Chaos (2005 action film)

Last updated
Chaos
Chaos (2006 film) poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Tony Giglio
Written byTony Giglio
Produced by
  • Michael Derbas
  • Gavin Wilding
  • Huw Penallt Jones
Starring
Cinematography Richard Greatrex
Edited bySean Barton
Music by Trevor Jones
Production
companies
Möbius International
Epsilon Motion Pictures
Current Entertainment
Rampage Entertainment
Chaotic Productions
Pierce/Williams Entertainment
Distributed by
Release date
  • December 15, 2005 (2005-12-15)(UAE)
Running time
106 minutes
Countries
  • Canada [1]
  • United Kingdom [1]
  • United States [2]
LanguageEnglish
BudgetC$30 million [1]
(US$16.2 million)
Box officeUS$7 million [3]

Chaos is a 2005 action thriller film starring Jason Statham, Ryan Phillippe and Wesley Snipes, and written and directed by Tony Giglio. The film premiered in the United Arab Emirates on December 15, 2005, but did not receive a North American release until over two years later, where it was distributed direct-to-DVD on February 19, 2008.

Contents

Plot

Seattle PD Detective Quentin Conners and his partner Jason York are implicated in the death of a hostage taken by a carjacker named John Curtis. After a fellow police officer, Callo, testifies against them, Conners is suspended, and York is fired. In reality, York tried to shoot Curtis, but accidentally killed the hostage. Curtis in turn fired back, and Conners killed him in self-defense.

Some time later, Lorenz and four other criminals take hostages in a bank. Lorenz has only one demand, to negotiate with Conners. Conners is reinstated but put under the surveillance of a new partner, the recently-graduated Shane Dekker. Conners is given control of the negotiations, and after a bank teller is shot, he orders a SWAT unit to cut the building's power and go in. During an explosion, the criminals flee during the ensuing panic and chaos.

Dekker and Conners learn more about each other at a local diner, slowly building a friendship, but Dekker disapproves of Conners' "cowboy cop" methods. Dekker explains that during negotiations, Lorenz was making many cryptic references to chaos theory. As they leave to examine new evidence, Conners puts a ten dollar bill on the table for his share of the bill. Dekker swaps the ten for a twenty of his own. A TV camera caught a shot of one of the criminals, who is arrested together with his girlfriend at her home, where banknotes are found with a scent used to mark evidence collected by the police. The banknote serial numbers did not come from that day's robbery, but had been placed in police storage and signed out two weeks earlier by Callo. He is found shot dead in his home, together with incriminating evidence linking him to the heist.

When reviewing video footage from the bank, Dekker notices one corner of the bank is deliberately shielded from view. In that corner, they find the bank regional manager's computer. Fingerprints on the keyboard reveal the identity of a hacker that Conners himself had arrested, but whose conviction was overturned after the shooting on the bridge. He had placed a virus in the bank system that would transfer about a billion $$ in thousands of small transactions around the world. Conners and Dekker want to question the hacker, but he is shot dead by Lorenz, and a gunfight ensues, during which Lorenz manages to escape. Dekker questions the hospitalized bank robber identified in the news footage and finally breaks him when he casually explains the impact of a massive overdose of morphine while slowly injecting something into the suspect's drip. An amazed Conners watches and later calls him a hypocrite. Dekker responds by explaining he only injected more saline solution.

The suspect reveals Lorenz is Scott Curtis, the brother of John shot earlier, and Conners leads a stakeout at an address where all the gang are to meet that night; Scott's house. Forced to go before Scott arrives, a shootout results in both suspects' deaths, and a bomb blows up the building while Conners is inside. Dekker is devastated but realizes that Callo's signature requesting material from the evidence storage was forged by the evidence custody officer, who reveals that Scott is actually York. In a flashback, York stands on the bridge and fires the first shot, killing the hostage in the opening sequence. Tracking Lorenz/York's mobile phone, Dekker surprises York at a diner, and York takes a woman hostage in a reversal of the standoff on the bridge. Dekker chases and eventually kills York.

