In reviewing my notes on this film, the first one I came across reads, “the dudes who survive this are gonna need some serious dental work.” And while visions of American History X climb into your head, I will use this as starting point to discuss the aptly named Havoc, an ultraviolent film in which cops only come in two flavors: dirty and dirtier.
Tom Hardy has now been around for decades, and I still cannot tell if the soft-spoken brute is a big deal. Yeah, he has his own Marvel franchise, but -let’s face it- it’s the worst one. If Ant-Man and Venom were playing in side-by-side theaters, you’d choose Paul Rudd nine times out of ten.
The madness starts with an ugly chase around the big city where the cocaine-running bad guys get away from the cops by tossing a washing machine out of the back of a truck. I’m gonna guess her that the cops saw through the appliances ruse – either that or these guys want to smuggle cocaine to fund a department store delivery service. In either case, it’s ugly.
Oh, but you haven’t seen ugly yet, for then we are introduced to estranged homicide detective Patrick Walker (Hardy), a human embodiment of the word “bleak.” And just when you said, “Ok, enough with the dark,” Havoc takes you to the scene of a crime-syndicate themed bloodbath. Imagine a casino backroom where it rained blood and cocaine all night and you’d be close.
Who could have done such a thing? Who indeed.
Is Walker 
on the up-and-up? He’s employed by local tycoon and aspiring mayor, Lawrence Beaumont (Forest Whitaker). That’s not a good sign. Beaumont’s son Charlie is mixed up with the washing machine gang. That’s not a good sign. And now the local triad is involved. That’s an even worse sign. Havoc is gonna happen even without the titular prompt.
Havoc is a dark movie in several ways. It’s violent and cynical and it looks like it was filmed exclusively at night during winter. That’s gonna turn off a certain segment of movie watchers by itself. OTOH, if you don’t have a problem with violence, it’s well coordinated and there’s a bit of mystery to solve. Sort of. I’m goving this film a half-hearted thumbs up on the basis of occasionally inspired direction … but don’t push it, Havoc. Two weeks later and I completely forgot you were a film.
There once was a detective named Walker
Not much of a settle-everything talker
Estranged from his wife …
His job, code, and life
Straight shooter? Sir, you’re off your rocker
Rated TV-MA, 107 Minutes
Director: Gareth Evans
Writer: Gareth Evans
Genre: Overkill
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: How much violence do you need in your life?
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: How much violence do you need in your life?
