Havoc (Netflix, Gareth Evans, 2025) & The Bikeriders (Jeff Nichols, 2023)

I’ve got two reviews for you today, starting with Havoc, the new movie by Gareth Evans, starring Tom Hardy, that is now on Netflix. From the archive (300+ reviews) available to all paid subscribers I pulled my review of The Bikeriders (2023) by Jeff Nichols, also starring Tom Hardy.

Here in The Netherlands it’s King’s Day Weekend, so in the spirit of celebrating the bright side of life I hope you have a great weekend too!

HAVOC (Gareth Evans, 2025)

Riddled with bullet holes but filled with cliches, Havoc is a derivative yet amusing neo noir actioner, directed by Gareth Evans (The Raid) and starring Tom Hardy as a crooked cop looking for redemption and/or a way out.

Hardy is probably the best thing about this long delayed movie, and that’s not even saying all that much, as he’s been in loads of better movies and can probably play a grizzled character like this in his sleep.

Principal photography on Havoc took place in 2021, but reshoots were scheduled and then rescheduled time and time again, due to the strikes and other problems.

It’s kind of a miracle that the movie exists, and in a more or less coherent way, so to speak.

I’m talking the movie down a bit, just to make sure that if you go in with suitably lowered expectations, it’s not even all that bad, if you consider that Evans with The Raid and The Raid 2 made two of the most acclaimed actions movies this century has produced.

Set in an unnamed American city, Hardy plays Walker, who is separated from his wife but wants to spend Christmas with his estranged daughter.

Fat chance, though, as he and his new (police) partner Ellie (Jessie Mei Li) are kept busy by a drug deal gone bloody wrong.

The threat is a gang war, involving (but not limited to) the Chinese maffia, because Tsui (Jeremy Ang Jones), the son of a Triad leader aptly named Mother (Yann Yann Yeo) is one of the many victims.

All hell is about to break loose when Mother flies in and begins proceedings by shooting some of her own people for failing to protect her loved one. (It makes you wonder what she could do to people who actively oppose her.)

The shit hits the fan even harder when the main suspects turn out to be Charlie (Justin Cornwell), who is the son of the city’s corrupt mayor Lawrence (Forest Whitaker), and Charlie’s hard hitting girlfriend Mia (Quelin Sepulveda).

So it’s up to Walker to bail Lawrence out one last time, before he gets to ride off into the sunset - but when does that ever really happen in movies like this?

There are story strands involving corrupt cops (led by Timothy Olyphant) and a female assassin (Michelle Waterson) for Walker to wade through, leading to one of the movie’s more gruesome deaths.

But while the narrative drags in places, and fast-forwards in others, the editing is not really able to wipe out all the signs of a troubled production.

Even if there’s ample evidence that Evans can make even the most anonymous material look and feel cinematic.

So in the end it’s a movie that’s wild in places - there’s a great shoot ‘em up and slice ‘em down at the Medusa Club - but perhaps as a whole a little tame by Evans’ own high standards.

I’m guessing, though, that Havoc will still be ultra-violent enough for most viewers.

I give it three stars!

THE BIKERIDERS (Jeff Nichols, 2023)

The Bikeriders is a movie that got away from me for the longest time. But I’m glad I finally caught up with it!

It’s odd I didn’t see it earlier, since I dearly wanted to ever it since it premiered at Venice last year.

Why? Well, first of all, it’s a movie by acclaimed filmmaker Jeff Nichols, who has made excellent features like Mud (2012) and Loving (2016).

Secondly, as the leading roles are played by Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer and Austin Butler, with the great Michael Shannon in a supporting role, it was bound to be an acting treat.

Thirdly, The Bikeriders is about an interesting time in modern American history, taking place between roughly 1965 and 1975.

Inspired by and/or based on a photo book (from 1968) by Danny Lyon, The Bikeriders tells the story of a motor cycle club called The Vandals, which is based on the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club.

It chronicles the rise of the club and also its descent into a criminal organization, involving drugs, prostitution and murder for hire.

It also tells the story of a love triangle of sorts. It’s about Kathy (Comer) who falls in love with Benny (Butler) for who the two most important things in life are The Vandals and its charismatic leader Johnny (Hardy).

For his part, Johnny sees Benny as his natural successor, but Benny doesn’t see himself as a leader. So at one point he bails, from both Kathy and The Vandals, setting up an ending that’s both tragic and bittersweet.

The Bikeriders offers up an intriguing portrait of American counter culture, even if it won’t be as influential as the legendary Easy Rider (or as popular as a more recent series like Sons of Anarchy).

It’s about people with an alternative lifestyle, who dream of total freedom, but then get caught up in their own little sub culture, without ever completely breaking free.

The arc of the story is a little predictable as things go from good to bad to worse, but Nichols (who is from the Mid West himself) infuses the movie with a great sense of place.

While the actors in this lovingly shot picture make you care for the characters long after they fade from the screen.

I give it four stars!

Note: The Bikeriders is available on various streaming platforms.