When Dekker pays for his coffee at the diner, he discovers the banknote Conners used to pay for lunch with is also scented, which means Conners was also involved in taking the money from police evidence. Dekker finds a copy of James Gleick's Chaos: Making a New Science in Conners' house, showing he had faked an earlier ignorance of the mathematics. On a hunch, Dekker looks for airline tickets booked in Gleick's name and runs to the airport.

During a mobile call between the now disguised Conners and the searching Dekker at the busy airport, flashbacks reveal how the seemingly unconnected events in the film form a pattern, just as predicted in chaos theory. Conners reveals that he placed his badge on the corpse of one of York's henchmen before the explosion. Conners and York recruited a group of ex-convicts from their past. Callo was framed for being a dirty cop. Conners ends the call, walks casually to a private jet, and takes off while sipping champagne.

Cast

Production

The film was a co-production between the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Principal photography took place in Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia,[ citation needed ] in locations including Simon Fraser University and the Burrard Street Bridge.

The film was originally set to be produced by Franchise Pictures with distribution by Warner Bros., which began to suffer serious financial problems early into production due to the failures of its previous film Battlefield Earth, and allegations of fraud concerning artificial inflation of the film's budget to increase investment from German production company Intertainment AG. [4] [5] This led Franchise's then-parent company Mobius International to take over production. Due to last-minute budgetary constraints imposed by the new producers, the film's script was heavily rewritten to accommodate a reduced shooting schedule (40 days to 22 days). Lead actor Jason Statham had signed a two-picture deal with Franchise, a deal which included both Chaos and a heist film titled Baker Street. The latter was placed on hold after Franchise filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, where it was eventually produced by Relativity Media and released in 2008 under the title The Bank Job .

Release

Screen Gems at one point was attached as the film's theatrical distributor, but a financial deal couldn't be made regarding release prints and advertising between the studio and producers. Eventually Lionsgate picked up the film and went through the same drama with producers, leading to a three-year delay in the film's North American release.[ citation needed ]

Reception

Michael S. Gant of Metro Silicon Valley wrote, "The plot depends on an impossible chain of coincidences, but there are some decent car chases." [6] Ian Jane of DVD Talk rated it 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "Chaos has a nice twist towards the end but is otherwise riddled with bad action movie clichés and poorly written dialogue." [7] Jeffrey Kauffman, also of DVD Talk, rated it 3/5 stars and wrote, "Chaos isn't a bad film; it just isn't a very good one either." [8] Tom Becker of DVD Verdict wrote, "Chaos isn't a great movie, but it's entertaining and manages to keep you off-kilter for much of its running time. While the film is ultimately too clever for its own good, Giglio gets points for trying to smart-up the genre." [9] Also writing for DVD Verdict, David Johnson said, "Chaos may not redefine what's possible in the police suspense thriller, but it's satisfying and entertaining enough to earn a look-see by fans of the genre or anyone hankering for a decent, plot-twist-heavy actioner." [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Heartbreakers</i> (2001 film) 2001 comedy film by David Mirkin

Heartbreakers is a 2001 American romantic crime comedy film directed by David Mirkin and written by Robert Dunn, Paul Guay, and Stephen Mazur. The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ray Liotta, Jason Lee, and Gene Hackman. It marks the last onscreen film appearance of Anne Bancroft before her death in June 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Statham</span> English actor (born 1967)

Jason Statham is an English actor and martial artist. He is known for portraying characters in various action-thriller films who are typically tough, gritty, or violent. Statham has been credited for leading the resurgence of action films during the 2000s and 2010s. His film career through 2017 generated over $1.5 billion in ticket sales, making him one of the film industry's most bankable stars.

<i>The Transporter</i> 2002 film by Louis Leterrier

The Transporter is a 2002 English-language French action film directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. The film was inspired by the short film series The Hire. It is the first installment in the Transporter franchise and stars Jason Statham, alongside Shu Qi, François Berléand, Matt Schulze, and Ric Young. In the film, Frank Martin, a British mercenary driver living in France, finds himself involved in a people smuggling plot.

<i>Night of the Creeps</i> 1986 American comedy horror film directed by Fred Dekker

Night of the Creeps is a 1986 American science fiction horror comedy film written and directed by Fred Dekker in his feature directorial debut, starring Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow, and Tom Atkins. The film is an earnest attempt at a B movie and an homage to the genre. While the main plot of the film is related to zombies, the film also mixes in takes on slashers and alien invasion films. Night of the Creeps did not perform well at the box office, but it developed a cult following.

