In Havoc, director Gareth Evans (The Raid) returns to the gritty terrain he knows best in his new Netflix produced action thriller, Havoc. In the film, Tom Hardy stars as Walker, a troubled cop caught in a desperate search for a missing politician’s son amid a seedy underworld riddled with betrayal, corruption, and bone-crunching violence.
Written by Evans, the film begins with an almost mundane errand: Walker scouring a convenience store for a last-minute gift for his daughter. It’s a quiet introduction to a man on edge, and Hardy is once again, all in. But as flashbacks reveal his involvement in a botched drug operation, the layers of his guilt and rage begin to surface, propelling him into a present-day mission to find Charlie (Justin Cornwell), who vanishes after his own deal goes sideways.
Evans, known for the kinetic chaos of The Raid and the sprawling crime epic Gangs of London, brings his signature touch back to the screen — an unfiltered, visceral approach to action that defies genre. The fight sequences erupt with anarchic energy; the camera seems to fly, crash, and rebound off walls and bodies, drawing viewers directly into the maelstrom. It’s choreography at its most unhinged, and exhilaratingly so.
While Havoc delivers violence aplenty, it also strives for emotional resonance. Walker is more than a bruiser; he’s a man breaking under the weight of his past, his relationships, and a system that seems to grind everyone into the dirt.
Yet, not all elements are as sharp. The plot, burdened by too many conflicting factions and motivations, threatens to collapse under its own ambition. Timothy Olyphant (Justified) adds intrigue as a conflicted fellow officer, but the crowded cast dilutes the emotional clarity Evans seems to be reaching for. A less populated screenplay might have allowed Havoc‘s more poignant beats to land harder.
Still, when the fists fly and the blood flows, Havoc is electrifying. Evans may wade into deeper waters here — grappling with morality, loyalty, and personal failure — but he never loses sight of what he does best: delivering chaos with craft. For those with strong stomachs and a taste for cinematic carnage, Havoc is a punishing, relentless ride — and a brutal reminder of why Evans remains one of action cinema’s most vital voices.
