CHAOS (2006)

SYNOPSIS:
A bank heist in Seattle, Washington is interrupted by police, and the gang holds dozens of hostages. Gang leader Lorenz (Wesley Snipes) demands to negotiate with Detective Conners (Jason Statham) who is on suspension after a botched hostage situation in which the female hostage was killed and Conners' partner dismissed. Conners is dragged out by his superiors to handle the mess, but is partnered with rookie Detective Dekker (Ryan Phillippe). The bank is surrounded, but the SWAT charge is aborted by explosives from inside, and the cops soon realize that the gang escaped in the chaos, pretending to be the hostages. As Conners and Dekker track the gang, they find some cash, but it isn't from the heist. The bank robbery, they realize, was a smokescreen for an even bigger heist. And Dekker starts following a trail that leads to people he could never have suspected ....

Review by Andrew L. Urban:
Chaos has all the ingredients for a smart action thriller centred on a bravura bank heist, with a strong cast and excellent images. The plot is complex and the twists keep you guessing - perhaps too much so. There is a feeling that the filmmakers have manipulated the audience for the sake of the big twist at the end, but the excitement level remains high.

Some clunky dialogue and a slightly wooden performance from Jason Statham (who is better cast in and as The Transporter) detract from the thrills, but Ryan Phillippe and Wesley Snipes compensate, with robust performances. Phillippe has the hardest role, playing a rookie detective who is the son of a police hero and also a well educated lad who known chaos theory and can link clues like a daisy chain.

Snipes gets to grips with a solidly imagined baddie, and there is lots of loud action to get juices going. Slightly derivative, the plot is nevertheless a well constructed thriller and the target audience will be well satisfied.