Horror films that affect me the most are those that have a serious sense of realism (which is why I normally prefer psychological horrors). The most influential factor of this film is that Henry (Michael Rooker) could be any guy. He could be your neighbor. Your boss. Anyone. And that is truly frightening. While Henry may have some shocking moments, there is mainly an awful sense of dread that arises from the very beginning and remains with the viewer even after the film is over. We know there is a killer out there. We see what he's done. And it could happen again.
Equally disturbing is the fact that Henry seems to have no good reason to kill; he does it to pass the time, even taking along his friend (Otis) to join in on the fun. He seems to lack any sense of humanity-- that is, until anything sexual is thrown in his face. He defends Becky twice from her own brother, even killing him to protect her. However, was this because he cares for her? With his back story in mind, it appears that any sexual acts remind him of his mother. But Henry doesn't specifically kill rapists and perverts-- he only stops those acts if they are sprung upon him. So it seems like Henry's not out for revenge like Freddy or Jason; he's just bored.
My favorite part of the film was the portrayal of Henry's past murders. The image of the murdered bodies with the sounds of their last few minutes of life made the deaths seem so trivial, as if it's something that just happens. The thought of death as just a thing is pretty scary. These scenes also add to Henry's anonymity. The bodies were all that were left for friends or loved ones to find, with no trace of who committed the crime. I'd almost prefer that all the murders were portrayed this way, but a lack of the videotaped family-intrusion would be no good.
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