Mayhem (2017) - A Frenzied Good Time
Trigger Warning - Drug Use
Mayhem was released in November 2017 and is currently streaming on Tubi and Shudder. It was directed by Joe Lynch, who is best known for directing Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007) and Knights of Badassdom (2012). Mayhem was written by Argentinian writer Matias Caruso. The two main stars of Mayhem are Steven Yuen (The Walking Dead) and Samara Weaving (Ash vs. Evil Dead Series, Out of the Blue). Yuen plays Derek Cho, a mid-level lawyer at Towers and Smythe Consulting (TSC) who is desperate to rise up in the company. Weaving plays Melanie Cross, a woman who is in the process of having her home repossessed by TSC. The audience meets Derek on the day he is thrown under the bus and fired from the firm by his coworker, Kara - The Siren (played by Caroline Chikezie). While this is happening we learn about a virus called the ID-7 “Red Eye”. The infected host becomes unable to follow their moral compass, thus causing them to act out on their darkest impulses. Derek was even one of the lawyers in a case where someone got away with first-degree murder, which was blamed on ID-7 influence.
After Derek is fired, security goes to escort him out. Things then take a turn when a SWAT team arrives and places the building under quarantine. By this point, the virus has spread to almost the whole building. We see people fighting, fucking, and one person even covers themselves in sticky notes. Derek sees the perfect opportunity to get revenge on his boss John Towers (played by Steven Brand) and Kara. Derek and Melanie team up so she can get revenge on TSC taking her house. Chaos ensues as Derek and Melanie let the virus guide them in their actions. However, they try to remain focused on the task at hand so as to not lose themselves completely. The quarantine is set to last for 8 hours and a neutralizing agent is distributed through the ventilation system. This countdown throughout the film adds a fun sense of urgency within the characters and keeps the film's pacing fairly consistent.
This movie is violent but coupled with the comedy, making for a delightful 90-minute watch. Watching these two characters team up to enact revenge while stuck in a building that is in total chaos and getting worse by the hour is truly captivating. Derek is an easy hero to root for especially considering how great of a villain John turns out to be. Brand plays the coked-up, selfish, asshole boss so well that he steals almost every scene he is in.
Throughout the film, Derek and Melanie become closer, and it seems there could be a budding romance between them. Nothing says a perfect first date like helping the other person take revenge on those that have wronged them. This doesn't take away from the flow of the film, which is essential. The pacing stays consistent throughout and I really loved how the audience saw how fast the virus spread around TSC.
Overall this was a very exciting and enjoyable film to watch. I would definitely give it another watch. The kills and fight scenes were exciting and the comedic dialogue made watching someone get beat up with a hammer very cathartic. Yuen and Weaving make a great pair and their initial chemistry made the story of their quick partnership seem very likely. Weaving is phenomenal with her comedic timing and wild laughter during specific scenes in the film. Yuen stays a perfect hero to root for, and watching him get up every time he is knocked down drives the audience to root for him even more. This does lean very much into comedy-horror, but I found it was an excellent watch for my partner, who is not super into dark-heavy horror movies like I am.
7 Screams out of 10😱
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