Chaos was actually very different from the usual run of the mill *yawn yawn* action movies. Maybe because I like Jason Statham so much, but I enjoyed Chaos. Sure it was predictable, but it tried to be clever, different and have that twist. And its almost funny seeing Statham switch from London to American accent all the time, and Snipes wasn't the best.. but on the whole it was a better than your average movie.
So the quick synopsis; Statham is a much maligned suspended detective called in to be a negotiator in a bank robbery. The siege becomes complicated, and the audience has to understand the past and present to unravel the future and what is really going on.
OK down to the nitty-gritty. Chaos could have been a class act if it was done just a tad differently. Snipes needed to be as controlled as he was in the beginning, Statham should have stayed English accent, and the plot (punchline) should not have been delivered with a sledgehammer - or - not trust the audience to work things out without feeling the need to spell it out TOO clearly. I am reminded of another excellent and cognitive heist movie when seeing Chaos. I will not say it's name as that may be unwittingly revealing.
Statham is one of my favourites from Lock/Stock, Transporter etc and I like his presence in every performance I have seen him in thus far. Snipes I could take or leave yet I was happy he didn't try to encompass the entire screen! but the pleasant surprise I had was with Ryan Phillipe. I think he's becoming a class actor and I would love to see him land some plum roles that highlights his talent.
Overall, Chaos tries a philosophical and clever approach that is different from the average outing; regardless of what the DVD front cover may suggest, possessing a hypnotic funky score, in general good acting and a decent enough plot... overlook the obvious anomalies, and Chaos provides value.
