For months I’ve been bemoaning the lack of The Raid-style action flicks. No offense to John Wick fans; I love those movies, too, but they don’t quite scratch the same itch. Well, Mayhem! might be the movie I’ve been waiting for. And it comes from an expected source: French director Xavier Gens.
Then again, perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. Gens recently directed three episodes of Gangs of London, the series created by The Raid director Gareth Evans. He also directed Hitman, Cold Skin, and Frontier(s).
One look at the Mayhem! trailer and you can see why I’m excited, and why the film has so many rave reviews. Set in Thailand, the story centers on a former professional boxer and parolee who runs afoul of a local crimelord and must exact brutal vengeance after a deadly attack.
The footage we’ve got features gruesome violence and some incredible fight choreography. Yes, please!
The film stars Nassim Lyes, Olivier Gourmet, Loryn Nounay, Sahajak Boonthanakit, and Only God Forgives star Vithaya Pansringarm.
Here’s the synopsis: “Sam (Nassim Lyes) is a professional boxer about to be released from prison in France, but while on parole, his past catches up with him and he is forced to flee the country. Five years later, he has rebuilt a simple life on an exotic island in Thailand with his wife Mia and her daughter Dara, working multiple jobs to support his family and buy a piece of land to build a restaurant. As his life begins to improve, a job gone wrong puts Sam in the crosshairs of local crime lord Narong (Olivier Gourmet), who retaliates with brutal violence. Crushed but still alive, Sam is left with only one purpose: to seek merciless and bone-breaking vengeance.”
IFC Films will debut Mayhem! in select theaters + on VOD starting January 5th, 2024.
