Review: HAVOC – A Gritty, Gripping Ride with Tom Hardy at His Best
'Gangs of London' meets 'Gotham' in this dark, moody and very satisfying new Tom Hardy thriller from Netflix.
Tom Hardy returns to the kind of role he was born to play in HAVOC, a bruising, unrelenting action thriller now streaming on Netflix. Written and directed by Gareth Evans (The Raid, Gangs of London), this film dives headfirst into a world of crime, corruption, and blood-soaked redemption—and it’s absolutely thrilling.
From the first frame, HAVOC is dark, nasty, and unapologetically gritty, just as you'd expect from the mind behind Gangs of London. The film crackles with the same moody energy you'd find in something like The Batman. It’s soaked in shadows and tension, with a grainy, cinematic look that makes it pop beautifully on a big TV screen. Visually, it’s a stunner—grim, stylish, and atmospheric in all the right ways.
Hardy plays Walker, a battered detective forced to claw his way through a criminal underworld after a drug deal spirals out of control. He’s got everyone on his back—gangsters, dirty politicians, and even his fellow cops—as he tries to rescue a politician’s estranged son and untangle a city-wide conspiracy. Hardy, no stranger to playing complex and dangerous characters, wears the role like a second skin. He brings that signature blend of raw intensity and emotional depth that makes him impossible to look away from.
Jessie Mei Li is a standout as Ellie, Walker’s new partner thrown into the chaos on her first day. She adds a sharp, grounded presence to the story, giving the film a necessary human touch amid the chaos.
What sets HAVOC apart from your standard genre fare is the care and craft behind every scene. Yes, it’s violent. Yes, it’s intense. But it’s also fun as hell to watch, and it moves with the confidence of a filmmaker who knows exactly what kind of story he’s telling.
In a landscape crowded with formulaic action thrillers, HAVOC is a cut above. Stylish, suspenseful, and anchored by a powerhouse performance from Hardy, it’s everything fans of dark, grown-up action cinema could want.
Kick back and enjoy the ride. We give it four stars.
HAVOC is streaming now on Netflix.