<i>Inside Man</i> 2006 film by Spike Lee

Inside Man is a 2006 American crime thriller film directed by Spike Lee and written by Russell Gewirtz. It centers on an elaborate bank heist-turned-hostage situation on Wall Street. The film stars Denzel Washington as Detective Keith Frazier, the NYPD's hostage negotiator, Clive Owen as Dalton Russell, the mastermind who orchestrates the heist, and Jodie Foster as Madeleine White, a Manhattan fixer who becomes involved at the request of the bank's founder Arthur Case to keep something in his safe deposit box protected from the robbers.

Living & Dying is a 2007 film starring Edward Furlong and Michael Madsen. The film was shot on location in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. It was released on DVD in the US on December 25, 2007. Living & Dying tells the story of two killers who turn the tables on a group of bank robbers after a botched heist.

<i>Crank</i> (film) 2006 American action film

Crank is a 2006 American action film written and directed by Neveldine/Taylor in their directorial debuts. It stars Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Efren Ramirez, and Dwight Yoakam. The title of the film comes from a slang word for methamphetamine. In the film, Chev Chelios, a Los Angeles–based hitman, is poisoned by a synthetic drug and must keep his adrenaline flowing constantly in order to keep himself alive, while trying to track down the person who poisoned him.

<i>Transporter</i> (franchise) French action-thriller film series

Transporter is a French action thriller film franchise, comprising four films released between 2002 and 2015, and a television series. Jason Statham plays Frank Martin in the first three movies, a professional freelance courier driver for hire. Statham, an accomplished martial artist, performed many combat scenes involving Frank Martin by himself. This permits the franchise's signature Hong Kong-style fight scenes, choreographed by Corey Yuen. Chris Vance portrayed Martin in the sequel television series and Ed Skrein portrays him in the fourth film, a reboot.

<i>Crank: High Voltage</i> 2009 American action film

Crank: High Voltage is a 2009 American action film directed by Neveldine/Taylor and stars Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Clifton Collins Jr., Efren Ramirez, Bai Ling, David Carradine and Dwight Yoakam. It is the sequel to the 2006 film Crank and also features several cameo appearances of celebrities from various entertainment media. In the film, Chev Chelios survives from the deadly fall and gets kidnapped by Chinese doctors, who harvest his heart and replace it with an artificial one, which is designed to keep him alive for an hour. Chev sets out to find his heart while keeping himself electrically charged to stay alive.

<i>The Chaos Experiment</i> 2009 film

The Chaos Experiment is a 2009 independent suspense thriller directed by Philippe Martinez and starring Val Kilmer, Armand Assante, and Eric Roberts.

<i>13</i> (2010 film) 2010 thriller film directed by Géla Babluani

13 is a 2010 American psychological crime thriller film directed by Géla Babluani, stars Sam Riley, Ray Winstone, 50 Cent, Mickey Rourke and Jason Statham. It is a remake of the 2005 Georgian-French film 13 Tzameti.

The Factory is a 2012 American crime thriller film directed by Morgan O'Neill and starring John Cusack, Mae Whitman, Dallas Roberts, Mageina Tovah, Cindy Sampson, and Jennifer Carpenter. In the film, Cusack plays a Buffalo, New York cop who has been chasing a serial kidnapper who abducts young women.

<i>The Killing Jar</i> (film) 2010 American film

The Killing Jar is a 2010 American crime thriller film written and directed by Mark Young. It stars Michael Madsen as a psychopath who takes the occupants of a remote diner hostage, only to realize that one of them is more dangerous than the gunman. Amber Benson stars as Noreen, a waitress at the Diner.

<i>Blitz</i> (2011 film) 2011 British action thriller film

Blitz is a 2011 British action thriller film directed by Elliott Lester, written by Nathan Parker, and starring Jason Statham, Paddy Considine, Aidan Gillen and David Morrissey. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Ken Bruen, which features his recurring characters Detective Sergeant Tom Brant and Chief Inspector James Roberts. The narrative follows a violent police officer trying to catch a serial killer who has been murdering police officers in South East London.

