Revenge is a dish best served cold, as they say. Xavier Gens’ new action epicMayhem!is actually titledFarangin its own language, which in Thai refers to someone who is of Western ancestry. This can be said about the film’s lead character; Samir, played with a ferocious intensity by the dashing Nassim Lyes. Samir is a French ex-convict who is out for blood after the mob tracks him down and wreaks havoc on his now-peaceful existence.Mayhem!just screened atBeyond Festin Los Angeles to a crowd that was cacophonous with shrieks and applause as Samir fistfights his way through an endless stream of villains.
We’ve seen this tale time and time again on the big screen, butMayhem!stands out for its no-holds-barred violence that would certainlymake martial artistsand stunt coordinators — especially folks behindThe Raidfilms — proud.
‘The Past Ain’t Through With Us’
It’s always a treat when a solitary film takes us around the globe within its story, andMayhem!joins that list. The bulk of the tale takes place in Thailand, where our stern but often gentle protagonist goes by “Sam.” But when the film opens, in France, he is Samir, a boxer-turned-criminal who serves time for a mobster that won’t leave him alone, even after Samir serves good time and is back in society.
He takes a job in construction, where he finds success on both a professional and social level, but his previous life simply won’t leave him alone. Samir is ultimately chased through the streets one day, and after the accidental death of one ofthe mob’s hitmen, Samir must flee. There is another saying that can be applied here: “We may be through with the past, but the past ain’t through with us,” as the characters in Paul Thomas Anderson’sMagnoliawill tell you.
V/H/S/85 Review: Latest Found-Footage Installment Shines in Vintage Analog Fashion
The 1980s — perhaps the best of all film decades — is gloriously highlighted in yet another gory entry to the V/H/S franchise.
Cut to five years later, and “Sam” is leading a seemingly pleasant and innocent life in East Thailand, married to the lovely Mia (Loryn Nounay) and caring for their daughter Dara (Chananticha Tang-Kwa). Mia works at a bar owned by their pal, Sombat (Sahajak Boonthanakit), while Sam works at a resort and moonlights as a professional fighter. There is nothing glamorous about this side gig, however. Sam is doing what he can to make a buck, which means occasionally throwing fights for a better payout. That’s something his trainer Hansa (the terrific Vithaya Pansringarm) doesn’t exactly stand for, but Sam is doing what he can to save for a new shorefront property. But even that isn’t enough, so Sam must face his demons, in an indirect sort of way, and turn back to a life of crime in this newer Thai environment.
The life of a mobsterexists in all corners of the world, as it turns out. Sam sets a meeting with a fellow French native, a crime lord named Narong (Olivier Gourmet, playing sleaze to perfection) who agrees to hire Sam for a job. Since Sam is connected to the local airport via his hotel gig, he is enlisted to move some narcotics by using an airport entry badge. It all goes well, and they live happily ever after —
Just kidding. The airport operation doesn’t exactly run smoothly, and Sam is forced to run — quite literally. Then, tragedy strikes, as Sam returns to his home now up in flames. Narong has sent his men after Sam, apparently because Sam botched the mission. Sam plunges into the water under his burning residence, and everyone thinks he’s dead. But quite the opposite at this point: Not only is his blood still pumping, but now he’s out for vengeance. Or punishment, depending on how you look at it.
The 50 Best Action Movies of All Time, Ranked
The action genre is a difficult one to master, but these films have become iconic as some of the best action movies ever made.
First-Pumping for the Good Guy
With the help of Hansa, Samir travels throughout Thailand to track down Narong and find what’s left of his own family. He wanders the streets, mingling with adult-suited nightlife, despite his utter lack of interest, to see where the villains are hiding out. And this is one of the many waysMayhem!succeeds as a film, by bringing us to a wide variety of locations within France and Thailand, making for a well-rounded story of redemption.
A surviving member of Samir’s immediate family has been trafficked to Bangkok, where the climactic third act will keep you at the edge of your seat. Let’s not forget that Sam is still Samir, a former professionally trained fighter from France, so he more than unleashes his plethora of fighting skills on the many villains who stand in his way as he gets closer and closer to Narong. There’s an elevator scene that will probably make you jump out of your seat and fist-pump, a thrilling hand-to-hand combat sequence that holds nothing back.
Mayhem!is quite the title for a film (exclamation point included), almost as succinct asKill, another acclaimed film— and perhaps just as violent — that just screened during Beyond Fest in SoCal. Besides the bloody nature ofMayhem!, it also helps that Lyes is a charming actor, likable presence, with a soft-spoken voice to match his family-man demeanor (when he’s not bashing villains' brains in, of course). Overall,Mayhem!is a must-see for action-movie junkies and cinephiles everywhere.
