Havoc

2025   Netflix

Rated:  TV-MA

Length:  1 hr  47min

Action ~ Thriller

Directed by:  Gareth Evans

Starring:  Tom HardyJessie Mei LiJustin Cornwell, Quelin Sepulveda Luis GuzmánYeo Yann YannTimothy Olyphant, and Forest Whitaker.

NO LAW. ONLY DISORDER.

FROM NETFLIX:

Tom Hardy is no stranger to gritty roles, having taken on historical figures, criminals, and iconic supervillains. Now, the Oscar-nominated actor stars in action thriller HAVOC, currently streaming on Netflix.

The high-octane film follows Walker (Hardy), a bruised detective fighting his way through a criminal underworld that threatens to engulf his city. After a drug deal gone wrong, Walker finds himself with several factions on his tail, including a vengeful crime syndicate, a crooked politician, and his fellow cops.

While attempting to rescue the politician’s estranged son, whose involvement in the drug deal starts to unravel a web of corruption and conspiracy, Walker is forced to confront the demons of his past.

FROM BOBBY:

I watched this last night with some pretty high expectations. A new movie from Netflix starring Tom Hardy, Luis Guzmán, Timothy Olyphant, and Forest Whitaker. I love Luis Guzman and Forest Whitaker. Tom Hardy as Forrest Bondurant in Lawless is one of my favorite roles of his. I love that movie, it is one of my favorites. So my expectations were pretty high. As Havoc started I was waiting anxiously for the same feelings that I get watching Tom Hardy in Lawless. They never came.

It was the same gruff exterior and voice we have come to expect from Hardy but the role and character seemed shallow, hollow. His estranged relationship with his wife and daughter was not really explained. Thinking about it the whole movie and all the characters felt hollow. Just a backdrop to all the extreme violence and massive gunfire. More gunfire than any human being should be able to escape from, and yet they did. And apparently there is a big Chinese crime syndicate in the city with tons of Kung Fu trained mercenaries with meat cleavers. Meat cleavers flying in a nightclub amidst the massive gunfire. Meat cleavers…..I shake my head in disbelief now.

It just seemed way over the top violence wise. The story was pretty shallow as well, no depth to it. Again just a framework of an excuse for massive firepower and violence. It wasn’t long, maybe thirty minutes or so, before I debated on whether to keep watching or not. I lost the debate on Streaming Movie Night’s behalf and watched the whole movie. I was disappointed. It was definitely a letdown. I wouldn’t recommend it nor would I watch it again.

That’s it, that’s all I’ve got.

Nah….don’t watch it.

The Bikeriders

2024  Focus Features

Rated:  R

Length:  1 hr  56min

Crime ~ Drama ~ True Story

Directed by:  Jeff Nichols

Starring:  Jodie ComerAustin ButlerTom HardyMichael ShannonMike FaistBoyd HolbrookDamon HerrimanBeau KnappEmory CohenKarl GlusmanToby Wallace, and Norman Reedus.

“Freedom Is For The Fearless.”

THE BIKERIDERS tells the true story of a Motorcycle Club created in Chicago in the 1960’s. In the movie the name was changed to The Vandals, the real name of the club was The Chicago Outlaws. Between 1963 and 1967 Danny Lyon rode with and documented, in pictures and audio recordings, the lives of the members of the motorcycle club as it grew in popularity and size. In 1968 he published a book using the stories and photographs he had documented entitled THE BIKERIDERS, the movie is based entirely on that book. There are scenes from the movie that were recreated from Danny’s photographs, some of which you can see at the end as the credits roll.

The story is mostly told through the eyes and words of Kathy played by Jodie Comer. In a chance encounter at a club bringing a friend money she meets Benny (Austin Butler), a member of the The Vandals and falls for him. Johnny (Tom Hardy), who started the club, convinces her that Benny is ok and that he will make sure that she is safe and looked after within the club. Within five weeks Kathy and Benny are married and she has a front row seat to the activities and events of the club. Benny is Johnny’s right hand man and protegé, and is high up in the hierarchy of the club.

As Kathy tells it Johnny, who is married with two daughters and has a steady job, got the idea for the Motorcycle riding group while watching Marlon Brando in The Wild One. As the Club grew and expanded Johnny struggled to maintain leadership. As members joined the club after coming home from Vietnam, they brought a different element to the club. Instead of beer drinkers, most of them were Pot smokers and heavier drug users, and there started to become a rift between the old and the new.  Eventually the new won out and The Outlaws Motorcycle Club became more of a violent crime organization involved in prostitution and drug running, amongst other things.

It is a fascinating look at the birth and growth of one of the most infamous Motorcycle Organizations in the world. Jodie Comer does an excellent job of portraying Kathy. She is an English actress and you have to give her props for her accent in the movie, definitely Midwestern. There are audio recordings and pics of the real Kathy and Jodi Comer absolutely nailed the accent! Tom Hardy as the tough skinned leader was great, reminded me of his role as Forrest Bondurant in Lawless. Austin Butler also did a great job as Benny, going from the clean cut ELVIS to the polar opposite as the notorious motorcycle club member. Michael Shannon was a little different and freaky as Zipco, a guy you just didn’t want to look at funny for fear of retribution.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, I really liked all the characters, and you know I like the True Story ones. I would watch this again, maybe several times.

Highly Recommended….

Two Thumbs Up!