It’s been far too long since writer-director Gareth Evans brought his distinct vision for action to audiences. After all, The Raid 2 came out in 2014. Now, though, the wait for a white-knuckle beat-’em up from Evans is finally overb as his latest film, Havoc, gives Netflix an early start to the summer movie season. Yet, it’s not a return that fully lives up to its potential.
The film follows Patrick (Tom Hardy), a crooked homicide detective who’s ready to get away from the payroll of dirty politician Laurence Beaumont (Forest Whitaker). However, Patrick’s last task of protecting Lawrence’s criminal son is complicated by the corruption and gang involvement that surrounds him, which turns a simple mission into a nightmarish fight for survival. On paper, Havoc sounds like any run of the mill action plot (and it kind of is), but Evans establishes a style and tone that creates a visceral atmosphere where grime pours out of the screen. Right away, the dirty nature of the cops and crime in this chaotic city build palpable unease that never dies down. It feels like every corner could lead to someone getting attacked, or worse, killed, and there’s a burning anxiety that washes over every interaction. No one feels safe and it’s where the stronger parts of the narrative thrive.
Patrick is the type of character that Evans and Hardy nail all too well. He’s that grisly cop who’s so consumed by the messy lifestyle he’s both haunted by and complacent to. His estranged relationship with his family is well-captured in the emotional hurt Hardy brings to his performance and within some of the story beats Evans comes up with. It’s actually why the film’s Christmas time setting works, as it hits harder when Patrick tries to reconnect but is pushed away. Yet, even with these tender aspects sewn into his character, there’s a brooding darkness that can’t be ignored. Sure, Hardy’s banter and line delivery make Patrick very likable and help build him into an action hero worth rooting for. But, there’s a bleaker side to him that turns things ugly. You vehemently fear what he’ll do to complete the job, and Hardy evokes the right type of moral complexity to make Patrick a compelling lead.
Unfortunately, none of the other characters make much of an impact and it’s because Havoc is chock full of storylines that often crash into each other. In short, Havoc has a lot going on as it juggles different factions, threads of corruption, and crime. At first, things start off simple, with Patrick and his rookie partner Ellie (Jessie Mei Li) investigating the gruesome results of a deal gone bad. It feels like a tantalizing crime-mystery is about to unfold, and even the exchanges between Patrick and Ellie have an irresistible tension and slickness. However, as more characters and situations are thrown in, the story loses its focus and becomes overcomplicated. There’s so much corruption and betrayal layered on top of each other that the film buckles under the weight of its story and loses all meaning or purpose. The character relationships stop mattering and even for the charming dynamic that Patrick and Ellie have, there’s no depth to their relationship. Most of the characters become forgettable, and the emotions and stakes of the twists and turns leave a soft impact with barely any sense of surprise.
It’s definitely a shame that Havoc kind of flounders on the story front — especially since it’s something that gets in the way of it dishing out some impressive action. Admittedly, the film is pretty quiet for quite a while, and it’s not until the last thirty minutes or so that we get some blow-out brutality. There’s an epic opening car chase and some tough squabbles here and there. But, Evans lets the wheels spin a little too long for those wanting to see his grand return to action. However, once he lets loose, no one is prepared for the bloodbath he crafts. Evans absolutely paints the screen red with all the stunningly brutal takedowns that Patrick achieves and the carnage that comes from his unending wrath. There’s tons of blood splatter and jaw-dropping kills that gorehounds will adore, and Evans’s eye for slick and tight action hits the major highs that fans have been waiting for. Within Evans’s hiatus, we’ve seen directors like Chad Stahelski and Sam Hargrave step in to become modern masters of action. But Havoc’s final stretch is a true “hold my beer” moment from Evans that’ll leave everyone stunned, thrilled, and absolutely pumped.
Havoc might not have the story chops to make it a truly flawless return to action form for Evans, but it’s got some great elements that make it very solid. Hardy and Evans are a great pairing, and that blood-soaked finale will definitely live rent-free in everyone’s head. At the very least, it already makes you hungry for more from Evans and kicks off Netflix’s summer slate on a relatively good note.
