Gareth Evans, one of the most underrated action directors of modern times, has teamed up with Academy Award nominee Tom Hardy for the high-octane thriller “Havoc”. Netflix produced the film, for which Evans also wrote the script. His last film for the streaming giant was the eerie folk horror tale “The Apostle.” While he hasn’t strayed far from his action roots—evident in the television series “Gangs of London”—I was thrilled to learn he’s working on a new film.
For his latest feature, the director trades the balletic violence of his earlier work for something grittier, grimier, and more emotionally raw. The result is a bruising urban noir that leans heavily on mood, menace, and the sheer physicality of Tom Hardy’s lead performance as a detective clawing through a city on the verge of collapse.
Hardy portrays Walker, a cop whose face and soul seem held together by scar tissue and grit. A botched drug deal sets multiple factions on the warpath — including a vengeful crime syndicate and a crooked political machine involving Mayor Beaumont (Forrest Whitaker), whose son Charlie (Justin Cornwell) has been kidnapped.
Making matters worse, his police force, which includes a sharp-eyed rookie and a trigger-happy former comrade, Vincent (Timothy Olyphant) Walker, is plunged into a descent that’s part rescue mission, part personal reckoning. It’s a familiar premise, but Evans makes it pulse with tension and stakes.
The action doesn’t overwhelm the narrative; instead, it comes in bursts—explosive, messy, and worth every second of buildup. When fists finally fly, or bullets rain down, it feels earned. Evans has a knack for drawing out the tension until it snaps like a fractured limb. Hardy shoulders most of the brutality, balancing menace with a lived-in authenticity that commands every frame.
The supporting cast gives the film unexpected depth. It’s always great to see Luis Guzmán on screen and Justin Cornwell impresses by going firmly against type, trading in smooth charm for a raw edge in a role that simmers with intensity. Jessie Mei Li adds needed emotional ballast, while Timothy Olyphant and Forest Whitaker bring authority and texture to the broader web of corruption.
Everyone wears a mask; even the supposed saviours are stained by compromise. Evans frames it all with his signature grit — narrow hallways, flickering neon, rain-slicked streets. The city feels like a cage, and Hardy is the beast trying to break out.
“Havoc” isn’t flawless — the conspiracy occasionally gets tangled in its threads, and some characters feel underexplored. However, when the film hits, it hits. It’s a hardboiled, blood-soaked dive into the belly of urban decay, powered by one of Hardy’s most visceral performances and backed by a cast that brings heat, heft, and a few welcome surprises.
Final Grade: B+
“Havoc” will be released on Netflix on 25th April, 2025.
