"Havoc," "Freaky Tales," and "Drop": Brief and Not-So-Brief Opinions: Part 16
"I saw it a little while ago, but, um…yeah, I remember, uh, you know, it was…I liked it."
Freaky Tales, Havoc (Netflix), and Drop.
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The 'brief and not-so-brief opinions' articles are my outlet to rant about or appreciate movies, shows and their elements. I will express my thoughts while watching and after or only after watching, it depends. I will not be rating. These are not spoiler-free for the most part, and no research will be made for or about them (unless it's out of curiosity or accidental, which would be mentioned). They are in no particular order of recent watching as well. However, the opinions are based on the order in which the movie or series is viewed (for the most part). This wouldn't be as structured or detailed, and there would be no set number of picks per article. It would be just as things go. It is intended to be casual. So think…conversations about movie plots, characters, topics, or something like that.
If you like this, you can read more of my articles from my account or subscribe to me to stay updated when each is published. Feel free to comment with your opinions as well.
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Havoc (2025)
Havoc explores the consequences of choosing to engage in unlawful activities as Patrick Walker continues to bear the repercussions of the wrongdoing he and his fellow officers committed by killing an undercover officer and covering it up. Many of Patrick's consequences are imposed by Lawrence Beaumont, a politician known for his connections with the police, so much so even the Chief knows. As a homicide detective, he hopes for one last job to end his subordination and live freely for himself and his family without the "dirty money," despite the facade he puts up about it. Several people make him feel bad for working for Lawrence, including Vincent, the actual culprit of their secret and who, along with most of the others, still engages in unlawful activities. The movie infuses romance through Charlie and Mia as they support each other, with Charlie benefiting from his estranged father, Lawrence Beaumont's connections. I appreciated their mutual support and admired that Mia could fight and take care of herself.
The ending reminded me of Insomnia's ending, where, like in this one, the senior officer tells the junior officer, Ellie in this case, to do the right thing. The difference between the two movies is that Patrick is alive to serve any assigned sentence, which Vincent thought was useless but would be for all of them. Similar to Patrick's succumbing to Lawrence to protect his friends, he continues to take on challenges for them even in their deaths. This movie is bloody, instrumental-heavy, and action-packed, featuring seamless shots that enhance the cinematic experience with themes of power dynamics and family dynamics woven into the deadly standoffs, ultimately revealing that it was indeed Havoc.
Drop (2025)
Violet's attempt at getting back into the dating scene comes with more than an emotional hurdle as a mysterious character threatens her to destroy evidence before killing her date, the mayoral press photographer, Henry. Each Drop through the fictional AirDrop app becomes increasingly worrying as her son and sister are held hostage until she does the stranger's bidding. Both Henry and Violet are almost naively trusting. Henry mentioned that he knew something was wrong but kept being patient. If she were brave enough to kill him, Henry would have been a goner because he didn't do much apart from asking her questions and realizing she lied. He accepted whatever she told him, considering the possibility that she could have lied about more. I found it interesting that he wasn't on edge at all as an informant supposed to meet with the FBI, as she could have been sent to wipe the sensitive information he had on the SD card of his camera, which she did.
Curiosity killed the cat for Violet as she accepted the message request after ignoring the image requests that increasingly became more targeted. However, the ending of this movie shows that she didn't learn her lesson, which makes me a little concerned for Henry. At the end of the movie, her sister Jen sends her a DigiDrop request with the same strange profile. Although it technically wouldn't be possible since the phone used was damaged, she immediately accepts it, feeling a sinking sensation before it's revealed to be Jen. Despite the trauma and challenges posed by the Drops, the film's cinematography stands out as the strongest element, utilizing specific shots, lighting, and shadows to craft what they both regarded as a valuable online-to-offline date.
Freaky Tales (2025)
The tale of the Warrior basketball player Eric "Sleepy" Floyd's historic win is narrated by Too $hort and presented in four chapters woven into the story of Freaky Tales. These integrated narratives keep you on your toes while exploring the characters' motivations and actions, revealing the power behind the green glow that took over 1987 Oakland and empowered the town's underdogs. The characters appear in various parts, as most elements are similar yet presented from different perspectives, portraying the interconnected lives in multiple frames and formats. The initial chapter has a quality reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim, while the final chapter's quality is reminiscent of Kill Bill. The story is enjoyable as you root for the underdogs who all succeed while also observing the impact of the cosmic green glow on different characters.
It helps Sleepy Floyd play like a possessed man and win the game, gives Entice the confidence she needs as half of the Danger Zone rap duo, assists Tina and Lucid in fighting the Nazis, enables Arthur to survive his shooting, and allows Sleepy to avenge his murdered girlfriend. I liked Tom Hanks' character as a movie buff store clerk and appreciated the bit from the other store clerk, as it was believable that Hank never exited or existed. The story employs a fictional approach to depict Floyd's win against the Lakers and includes the actual Sleepy Floyd in the fictional world. With themes of revenge, justice, romance, purpose, and more, the bloody, messy, supernatural elements perfectly justify the name Freaky Tales.
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About the Creator
'Vive Akugha
I write on various things: social issues, well-being, cinema and out of curiosity. More!
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