To enjoy this one, it’s best to ignore the plot holes and just concentrate on the action.

Spoiler Warning: My review has a HUGE spoiler in it. So, do not read the final paragraph if you are seriously considering seeing He Who Dares!

He Who Dares was a frustrating viewing experience for me. On one hand, it was a taut action picture that kept me on the edge of my seat. However, there were logic problems with the script that became more and more apparent as the film progressed. It’s a real shame, as there really was a lot to like from the movie but I was ultimately let down.

The film begins with a small army of crooks storming towards a night club. On the way, the kill anyone who might pose a threat to their mission—guards, doorman and even folks walking about the building. These killings are clean, fast and without remorse. Then, when they enter the club, they start slaughtering people—and only stop when they get to one young lady and her group of friends—and after killing a few of these friends, they take her and the rest captive. Obviously this is a kidnapping and this young lady is someone of great importance. You soon find out that she’s the British Prime Minister’s daughter.

He Who Dares
Directed by
Paul Tanter
Cast
Tom Benedict Knight, Simon Phillips, Christina Bellavia
Release Date
7 April 2014
Martin’s Grade: C+

These folk, however, do not run away with her to some hidden lair.  Instead, they go to the adjacent parking garage and rig the place with explosive charges and they hunker down for a siege.  They are super-well armed, vicious and mean business.  And, once they are in the garage, once again they slaughter a lot of innocent people.

The guy who is in charge of this blood bath is a guy named Holt (Simon Phillips).  Despite the movie being ugly and vicious, his character really made the film interesting.  He was such a marvelously disarming psychopath.  He was MUCH more interesting than Alan Rickman in Die Hard—and he genuinely seemed to love hurting people and doing it in style.  Because of him, you really wanted the film to work.  You just have to see and hear the guy in action to know what I mean—but he’s definitely the best part of the film.  Unfortunately, when it comes to everyone else in the film, there is really very little that is defined about them.  Most of the baddies are really bad—and die.  And most of the good guys are good—and die.  But WHO they are and what motivates them and why you should care is a bit of a cipher.  This is a minor quibble—very minor.

The BIG quibble is why … why assemble a small army, why kill all these people and why kidnap the Prime Minister’s daughter?  Everyone who watches the film no doubt is thinking about this and so the entire scheme rests on this WHY—and you KNOW it’s going to make everything you’ve seen make sense, right?  You assume it’s for a ransom of many, many billions of pounds (after all, it cost a fortune to buy all these weapons, bombs and assemble an army of folks who LIKE to be paid!) or perhaps it’s some crackpot religious jihad.  However, the real reason is just plain stupid. 

I normally don’t divulge spoilers like this, but I did warn you … they want to drain the Prime Minister’s bank account!  Unless he’s richer than the Queen or J.K. Rowling, this just didn’t make any sense at all.  All that money and all that slaughter just for that?!  But it gets worse.  Apparently, the daughter who has been kidnapped knows her daddy’s password and can give Holt access to the account!  And, somehow, Holt knows this!!  I have two daughters about the same age as this character—and I’d NEVER give them my passwords for my bank accounts!!  I love ‘em but certainly wouldn’t give them my passwords—especially for something THIS important.  Who would do this?!  And, who would not think of this when they filmed He Who Dares?

by Martin Hafer