The world of action movies has always been a double-edged sword. On one hand, audiences crave the adrenaline-fueled, high-octane thrill rides that these films provide, complete with explosive set pieces, bone-crunching stunts, and charismatic leads. On the other hand, critics often yearn for a bit more substance, character depth, and a dash of realism to complement the mindless mayhem. When it comes to action blockbusters, critics want something with a bit of character depth and intriguing plotlines, while audiences just want to see bullets fly, bad guys explode in a gush of gore, and the hero defies all odds and logic to come out mostly unscathed on the other side of a tight 100-minute runtime. Gareth Evans, the director of Havoc, is not one to shy away from the bonkers action stakes. In fact, he’s not concerned about what critics might say about the believability of his film’s action sequences. As SlashFilm reported, Evans explained the thought process behind the film’s gunfights in a recent interview:
- “Every time the characters would empty a gun, they would throw it away and recycle and grab somebody else’s. So what that meant was we had to figure out and orchestrate which triad members would fall through windows and come into rooms and what guns they would have with them, so that we could logically track the weapons usage across the room.”
- “So that was something that I really wanted to [be specific about], because I know that there’ll be people complaining about, ‘Oh, it’s so unrealistic. They shoot guns all over the place!’ But really, if you check the weapons that they pick up, they are using them. They are recycling weapons throughout that space there.”
It’s clear that Evans is not worried about what critics might say about the film’s realistic portrayal of gunfights. In fact, he’s taking a more nuanced approach to action filmmaking. By providing a detailed explanation of the film’s gunfights, Evans is showing that he’s not just concerned with delivering mindless action, but also with creating a sense of realism and immersion. However, not everyone shares Evans’ approach to action filmmaking. Some critics have panned the film, calling it a “thin plot” and an “unmemorable” movie that’s best left to play in the background while you do your laundry. But what makes Havoc such a unique film in the world of action movies? For starters, it’s a Netflix original film that’s been stuck in development hell for years. The film’s long delay has likely given audiences a lot to speculate about, and when it finally arrives on streaming, it’s likely to be a major event.
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