Rating: ★★½ (2.5/5)
After a decade-long absence from action filmmaking, director Gareth Evans returns with “Havoc,” a Netflix thriller that reunites him with the brutal, kinetic style that made “The Raid” films modern classics. Starring Tom Hardy in another gruff, morally complex role, this crime saga promises explosive action but delivers a frustratingly hollow experience that feels more like a retread than a triumphant comeback.
Plot and Performance
Hardy plays Walker, a detective caught in a web of corruption and violence when a drug bust goes catastrophically wrong. When attempting to rescue the… to confront the demons of his past, Walker finds himself navigating a labyrinthine criminal underworld that threatens to consume everything he holds dear. The setup is familiar territory for both Hardy and Evans, but familiarity breeds contempt in this case.
Hardy delivers his trademark intensity, bringing his usual gravitas to a character that feels disappointingly one-dimensional. Tom Hardy delivers a solid performance as always, but he’s given almost nothing to work with here. The actor’s commitment to the role is evident, but the script provides little beyond surface-level brooding and violent confrontations.
Action Excellence, Narrative Weakness
Where “Havoc” truly succeeds is in its action choreography. Havoc truly shines through its incredible action sequences-long, fast-paced scenes packed with blood and gunfire! Every action fan will definitely get their money’s worth here. Evans hasn’t lost his touch for orchestrating brutal, visceral combat sequences that feel both kinetic and grounded. The film’s technical aspects are similarly impressive, with regular Evans DP Matt Flannery’s dynamic cameras zipping in and out of the bloody fray and textured visuals slashed with throbbing colors.
However, this visual prowess can’t mask the fundamental storytelling problems. The film fails on almost every other level. It has no real meaning or depth, which makes it hard to get invested. As a result, it also lacks real tension. The narrative structure feels disjointed, with early action scenes… told in strangely oblique ways, with gunfire erupting off-screen (but little carnage shown) or else via abrupt cuts, filled in later by ultra-violent flashbacks.
A Troubled Production Shows
“Havoc” bears the scars of its troubled development history. After years in development and extensive reshoots, the action thriller Havoc has finally hit our screens. This extended gestation period shows in the film’s uneven pacing and disjointed narrative flow. What should feel like a lean, mean action thriller instead plays like a patchwork of impressive sequences held together by a threadbare plot.
The film suffers from an overabundance of underdeveloped characters and subplots. The movie is filled with irrelevant characters and side plots, making it hard to follow at times. This cluttered approach dilutes the impact of both the action and the emotional stakes, leaving viewers with spectacular violence but little reason to care about the outcomes.
Critical Reception and Expectations
The film’s reception has been notably mixed. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 64% of 107 critics’ reviews are positive, suggesting a lukewarm critical consensus. This middling response reflects the film’s fundamental problem: it’s competently made but creatively bankrupt.
An anemic crime saga punctuated with bravura action sequences, Havoc may feel like a retread of director Gareth Evans’ past glories. The film seems content to recycle familiar beats without bringing anything new to the table. Even those who admired the “Raid” films for their style and heedlessness might find this to be little more than an accumulation of action movie cliches.
Final Verdict
“Havoc” represents a missed opportunity for both Evans and Hardy. While the action sequences deliver the visceral thrills that fans expect, the film’s narrative shortcomings prevent it from achieving the heights of Evans’ previous work. The director’s technical skills remain sharp, but his storytelling has become frustratingly generic.
For action aficionados willing to overlook weak plotting in favor of expertly choreographed violence, “Havoc” offers enough brutal entertainment to justify a viewing. However, those hoping for Evans’ triumphant return to form will likely leave disappointed. The film serves as a reminder that spectacular action can only carry a movie so far without compelling characters and meaningful stakes.
“Havoc” is currently streaming on Netflix, where it feels appropriately positioned as premium background entertainment rather than essential viewing. It’s a professionally made product that delivers exactly what it promises—no more, no less—which ultimately feels like a waste of considerable talent both in front of and behind the camera.