Cameras originally started rolling on Chaos Walking way back in 2017, but when their respective Marvel and Star Wars roles rocketed Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley to superstardom, getting them back for what’s been reported to be essential reshoots proved difficult. A series of delays followed, but the movie is finally here (it arrives in U.S. theaters this Friday and is currently “Coming Soon” in the UK and many other parts of the world thanks to COVID), and it’s by no means the disaster some online pundits would have you believe.
There are admittedly some telltale signs of additional photography, whether it’s a character having sunglasses in one scene, regular glasses the next, and then sunglasses again, or haircuts which don’t quite match up. For the most part, though, these are very minor issues, and nowhere near as problematic as, say, 2015’s Fantastic Four.
Set on a world where women have disappeared, we learn that the men left behind have been afflicted by “The Noise,” which means their thoughts are on full display for everyone to see and hear. Todd (Holland) has managed to master this to an extent, but his world is turned upside down when Voila (Ridley) crash lands on the planet, and it becomes his mission to return her to her ship before the cruel Mayor of Prentisstown (Mads Mikkelsen) uses the mysterious young woman for his own nefarious means. It’s a relatively straightforward premise, but one which is enhanced by the movie’s creative way of portraying “The Noise,” and the massive amount of chemistry Holland and Ridley share on screen.
Holland is on top form as a young man realising the world around him isn’t what it seems, all while falling for the first girl he’s ever met. With his thoughts on full display, the actor really does make us believe in his burgeoning feelings for Viola, and the budding romance between them (well, from his side at least) becomes one of the most entertaining, enjoyable parts of the movie. Ridley is fantastic as well, establishing that there’s more to her than just “Rey Skywalker,” and proving she’s an expert at delivering layered, strong female characters who stand on their own two feet. Neither a love interest nor a sidekick, she’s a crucial part of Chaos Walking, and remains a talent to watch out for. David Oyelowo, Kurt Sutter, and Nick Jonas all deliver fairly memorable turns, though Oyelowo’s deranged preacher proves to be one of the weirder elements of the film. As for Mads Mikkelsen, the sinister charm he brings to the table as Prentisstown’s mayor proves to be good fun; we just wish we’d been able to spend a little more time with him as that might have gone a long way in better establishing his motives.
On that note, it wouldn’t have been a bad thing for Chaos Walking to focus more on better explaining and fleshing out the world the story takes place in (another twenty minutes on the running time wouldn’t have hurt), but things still play out in a way that should leave you wanting more by the time the credits roll. There’s definitely some franchise potential here, and enough clever and inventive moments to make you curious about how the ideas introduced in this movie could be expanded on and developed. With so much of the story devoted to Todd and Viola being on the run, it also makes for exciting viewing much of the time, and there’s plenty of fun to be had with “The Noise” (as well as the humour found in the unlikely bond the two leads form). The premise alone is undeniably compelling, and despite a handful of missteps, this could still prove to be the perfect film for sci-fi fans thanks to some thrilling action, unexpected twists, and two leads with heaps of chemistry.
With so much conflicting information about what happened behind-the-scenes, it would be easy to watch Chaos Walking in a jaded, negative way. As mentioned, there are traces of reshoots, but when the movie works, it works really well. The story manages to hook you despite any bumps in the road, and while some ideas and characters are brushed over a little too quickly - the planet’s aliens, for example, play only a very minor role in the story despite initially appearing to be pivotal to the plot - it would be unfair to say that what director Doug Liman was going for here isn’t as ambitious or intriguing as Edge of Tomorrow. It doesn’t come together quite as well as that movie, perhaps because Patrick Ness and Christopher Ford’s screenplay tries to do too much too soon, and ultimately isn’t quite as engrossing.
Focusing on Tom and Daisy ultimately proves to be the best decision for Chaos Walking, as it goes a long way towards making it easier to ignore any flaws; they’re there, though, and what works for some in the movie, won’t work for others. The pieces don’t always fall into place perfectly, but if you’re a fan of the two leads and in need of an enjoyable blockbuster, this is a solid pick.
Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley are terrific together in the fun, if somewhat flawed Chaos Walking, a movie with some great ideas that doesn’t always manage to pull them off, but makes for exciting and enjoyable viewing when it does.