favorite Girl Scout Cookie. I wonder how many boxes of Thin Mints Rick eats to get abs like he has?
