Eight years after his last feature, Director Gareth Evans has returned to his favorite crime action genre with Netflix’s Havoc, a no-nonsense kill-or-be-killed venture that fires on all cylinders to deliver a memorable, bone-crushing, blood-splattering action spectacle. Aside from that, what makes Havoc really special amidst the director’s filmography is that there is a distinct pulp-noir style quotient evoked by the visuals, with all the elements of grunge, smoke, and darkness capturing the essence of corruption, a kind of world-building usually seen when characters like Batman or the Shadow are involved. The characterization, much like the plot details, is very simplistic—in most cases not that much developed, but it is enough to provide justification to the maddening violence and bloodshed, which makes viewers forget about any possible drawbacks anyway. There is some solid star power in the ensemble cast of Havoc, a discussion of which can’t begin without praising the entire stunt team for their combined efforts.
Detective Patrick Walker Played by Tom Hardy
Prolific English actor Tom Hardy is one of the most popular and talented performers working in the industry, having appeared in a myriad of silver screen and small screen roles in the span of the two and a half decades since he made his silver screen debut with Black Hawk Down. Some of his notable work includes roles in Warrior, Bronson, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Revenant, and he has starred in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe movies as well with the Venom trilogy. In Havoc, Hardy portrayed a disgruntled, crooked cop, the type who seems to have a conscience and shaky moral code but continues to abuse their power and cross the line on a regular basis. As an archetypal conflicted lawman, commonly found in 70s noir, Patrick Walker’s character is well in sync with the tone and vibe Havoc wants to convey. Walker’s stained professional life has affected his personal sphere as well; his marriage has been ruined as his wife despises the kind of person he has become. Perhaps it is the sense of guilt and a desperate willingness to absolve himself, which Walker doesn’t really express, that impel him to accept the assignment to find crooked politician Lawrence Beaumont’s son. Even at the end, despite having every chance to abandon Charlie and Mia to their fate, Walker sees it through and saves them. Walker knows he is well beyond redemption, which is the reason he avoids basic interaction with his rookie partner, Ellie. Tom Hardy got the chance to put his martial arts expertise to great use in Havoc, and viewers would like to see him return if a sequel is made later on.
Ellie, played by Jessie Mei Li
English actress Jessie Mei Li gained recognition for her portrayal of Alina Starkov in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone and for starring as Lara Chung in Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho. In Havoc, she played the role of bright-eyed rookie Detective Ellie Cheung. Unlike her jaded, cynical, and morally questionable senior partner, Ellie is a straight-arrow cop, which is shown in the way she handles a spousal abuser during the initial phase of the movie. Her arc or background was not explored that much, which is consistent with all the major and minor characters of the movie, but her presence as possibly the only morally upright, noble character offers a great contrast in the dark, murky world of Havoc.
Vincent Played by Timothy Olyphant
Actor Timothy Olyphant is a well-known face in both silver screen and small screen ventures, having acted in movies like Hitman, Scream 2, High Life, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and series like Deadwood, Justified, and Fargo, to name a few. In the movie, he played the role of Detective Vincent, a corrupt, immoral cop who doesn’t hesitate to abuse his power and serves as a classic example of the destitute state of the system. Vince is crafty enough to use his colleague’s guilt of being an accomplice to his crimes to propagate his own violent, dastardly streak.
Lawrence Beaumont Played by Forest Whitaker
Renowned veteran actor Forest Whitaker needs no introduction, having left his mark in acclaimed movies like Platoon, The Butler, The Last King of Scotland, etc. His role in Havoc, that of corrupt politician and real estate mogul, Lawrence Beaumont, derives a little depth from the estranged filial relationship Lawrence shares with his son Charlie. However, there wasn’t much scope or depth provided to the character for the actor to showcase his skills with.
Clarice Fong, played by Yeo Yann Yann
Malaysian actor Yeo Yann Yann has previously acted in movies like Singapore Dreaming, Being Human, One Last Dance, etc. In Havoc, she played Clarice Fong, the furious, protective mother of Tsui Fong who brings hell on the city’s underworld to avenge the death of her son. Like Lawrence, her deepest regret is failing her child as a parent, as the violence affecting her life and worldview infected her son too.
Miscellaneous Characters
Aside from the heavyweight leads, Havoc sports a strong ensemble cast who portrayed supporting roles brilliantly. Former MMA champion Michelle Waterson portrayed the nameless assassin working for Clarice, and she was phenomenal in all the scenes she appeared in. Justin Cornwell was decent as Charlie, whereas Quelin Sepulveda, portraying Mia, was quite good in combat scenes as well. Xelia Mendes-Jones played the role of Johnny, and the forever dependable Luis Guzman was excellent as Raul.
