I think I’ve talked about this before either in written form or on our audio podcast. I’ve been giving a lot of thought recently to how environments and events shape how we as individuals act, think, and even what we believe. Sometimes it places us on a path where we find ourselves in a new career. I wouldn’t be here typing this now if I hadn’t been impacted by major events that shaped me as a child and young man. I do suicide prevention because I lost a friend to suicide when I was a teenager. It’s an indescribable thing that I would never wish upon anyone. My parents raised me in church, and that is one of the main reasons I believe what I believe now.
I recently came across an indie film that depicted a marriage of abuse. Viewers learn about the environments of the abuser before we ever get to see him as a man. Violence breeds violence as they say and intergenerational trauma is a terrifying and real reality. As children, we will believe nearly anything our parents tell us. We’ve built up holidays and cultural movements around such beliefs in Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny. After all, why would a parent lie to their child? There are a lot darker truths we could talk about with such practices but I believe you understand my point.
Unfortunately for Tom Holland’s Todd Hewitt he was led to believe a plague wiped out all women from existence. With that, he was also led to believe that men inherited a gift where men can hear one another’s thoughts. Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman brings Todd’s story to life in Chaos Walking. Chaos depicts this dystopian story through the lens of Holland as he uncovers the truth about the world around him. Daisy Ridley, of Star Wars fame, co-stars alongside Holland as a woman who begins to shake up his sense of reality after she crash lands on New World, Holland’s home world.
Ridley and Holland have good chemistry between one another. That might be some of the only good things Chaos has to offer. Both actors do a fine job with the material they are given but never feel like they are truly committing. The rest of the cast around the two can be somewhat puzzling at times. Nick Jonas, who plays the Mayor’s (Mads Mikkelsen) son, is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. At first he’s presented as a potential antagonist for Holland. Then as the film proceeds his role seems to be nothing more than a glorified extra. He brings nothing to the larger narrative in question. He’s not the only one. Early in the film we meet this world’s version of a fire and brimstone preacher in David Oyelowo’s Aaron. Same case with this character he is presented as another potential antagonist. He is reduced rather quickly to a stock character who occasionally gets to remind the viewers that the wrath of God is coming.
With characters like these two, the movie feels longer than it actually should be. The narrative is heavily weighted down with plot points that derail the narrative rather than advance the story. Perhaps the biggest fault of the movie, which is ironically its defining feature, is the noise. The noise basically allows every male to have their thoughts seen. It makes them vulnerable. The way in which they present is visually stunning. That’s about the only cool thing about it. It's used as attempted humor between Holland and Ridley. Most of the jokes fail, due to the fact of them feeling tonally off from the remainder of the movie. It’s as if these scenes were Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker in these scenarios and not Todd Hewitt.
Chaos is just a boring movie. There are a few times where I found myself chuckling. Outside of that and being mildly wowed by the visual aesthetic of the noise, this movie is drawn out and bland. The action is dry. The humor is non-existent. Worst of all, this film presents no compelling evidence of a decent villain. Mikkelsen is a two-dimensional, cliche bad guy who embodies every offensive stereotype about men and the stigma surrounding their mental health. More on that fact below in our mental health moment. This film is just dry and borders on a waste of time.
Overall, Chaos Walking is an extreme disappointment. The film has an immensely talented cast in Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, Mads Mikkelsen, and Nick Jonas that all go to waste. Holland and Ridley are okay and have a good chemistry but that’s fair from saying anything. Characters suffer from no development or are just bland and one note. The best thing Chaos Walking can offer its viewers is the credits at the end letting them know their torture is over.
RORSCHACH RATING:
Mental Health Moment: There is already a huge stigma around men’s mental health. For some reason we are still stuck in this way of thinking that says men can’t have feelings. If we do have them we have bottled them up and hid them. Men have to be strong. Apparently this is something that comes with us into the future. Chaos Walking takes place a few hundred years into the future. A planet where men have the gift of the noise where we are constantly telling our most vulnerable secrets and thoughts.
This should help kill the stigma, right? Nope. Even with this gift men still have found a way to hide their feelings. From a mental health advocate, and a man, this might be one of the worst things about Chaos Walking. I understand mental health is something hard to discuss. As men we have to start to let our guard down to talk about our mental health and emotional health. After all, society says we are strong. If society says we are strong shouldn’t we be strong enough to talk about our mental health even if rejection or mockery is a feared result?
I get it; easier said than done. Find one person who you can be vulnerable with. When I got married that one person was my wife. From there it began to increase more and more to other men and eventually led me here to the platform of Victims and Villains. It’s a process. Much like Bruce Wayne says, “start with the one and then move on.” When you’re comfortable with. one move onto another. This is how we see stigma erased.
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message, or tweet at us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Chaos Walking is property of Lionsgate Pictures. We do not own nor claim any rights.
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