Chaos Walking
Two unlikely companions embark on a perilous adventure through the badlands of an unexplored planet as they try to escape a dangerous and disorienting reality, where all inner thoughts are seen and heard by everyone.
The film commercial failure against its significant budget of $125.0M, earning $26.5M globally (-79% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its bold vision within the fantasy genre.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Chaos Walking (2021) demonstrates meticulously timed narrative architecture, characteristic of Doug Liman's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 12-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 49 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Todd Hewitt
Viola Eade
David Prentiss
Ben Moore
Aaron
Cillian Boyd
Hildy
Davy Prentiss Jr.
Main Cast & Characters
Todd Hewitt
Played by Tom Holland
A young man living in a world where all thoughts are audible as Noise, who discovers a mysterious girl who crash-lands on his planet.
Viola Eade
Played by Daisy Ridley
A young woman from a scout ship who crash-lands on New World and lacks Noise, making her a mystery to the all-male settlement.
David Prentiss
Played by Mads Mikkelsen
The authoritarian mayor of Prentisstown who seeks to control New World and will stop at nothing to capture Viola.
Ben Moore
Played by Demián Bichir
Todd's adoptive father who raises him with compassion and teaches him to control his Noise in preparation for a dangerous truth.
Aaron
Played by David Oyelowo
A fanatical preacher loyal to Prentiss who relentlessly pursues Todd and Viola with disturbing determination.
Cillian Boyd
Played by Cynthia Erivo
Todd's other adoptive father who works alongside Ben to protect Todd from the dark secrets of Prentisstown.
Hildy
Played by Mads Mikkelsen
The leader of Farbranch settlement and a woman who represents hope for a different future on New World.
Davy Prentiss Jr.
Played by Nick Jonas
Mayor Prentiss's son who struggles between following his father's cruel orders and his own moral compass.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Todd Hewitt lives in Prentisstown, a settlement of only men on New World where everyone can hear each other's thoughts as "Noise." He works on his adoptive fathers' farm, an outsider struggling to control his thoughts in a world without privacy.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Todd discovers a pocket of silence in the swamp—Viola's crashed scout ship. He encounters the first girl he has ever seen, a shock that disrupts everything he knows about the world and threatens the lies Prentisstown is built on.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Todd chooses to flee into the wilderness with Viola after Prentiss's men kill Cillian. He leaves the only home he's known, crossing the bridge out of Prentisstown into the unknown wilderness with a girl he barely knows., moving from reaction to action.
At 55 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Prentiss's army attacks Farbranch, slaughtering the settlement. Todd witnesses the ruthless violence of Prentiss's plan to conquer all settlements before Viola's colony ship arrives. The stakes escalate from personal survival to preventing genocide., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 82 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Ben is killed by Mayor Prentiss while protecting Todd and Viola. Todd loses his last father figure and protector, leaving him alone to face Prentiss. The whiff of death—Ben's sacrifice represents the end of Todd's childhood innocence., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 88 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Todd confronts Prentiss and his army at the communications tower. He protects Viola while she warns the incoming colony ship. Todd defeats Davy and stands up to Prentiss, breaking the mayor's psychological control and choosing his own path., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Chaos Walking's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 12 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Chaos Walking against these established plot points, we can identify how Doug Liman utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Chaos Walking within the fantasy genre.
Doug Liman's Structural Approach
Among the 11 Doug Liman films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Chaos Walking represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Doug Liman filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional fantasy films include Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Conan the Barbarian and Batman Forever. For more Doug Liman analyses, see Go, Jumper and The Bourne Identity.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Todd Hewitt lives in Prentisstown, a settlement of only men on New World where everyone can hear each other's thoughts as "Noise." He works on his adoptive fathers' farm, an outsider struggling to control his thoughts in a world without privacy.
Theme
Ben tells Todd, "A man's gotta know when to walk away from a fight, and when to run toward it." The film explores what defines true manhood—control, honesty, and choosing to protect rather than dominate.
Worldbuilding
Establishing Prentisstown as an all-male settlement ruled by Mayor Prentiss. Todd learns the town's history: the Spackle aliens supposedly killed all the women, and the Noise afflicts only men. Todd is the youngest, never having known women or silence.
Disruption
Todd discovers a pocket of silence in the swamp—Viola's crashed scout ship. He encounters the first girl he has ever seen, a shock that disrupts everything he knows about the world and threatens the lies Prentisstown is built on.
Resistance
Ben and Cillian reveal the truth: Mayor Prentiss orchestrated the women's deaths, and they must get Todd and Viola away from Prentisstown before Prentiss kills her. They prepare supplies and a map to Farbranch, debating whether to run or hide.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Todd chooses to flee into the wilderness with Viola after Prentiss's men kill Cillian. He leaves the only home he's known, crossing the bridge out of Prentisstown into the unknown wilderness with a girl he barely knows.
Premise
Todd and Viola navigate the wilderness, evading Prentiss's men led by Davy. They encounter Farbranch, discovering women still exist. Todd learns to trust Viola while struggling to control his Noise, which betrays his every thought and feeling.
Midpoint
Prentiss's army attacks Farbranch, slaughtering the settlement. Todd witnesses the ruthless violence of Prentiss's plan to conquer all settlements before Viola's colony ship arrives. The stakes escalate from personal survival to preventing genocide.
Opposition
Prentiss's forces close in as Todd and Viola race toward the communications tower. Todd's inability to control his Noise repeatedly endangers them. Davy Prentiss becomes more unhinged, and the mayor's manipulation tightens around Todd.
Collapse
Ben is killed by Mayor Prentiss while protecting Todd and Viola. Todd loses his last father figure and protector, leaving him alone to face Prentiss. The whiff of death—Ben's sacrifice represents the end of Todd's childhood innocence.
Crisis
Todd grieves Ben's death and confronts his deepest fear: that he's destined to become like Prentiss, a violent man ruled by Noise. He nearly succumbs to rage and despair, questioning whether he can be the man Ben believed he could be.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Todd confronts Prentiss and his army at the communications tower. He protects Viola while she warns the incoming colony ship. Todd defeats Davy and stands up to Prentiss, breaking the mayor's psychological control and choosing his own path.