HAVOC (2025)

Written & Directed By Gareth Evans

Cinematography: Matt Flannery 

Editor: Sara Jones and Matt Platts-Mills 

Cast: Tom Hardy, Jessie Mei Li, Forest Whitaker, Timothy Olyphant, Luis Guzman, Quelin Sepulveda, Justin Cornwell, Sunny Pang, Yeo Yann Yann, Michelle Waterson

After a drug deal gone wrong, a bruised detective must fight his way through the criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s estranged son, unraveling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy that ensnares his entire city.

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Gareth Evans is truly an Auteur and filmmaker whose work you’re excited to see especially when he has a new project. As unfortunately it seems like it took way too long for this film to come out as it was completed in 2021 and the postproduction took four years to make the film and in certain things you can notice where the reshoot have been done.

No, he is so strong a filmmaker that a new film from him is usually worth the wait. As many tried to copy his style, but none do it quite as well, or as over the top and make it just seem fluid.

Like a modern-day John Woo, so many people try and attempt to copy his style even though as soon as you watch it it’s so distinct if you’ve seen any of his films before you recognize it immediately and it’s always more Hand to hand  in close quarters, with a weapon thrown in time to time and doesn’t shy away from any of the violence, choreography, individuals, or perfectly together Almost to Tango Or a modernfied dance . I was on creation just modify.

If this is what it takes now, we have to wait all this time for films like this it’s more than worth it because each time out of the gate if somethings so regional visual exciting it’s an experience that it feels like most modern action films have a bit of it at times and sometimes come close, but never can quite figure out the formula it’s like having a meal after dealing with so much fast food and restaurants and if each time

out of the gate, produces something that memorable than you, my friend are a master of your class 

while this film certainly won’t win any Oscars, except for maybe in the future for stunt coordination. This movie is an action fans, wet, dream, and fans of cinema. it is something so visually Exciting with a perfectly cast Tom Hardy at the center of y’all

Gareth and Timo Tjhajanto (NIGHT COMES

FOR US) are really the ones at the head of the class For action filmmaking. The difference is that Timo makes more Low budget foreign action films but they come Out more often and at a brisker Pace 

Usually Cold-hearted, so That no one is truly safe. Which does add an excitement to the film, but also a certain sadness.

Not only is it brutal action, but So much overkill

No, I’m not gonna lie and say that this film is perfect. There are plenty of flaws for all the Hand to hand combat. There is plenty of gun use and it seems like every weapon somehow becomes a machine gun even at first pistols so that feels a little ridiculous at times and of course no one seems to ever really need to reload unless the plot calls for it and to make that character victim or use their weapons to defend themselves while trying to reload the weapon and the story Makes sense as much as it needs to, but it is not necessarily the best well plotted.

Even one of the villains played by Timothy Olyphant you just wonder why an actor of his quality is even in the film as of course he’s a representation of evil and crooked cop. Thou and most of the action scenes even as he survives he doesn’t really seem to do much damage or be that dangerous you know obviously he’s a random selves and protect himself, but he doesn’t seem like a scary enough villain to be that powerful or one we have to worry about.

Just as it would be nice to see much more of the Asian gangsters a little bit more maybe a little bit more drama or showing how bad ass their leader is instead of just limiting her to really one scene of showing how dangerous she can be and that’s it really, other then being a leader of a threatening force.

while I truly enjoyed the film, I will admit that it’s probably more of the action that I am a fan of when it comes to this film as if you go into the film and just don’t think too hard about it I think it’s a very enjoyable film, but if you break it down and pay attention to certain aspects of it, that’s where you might have little problems that all combined to kind of put a dent in the hole and never at least for Supv it’s still one of the better films, especially action films that Netflix has produced Or released.

Even Tom Hardy again gives a great performance. He’s doing better with his American accents as this film He doesn’t sound as dopey or stupid as he can whenever he hast to do an American accent here. It at least sounds a little more tough and normal.

No filmed in Wales. The film takes place in a nondescript. What is supposed to be? I’m guessing American city and at times it almost feels like a made up city from a film Wonderland. I love the crow or maybe even dark city it’s not a very important part, but it would’ve been nice if it could’ve been a little bit well defined by its location as it’s not the most important thing, but it does help the film re-ground in a little bit more.

The log cabin scene towards the end will be remembered for years as an action highlight for many.

The film is worth checking out and giving a chance.  it’s going to Divide audiences but it will definitely have a crowd of fans for it. It definitely  should be released and seen on the big screen.

Grade: B

THE BIKERIDERS (2024)

Written & Directed By: Jeff Nichols

Based on the book by: Danny Lyon

Cinematography: Adam Stone

Editor: Julie Monroe

Cast: Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, Norman Reedus, Emory Cohen, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Beau Knapp, Karl Glusman, Damon Herriman, Toby Wallace, Will Oldham 

After a chance encounter, headstrong Kathy is drawn to Benny, a member of the Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals. As the club transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, Benny must choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.


There seems to be so much to say as this film could’ve been epic, but I don’t know if it was budgetary reasons or wanting to stay more abstract that it doesn’t fulfill its own strength and greatness. 

It’s not a bad film but there are still some great flourishes and ideas throughout. it kind of feels a little bit like GOODFELLAS and portrays an era of certain motorcycle gangs not the exact beginning but the beginning in hell over the years it changes. a kind of anthropology lesson. 

How’s the next generation evolved, but also brought down and moratorium from its less than innocent beginnings, there seems to be a purity at the beginning of the gang until it truly became more about being criminals.

Even when the change comes, you know by the name of the gang, the renegades and pretty much losing it when things change more through cheating than anything or one-upmanship

It works as Austin Butler’s performance is more mysterious and cool kind of a ghost, but also a heartthrob and a cipher that everyone wants a piece of and is mystified by.

He’s the cool beautiful loner the mystique most all strive for and what attracts most to the allure 

For some, the audience might be tested between the accent of Tom Hardy, who once again doesn’t really talk much, and Jodie Comer, who creates a believable character as long as you can get past her voice and accent. She is really our entrance to the gang as she gets more and more involved in the gang. She wanders we learn more about them.

It shows the different generations of the club it would help us get more of an update and maybe a little more in-depth into more of their personal lives when not riding and modes of income.  The evolution of the club and how it got more ruthless and less about companionship and about crime and not caring about the camaraderie and  brotherhood 

The film tries to paint a portrait of its own Americana only it needs a stronger and tighter screenplay and. Or seem so random and taking more of a sideline view and watching the character back with no certain direction. Though the film doesn’t have its moments and can pack a punch once in a while 

The film goes for a nostalgic feeling for a lost time while trying to illustrate not only what was lost as the years went by but not only a loss of innocence but of certain morals and decency. Even though it tries to show the good old days had its own set of problems and wasn’t all saccharine. 

It’s own updated western with similar themes of a disappearing horizon, way of life, and type of characters. 

Grade: B

CAPONE (2020)

Written, Edited & Directed By: Josh Trank
Cinematography: Peter Deming

Cast: Tom Hardy, Linda Cardellini, Matt Dillon, Kyle Maclachlan, Al Sapienza, Katherine Narducci, Noel Fisher, Jack London, Neal Brennan, Tilda Del Toro

The 47-year old Al Capone, after 10 years in prison, starts suffering from dementia and comes to be haunted by his violent past.


There is a lot here to deal with. Most of the film and material comes off as a fever dream that hints at or points out places of interest. Though pretty soon the films succumb to the madness of the protagonist and soon becomes where you can’t tell memory from a flashback of reality or madness.  

Tom hardy is clearly enjoying himself going fully overboard in a lived-in performance under tons of make-up and using active tics constantly. He sounds like a human cobra commander and the makeup seems realistic in that it is overdone think Johnny Depp in BLACK MASS where neither of them looks natural or all that human necessarily. Where he mostly makes noises and his character continuously poops on himself. To show degradation and how sick he is and the mighty have fallen but it happens so often. After a while, you feel like you could program a drinking game to it.  