<i>Safe</i> (2012 film) 2012 American action thriller film

Safe is a 2012 American action thriller film written and directed by Boaz Yakin, produced by Lawrence Bender, Dana Brunetti and Joseph Zolfo and starring Jason Statham, Chris Sarandon, Robert John Burke and James Hong. In the film, Luke Wright, an ex-cop and former cage fighter, winds up protecting a gifted child being chased by the Russian mafia, Chinese Triads and corrupt NYPD officers.

<i>Lupin the 3rd vs. Detective Conan: The Movie</i> 2013 Japanese film

Lupin III vs. Detective Conan: The Movie is a 2013 Japanese animated action comedy film directed by Hajime Kamegaki. It is the second crossover between the Lupin III and Detective Conan characters following the television special Lupin III vs. Detective Conan (2009). Incorporating various elements from its predecessor, the story follows Conan Edogawa who sets out to apprehend Lupin III, the suspect of stealing a jewel called the Cherry Sapphire.

<i>The Transporter Refueled</i> 2015 film

The Transporter Refueled is a 2015 action thriller film directed by Camille Delamarre and written by Bill Collage, Adam Cooper, and Luc Besson. It serves as a reboot and the fourth film in the Transporter franchise. It stars Ed Skrein as Frank Martin, alongside Ray Stevenson, Loan Chabanol, Gabriella Wright, Tatjana Pajković, Yu Wenxia, Radivoje Bukvić, Lenn Kudrjawizki, Anatole Taubman, and Noémie Lenoir. In the film, Frank finds himself caught up in a bank heist and kidnapping plot orchestrated by Anna (Chabanol).

<i>Hobbs & Shaw</i> 2019 film by David Leitch

Hobbs & Shaw is a 2019 action buddy comedy film directed by David Leitch from a script by Chris Morgan and Drew Pearce. It is the first spin-off film and the overall ninth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, set after the events of The Fate of the Furious (2017). It stars Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Eiza González, Cliff Curtis and Helen Mirren. In the film, Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Statham) joins Deckard's sister Hattie Shaw (Kirby) to take down Brixton Lore (Elba), a cybernetically enhanced terrorist, who is threatening the world with a deadly virus.

<i>Wrath of Man</i> 2021 action thriller film directed by Guy Ritchie

Wrath of Man is a 2021 action thriller film directed by Guy Ritchie, who co-wrote with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies. It is loosely based on the 2004 French film Cash Truck. It is Ritchie's fourth directorial collaboration with lead actor Jason Statham, and the first since Revolver (2005). Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Chris Reilly, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonso, Raúl Castillo, DeObia Oparei, Eddie Marsan and Scott Eastwood appear in supporting roles. In the film, H (Statham) is a new cash truck driver in Los Angeles whose thwarting of a robbery leads to his skillset with guns and mysterious past being questioned.

<i>Expend4bles</i> 2023 film by Scott Waugh

Expend4bles is a 2023 American action comedy film that is the fourth installment in The Expendables franchise, following The Expendables 3 (2014). The film stars an ensemble cast including Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture reprising their roles from previous films, with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais and Andy García joining the cast. It is directed by Scott Waugh from a screenplay by Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart, and Max Adams, based on a story by Spenser Cohen, Wimmer, and Daggerhart.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "CANADA Production Listings - June 22 2004". Screen Daily . 22 June 2004. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Chaos (2005)". BFI. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
  3. ↑ "Chaos (2005)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  4. ↑ "Movie & TV News @ IMDb.com - Studio Briefing - 6 June 2002". IMDb . 2008-12-16. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 2017-12-16. FBI Probes Big Indie Budgets
  5. ↑ "Franchise, Intertainment duel". archive.is. 2013-01-25. Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
  6. ↑ Gant, Michael S. "Chaos". Metro Silicon Valley . Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Jane, Ian (21 February 2008). "Chaos". DVD Talk . Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Chaos (Blu-ray)". DVD Talk . 5 August 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  9. ↑ Becker, Tom (19 February 2008). "Chaos (2005)". DVD Verdict . Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  10. ↑ Johnson, David (11 August 2009). "Chaos (Blu-Ray)". DVD Verdict . Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.