'Havoc' Review: A Fun and Bloody Good Time - Plus Director Gareth Evans Q&A
- Dan Bremner
- Apr 25
- 4 min read
By Dan Bremner - April 24, 2025
“After a drug deal gone wrong, a bruised detective must fight his way through the criminal underworld to rescue a politician's estranged son, unravelling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy that ensnares his entire city.”
Gareth Evans, the Welsh action maestro, roared back with Havoc, his first film since 2018’s underrated Apostle. As a diehard fan of The Raid’s bone-crunching chaos and Gangs of London’s UK based mayhem, I was hyped for his return, despite years of delays and production issues. Catching it at London’s Prince Charles Cinema with a sold out crowd and an Evans Q&A was a treat, and at 104 minutes, Havoc delivers a fun, uneven thrill ride, its second half a gory jolt that's everything you would want, but its first a messy slog. It’s not The Raid or The Raid 2, but it’s a bloody good time.
Things start off a little shaky, a botched drug deal spirals into a rescue mission amid corrupt cops and gangs. The first half drags, a convoluted mess of double-crosses, tired tropes and police jargon, feeling like a generic crime flick. Then the second half explodes, Evans unleashes a torrent of violence, turning the city into a slaughterhouse. It’s the Evans action you came for, redeeming the slow build.
The action is the films purpose, choreographed fistfights and gun battles burst with creative kills: necks are ripped out, skulls cave, head explode and blood sprays in scrappy chaos. Evans’ camera, kinetic and relentless, weaves through tight spaces and neon-lit clubs, borrowing John Woo’s slow-motion gun dives for flair. His love of infinite-ammo guns shines, bodies soaking dozens of bullets in glorious excess. The final act’s carnage in an assault on a small cabin is everything you want from an Evans joint, as incredible use is made of a spear gun and bodies pile up to a comedic degree.
Visually, Havoc is a step above most Netflix productions, shaking the usual “Streaming Sheen”, grimy streets, sleek hideouts for the rich criminals, and bullet-riddled clubs look cinematic, outshining Netflix’s flat sheen. Locations feel alive, grounding the chaos in a tangible unnamed city. But dodgy CGI in car chases and establishing shots are glossy, but possibly AI-touched, do stand out. It’s a minor sin in an otherwise vivid package.
Evans’ Hong Kong crime cinema love, nodding to Woo’s Hard Boiled, infuses the film with a retro pulse, slow-mo dives, unsympathetic lead, and operatic shootouts filled with over the top bloodshed. But the first half’s mess of clunky dialogue and overbaked conspiracy holds it back, making the stakes feel muddy until the violence takes over. I really am a bit unclear as to why everyone was doing what they were doing, but I was able to switch off and just engage in the beautifully done violence as it unfolded.
Tom Hardy’s detective Walker, is a brutish cop with a heart, solid, if not filled with depth, his gravelly accent wobbling between London grit and yank. He carries the film’s weight, smashing through goons with heavy set brutality. Timothy Olyphant’s minor villain, a slick corrupt cop, is criminally underused, getting a few moments to show that devilish charm he excels at and an action moment, but not much else. The supporting cast of Forest Whitaker, Jessie Mei Li, Justin Cornwell, Luis Guzmán, Michelle Waterson and a scene-stealing Yeo Yann Yann provide decent, if not entirely memorable support.
The unevenness keeps Havoc from greatness, but its second half’s brutality and Evans’ craft make it a win. Hardy’s solid, the sets dazzle, and the kills are art. Compared to Apostle’s slow dread or The Raid’s perfection, it’s a step down but still a blast.
Havoc is a wild ride, half messy cop drama, half gory action dream, all Gareth Evans. It’s flawed but a blast once the action kicks in with Hardy’s presence and Evans’ kinetic genius shining through. Catch it for the blood-soaked chaos, and forgive the rough edges. A little bit disappointing, but Evans still proves himself to be one of the best action directors currently around.
Havoc releases on Netflix April 25
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Gareth Evans Q&A:
During the Q&A, Evans revealed the film was pushed back due to the unfortunate trifecta of COVID, writers strikes and actors strikes, causing years of delays, while also delving into the numerous Hong Kong action films of the ‘80s and ‘90s that inspired Havoc (With John Woo and Johnny To being the heaviest influences, listing off several of their films).
To my amazement, no one in the audience asked about a third Raid film, but he did go on to say he would love to direct a musical action film in the future (I'm in), and his next production could potentially be announced in the next two weeks, but he kept it vague as to what it actually will be. It was comforting to hear he wants to constantly push himself and try different avenues and genres rather than stick to formulas he knows works, so the Q&A was a nice treat that kept me very excited about his future work.