The film swings and attempts a kind of David Lynch vibe of the film where the strangeness and non-linear storytelling will be fascinating in Itself and it’s own art that the audience will find the beauty in all of this. Which works with a director who is used to or knows for telling stories in that way. Unfortunately, this one isn’t. Casting Kyle Maclachlan in the film only helps strengthen this theory.  

As this is supposed to be writer/director Josh Trank’s comeback after the FANTASTIC FOUR movie bombing. One can understand why he went this route. As most of the films he made before were special effects spectacles and science fiction. Here he gets his hand to try drama and thriller of sorts. As well as a crime story based on real people.  

This film just seems all over the place and might have been more interesting with some cohesiveness and an understanding as half the people in his house we are left wondering their relationships. A lot of stuff isn’t explained And it comes off as more random And not fun random. 

As the audience might not know that much about al Capone and his past. So when bringing in various information, characters and showing them to have significance later in the film is purposeful but when we are introduced we don’t know of their importance and seem more random or built up to not mean as much when their character is more revealed. 

This is a film that has a lot of symbolism but nothing really behind it as it offers no hints or notes. So it keeps building to ultimately nothing. It could have been tightened by the missing buried money plot, a treasure hunt if you will, making it stronger. 

Even if it feels like a point of interest for the other strands of stories and characters to revolve around, it would also help as half the time making us wonder if this is all an act and he actually is mad or at first he is faking and then slowly he and we realize he is actually going crazy. As watching it now we know he is crazy but never knows what is real, fantasy, flashback. 

Which doesn’t help when we see scenes of characters that have nothing to do with him mixed in. So we take those as real and then later male reveals where maybe they weren’t. The randomness includes Matt Dillon being introduced during a sex scene why? So the film will have some Sex In it? Then being called into Florida with his amour. We never see her again and as it is separate why are we seeing it when we eventually learn of his character and his eventual fate. 

In the end, you can see what attracted the cast and why the director made the film Or at least his intentions, but it seems to have had the equivalent of shooting himself in the foot.

While also having the last hurrah on a sinking ship that only he thought might survive and prosper.  

Grade: D

LEGEND (2015)

legend

 

Written & Directed By: Brian Helgeland
Based On The Book By: John Pearson
Cinematography By: Dick Pope
Editor: Peter McNulty 


Cast: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Christopher Eccleston, Chazz Palminteri, Tara Fitzgerald, Taron Egerton, David Thewlis, Duffy

The film tells the story of the identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray, two of the most notorious criminals in British history, and their organised crime empire in the East End of London during the 1960s.

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ROCKNROLLA (2008)

rocknrolla

Written & Directed By: Guy Ritchie
Cinematography By: David Higgs
Editor: James Herbert 


 Cast: Gerard Butler, Mark Strong, Tom Wilkinson, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Thandie Newton, Toby Kebbell, Jeremy Piven, Ludacris, Karel Roden, Jimi Mistry, Matt King, Gemma Arterton

Lenny Cole, a London mob boss, puts the bite on all local real estate transactions. For substantial fees, he’s helping Uri Omovich, a Russian developer. As a sign of good faith, Omovich loans Cole a valuable painting, promptly stolen off Cole’s wall. While Cole’s men, led by the dependable Archie, look for the canvas, three local petty criminals, the Wild Bunch, steal money from the Russian using inside information from his accountant, the lovely Stella. Meanwhile, a local drug-addled rocker, Johnny Quid, is reported drowned, and his connection to Cole is the key to unraveling the deceits and double crosses of life in the underworld.

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VENOM (2018)

venom

 

Directed By: Ruben Fleischer
Written By: Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg & Kelly Marcel
Screen Story By: Jeff Pinkner & Scott Rosenberg
Based On Characters Created By: Todd McFarlane & David Michelinie
Cinematography By: Matthew Labitque
Editor: Alan Baumgarten & Maryann Brandon 


Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Jenny Slate, Melora Walters, Scott Haze, Reid Scott, Woody Harrelson, Emilio Rivera 


When Eddie Brock acquires the powers of a symbiote, he will have to release his alter-ego “Venom” to save his life.

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