This article contains spoilers forHavoc.Tom Hardy’sHavochas more in common with the world ofBatmanthan it might seem.Tom Hardy’s best moviesoften have him playing complex characters with a murky background, and his character inHavocis no exception. The movie is about a cop who is tasked with rescuing a politician’s son from a corrupt city under criminal control.Havoc’s ensemble castincludes veteran actors like Luis Guzman, Forest Whitaker, and Timothy Olyphant, as well as some new faces. WhileHavocis not based on a comic book, it has a similar tone to a Tom Hardy comic book movie.
The world ofBatmanmight have started as a blend of campy and dark, but the tone oftheBatmanmovieshas grown progressively more somber over time. By the time Tom Hardy starred as the villainous (if unintelligible) Bane inThe Dark Night Rises, the more sinister vision of Gotham City and its inhabitants had become a staple of the live-action franchise. WhileTom Hardy’s characters inHavocandThe Dark Night Risesare very different, his appearance inHavocfelt like a return to Gotham City, if only in spirit.
Both Batman And Havoc’s Walker Share The Same Enemies
Image via Netflix
Havocis set in an unnamed American city, and the exact place was deliberately left ambiguous by the writer and director, Gareth Evans. The city is full of corruption and crime, perpetrated by The Triad Gang and the many crooked cops who oversee the crimes.This dangerous atmosphere makes the city inHavocextremely similar toBatman’s Gotham City, and the two even look similar. One of the first scenes inHavocinvolves a nighttime car chase, in which one character wears a neon mask, and this light and dark contrast is often used in theBatmanmovies.
With the cities in both movies being overrun by crime, the main enemy has become corruption itself.
Most ofthe villains in theBatmanmoviesare over-the-top caricatures that are so popular in comic book adaptations.When done well, theBatmanantagonists can be both iconic and terrifying, like Heath Ledger’s Joker. That said, Batman occasionally fights more realistic enemies, and these are a central part ofHavoc.
The Triad Gang is a real organization and the main adversary for Walker, Tom Hardy’s character inHavoc.With the cities in both movies being overrun by crime, the main enemy has become corruption itself, which is an all-too-real threat outside ofBatmanandHavoc.
Tom Hardy Isn’t A Villain Like Bane In Havoc, But He’s Also Not A Hero
Tom Hardy Regularly Plays Antiheroes
WhileBane is not the main antagonist inThe Dark Knight Rises, he is the most memorable in the movie, thanks to Tom Hardy’s imposing portrayal of the character. Bane is one ofthe strongestBatmanvillains, with no empathy and the desire to dominate. On the other hand, Walker is willing to break rules, but he has a moral code, and when his selfishness was tested, he tried to help rather than allow a wounded officer to be shot. Walker might be a corrupt character with questionable morals, but he is far from being the villain that Bane is.
Tom Hardy is also listed as a producer forHavoc.
Tom Hardy is well-known for playing antiheroes, and even making some of the most brutal villains relatablethrough nuanced performances.Hardy’s portrayal of the infamous gangsters, the Kray twins, is a great example of this skill. Eddie Brock, the host for Venom in theVenommovies, is a similarly conflicted character, with the movies pitting his selfish impulses against his moral code. “Mad” Max Rockatansky is arguably Tom Hardy’s best-known and most successful antihero character, and both he and Walker are trying to survive a hostile world, though the world ofHavocis slightly more habitable than inMad Max.
Havoc Will Likely Be The Closest We Get To Tom Hardy Returning For A Batman Movie
Havoc’s Ending Sets Up A Potential Sequel
The Dark Knight Risesends with Bane dyingat the hands of Catwoman, which some reviewers described as an anticlimactic moment for a character that deserved a bigger death scene. This means that it is extremely unlikely that Tom Hardy would return to Gotham City to reprise his iconic role.Havocis likely the closest movie that we can get to seeing Hardy return to Gotham City, This could be a good thing, asHavoc’s setting contains the best parts of Gotham, whileHardy is given more of a chance to emote, without being hidden behind the Bane mask.
Gareth Evans has confirmed thatWalker survives in the end ofHavoc, after his major confrontation left him wounded, with audiences unsure as to his fate. While it is not yet clear what exactly will happen to Walker after the events of the movie, Evans has said that this was deliberate, telling Netflix’sTudum,“I like the idea of the audience being able to make up their own mind about what they think Walker’s next steps will be.” This leaves the possibility of a sequel open, andwhile Hardy may not return to Gotham,Havocprovides a similar city.
