There’s always the risk of arrogance and condescension when discussing certain actors, similar to anthropology’s problematic history of analyzing “savages.” Some of the best actors, especially the most physical ones, are subject to this.Marlon Brando comes to mind. “There he was, the new primitive,“wrote Pauline Kaelof Brando. “He was no intellectual […] He was explosively dangerous without being ‘serious’ in the sense of having ideas.” Um, thanks?Tom Hardyis one of these actors, and has in fact been called “the new Brando” by outlets such asVogueandVariety. He elevates just about everything he’s in, and that’s certainly the case with the new Netflix action filmHavoc, although this time around, he’s aided by a director who knows how to push Hardy to his limits.
Gareth Evans has a very specific, maximalist vision that has madeMerantauandThe Raidfilms notorious among action buffs. He’s a great director, but unfortunately not a great writer, andHavocreflects that in every way. LikeThe Raid, though, the story is simply a thin suit, tearing at the seams as muscles pulse and protrude underneath, Hulk-like. The narrative is barely decorative here, with contradictory character motivations and nonsensical decisions underscored by very weak, overly expository dialogue. Fortunately, contrary to popular opinion, the suit does not make the man, and we’re more interested in the bruised, bloody body beneath the outfit here. It’s a good one.
Corrupt Cops at Christmas
Havoc, released in 2025, follows a jaded cop navigating a corrupt city’s criminal underworld after a drug heist spirals out of control. Tasked with rescuing a politician’s son, the film delves into themes of crime and redemption as the protagonist battles relentless opposition.
InHavoc, Hardy plays a divorced homicide detective named Walker, who we meet as he buys Christmas presents at a seedy gas station. He’s heckled by the cashier, solidifying Walker as a sad sap loser despite his immense skills. Hardy, of course, creates a wonderfully specific character in Walker, someone who is very much of the streets, a self-loathing loner with a good sense of humor. He is violent in a kind of uncontrollable way and pretty intimidating, but also looked down upon by everybody as a washed-up cop known for being the mayor’s lapdog. He’s not the only corrupt cop or politician inHavoc, which is set in a city that feels like a cross between Gotham and Shanghai.
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There does seem to be one good cop in Ellie (Jessie Mei Li), who is Walker’s temporary partner when we meet them. Ellie is dragged into the criminal underworld (of which Walker is a denizen) when there’s a gangland massacre. A drug deal goes wrong when a third party intervenes and kills nearly everyone at the scene, except for Charlie (Justin Cornwell), who is seen fleeing the nightclub, gun in hand. Charlie becomes the target of the Asian gangsters who seek retribution (led by the ferociously cool Yeo Yann Yann), unaware that the massacre was committed by hockey mask-wearing interlopers. The bigger problem? Charlie is the son of Mayor Lawrence (Forest Whitaker).
Walker is kicked off the case for trying to hide Charlie’s identity as a favor to the mayor, but that won’t stop him from investigating. The problem is, there isn’t much of a reason for him to do it. He took this case to the mayor himself, and it’s unclear why. According to him, he and the mayor are “square” after Walker recently got the DEA off of Lawrence’s back, so it doesn’t make sense that they need to get square again. In fact, the sole scene between Hardy and Whitaker is easily the worst inHavoc. The dialogue is ridiculous, things progress illogically, it’s emotionally and narratively contradictory, and it feels rushed. There are some other scenes like this, further evidence that it’s best to simply ignore the plot here.
‘Havoc’ Takes Its Title Literally as an Action Melee
For some action movie fans, a rushed narrative is more than welcome; get the exposition out of the way and get to the action as quickly as possible. With a movie that cares so little about its plot, maybe that’s a good thing. Still, like many recent streaming movies, maybe a short limited series would have been better, allowing some breathing room and a more coherent narrative to emerge. As it stands, the plot ofHavocis messy, unrealistic, and downright stupid at times. What would you expect, though, with a title like that?
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Yes,Havocquickly manifests its title with epic chaos and violent destruction across the board. There are some action sequences that deserve their spot in “best of all time lists,” especially the central club scene (on that note, ever since 1998’sBlade, it seems weirdly obligatory for action films and shows to have an epic fight scene in a nightclub). Evans incorporates all sorts of styles and weapons into his action sequences, and his work with editor Sara Jones and cinematographer Matt Flannery is phenomenal.
They string together multiple simultaneous fights with clarity, so that you always know where people are in the melee. While the fighting itself is largely unrealistic, it’s wonderfully choreographed and utterly brutal; there are actual stakes here, and even likable characters die. Hardy is pushed to his action peak, and his stunt double, Jacob Tomuri, does his greatest work yet. Timothy Olyphant, playing a fellow corrupt cop, gets in on the action in great ways, as does Quelin Sepulveda (playing Charlie’s girlfriend, Mia), who has some great fights. The two biggest set pieces (one in a club, and one in a cabin) are messy but masterful.
Tom Hardy Is Awesome in ‘Havoc’
Pauline Kael also said of Marlon Brando, “His greatness is in a range that is too disturbing to be encompassed by regular movies.” Before 2025, I’d have said the same of Hardy. While he improves even the most mainstream work that he’s in (Venom, Peaky Blinders), it’s the more artistic, weirder titles where he excels the most as an artist (Bronson, The Revenant, Locke, Taboo). This year, though, withthe Paramount+ showMobLandand nowHavoc, Hardy has proven that his unique approach to character can survive “regular” movies and shows.
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What Hardy does inHavocis fascinating to behold (even in the supremely awkward failed scene with Whitaker). Yes,he’s incredible in the action sequences, but it’s the quieter moments where we see what the actor can do with a very basic character (and a silly plot). Every element of character building is perfected by Hardy, from his quirky way of speaking and walking to how he handles guilt, sadness, police work, and violence. Walker could have easily been a by-the-numbers action character, but Hardy makes him unforgettable, giving him an aching emotional grandness while never showboating.
Add to that Evans' incredible action direction, andHavocis a must-watch for fans of the genre and the actor. Just turn your brain off a bit.Havocpremieres June 10, 2025, on Netflix. Watch it then through the link below:
