Mayhem

This is a movie that doesn't take itself seriously and neither should the viewer. With that in mind, I found Mayhem to be very entertaining. Steven Yeun (a "Walking Dead" regular) and Samara Weaving personalities were both fun to watch and provided good laughs at the right moments without trying to be too cute. This film has lots of violence and blood which I suppose could be off-putting for some, but not coupled with a lot of unnecessary special effects gore, so I didn't find any of the scenes squeamish. All said, I felt Mayhem provided an hour and a half of solid entertainment and would recommend it as an above average watch.

So this is one of those "tries to do lots of genres at once" type movies, and they're usually my favourite. The problem here wasn't so much that it felt particularly uneven or tonally conflicted: it was more just that for all the genres it dipped its toes into, it didn't really satisfy in any of them.

Was there comedy? Kind of, but I barely cracked a smile more than once or twice. Was there action? Kind of, but it wasn't particularly well-choreographed or satisfying or memorable. Was there horror? I mean... not really; I wasn't scared for a second about anything. Was there satire? Yes, but nothing the movie said was particularly exciting or substantive. Was it effective as a thriller? Sort of, in the sense that it was fast-paced and structurally sound.

However, the rest of the writing faltered, as the characters were mostly very simple, the dialogue stilted and predictable, and the resolution a little rushed. Steven Yuen does a very good job however and deserved a much better script to work with. Him, the solid direction, and the fact that the movie is not boring and moves at a good pace are a few of the reasons that keep me from wanting to call this movie "bad."

It was all just a little underwhelming, and I can't see myself remembering much about it at all by this time next week.

'Mayhem (2017)' a bit like 'Office Space (1999)' crossed with '28 Days Later... (2002)', seeing a virus that strips away all your inhibitions (which, in practice, just means it makes you want to fight and... well, you know) make its way inside a shady law firm, which sends the place into complete chaos as the CDC lock it down to perform contamination control. When it gets going, it's almost like a video-game; our heroes start in the basement and must make their way up the building to confront the big boss, aiming to obtain certain key cards along the way so that they can make use of the executive elevator. It's a mixture of dark comedy and all-out action, using its pseudo-horror concept as a catalyst for all its eponymous mayhem. It's a bit difficult to divorce the lead characters from their motives because, even though they have both been treated poorly and are infected with the virus, their revenge equates to nothing other than straight-up murder. Unlike in most movies that deal with a similar topic, this behaviour isn't criticised in any way and, without spoiling anything, it doesn't exactly lead to their downfall, which makes for a slightly uncomfortable watch. Basically, the feature clearly isn't interested in its own ethics. In fact, it even goes out of its way to provide a 'get out of jail free' card for its characters, as it's stated that nobody is legally responsible for their actions while under the effects of the virus - even though, much like alcohol, it only makes them do what they otherwise wanted to (hence, murder is still murder). If you get onboard with the picture's own mentality, it is possible to have a bit of brainless fun with it, though. After a rather rough, narration-heavy opening, the affair picks up the pace and is generally enjoyable. Its action is brutal and relatively exciting, with a sense of escalation that ultimately leads to a satisfying conclusion. The actors all do a decent job with the material (although the villain has a hard time keeping his American accent) and the filmmaking is on-point throughout. In the end, this is typically an entertaining action flick. It isn't distinct or, even, well-executed enough to stand out from its peers (and its morals are, shall we say, a bit iffy), but it's a solid effort that successfully straddles a couple of genres. 6/10.

This was a breath of fresh air and I loved every minute of it and to be honest this was one for the B list actors as A lister's I feel would have ruined it?

Samara Weaving is one to watch out for and will no doubt soon be in big blockbusters!! Great actress who very much looks like Margot Robbie but fitter and has more of a presents on screen. She did great in The Babysitter too. My new Favourite female actress for sure.

Any way back to the movie...

The special effects was above par for the budget and acting was solid all round!

I am sure if an A lister was in this movie it would have made it into the mainstream Cinema's and not just 'Film Festival'

9 out of 10

And far better than it had any right to be. Helped a lot by Stephen Yuen, who damn well ought to be in a lot more movies. Samara Weaving (very good in Netflix' "The Baby-Sitter") adds a lot to the film as well.

Think of it as a grind-house Office Space, and you won't go wrong. Lots of blood, profanity, and (oddly enough) the slightest touches of profundity.

Don't expect anything more than over-the-top violence, weird laughs, and blistering payback and you'll have a good, if low-brow time.