Mayhem
by Paulette Reynolds
November 9, 2017
Director: Joe Lynch
Screenplay: Matias Caruso
Derek Cho/Steven Yeun, Melanie Cross/Samara Weaving, John, The Boss/Steven Brand, Kara, The Siren/Caroline Chikezie, Lester, The Reaper/Dallas Roberts, Irene Smythe/Kerry Fox, Ewan Niles/Mark Frost
by Paulette Reynolds
November 9, 2017
Director: Joe Lynch
Screenplay: Matias Caruso
Derek Cho/Steven Yeun, Melanie Cross/Samara Weaving, John, The Boss/Steven Brand, Kara, The Siren/Caroline Chikezie, Lester, The Reaper/Dallas Roberts, Irene Smythe/Kerry Fox, Ewan Niles/Mark Frost
Mayhem is a smart takedown of one man’s unwilling climb up the corporate ladder, masquerading as a Millennial horror film. Steven Yeun plays Derek Cho, a low-level lawyer who has a love-hate relationship with his job and a scalding hatred for all things Management.
One moment Derek can come to the aid of a co-worker and then promptly have a meltdown over a favorite coffee cup. He isolates from his family and makes excuses as to why he can’t find the time to explore his love of painting. His input during a landmark case won him a promotion and a corner office, but Derek finds no joy in either.
"Move aside, pussies."
His eagle eye found a loophole in a case involving one Neville Reed, charged with murdering a co-worker during the first Red Eye Virus episode. This virus, lasting eight hours, caused all the infected workers to experience increased rage, aggression and violence, resulting in - you guessed it - mayhem.
"Don't nailgun the messenger."
On this particular day in question, our working-class hero finds himself fired after being set up by one of his bosses. But an outbreak of the virus attacks everyone in the building, forcing Derek to endure an eight hour quarantine. He teams up with Melanie, a victim of the corporation’s callous indifference, and they decide to create a little mayhem of their own.
"I'm going to have to file that
under N - for Not My Fucking Problem."
under N - for Not My Fucking Problem."
The cast and crew succeeds in making Mayhem one of the cinematic delights of 2017, and that’s high praise from a reviewer who can’t stand the average horror film. But that’s the point - there isn’t anything average about it - and that makes a rare treat for this cinephile.
Mayhem romps through slick one-liners and buckets of blood, allowing us to vicariously get revenge on all those sneaky middle managers and the greedy power brokers on the top floor. I’m already looking forward to Mayhem 2.
COPYRIGHT 2012/2018. Paulette Reynolds. All CineMata Movie Madness blog articles, reviews, faux interviews, commentary, and the Cine Mata character are under the sole ownership of Paulette Reynolds. All intellectual and creative rights reserved.
