‘A Working Man’ Review: Jason Statham in David Ayer’s Formulaic but Effective Actioner

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In Jason Statham‘s latest action film, his character is facing numerous difficulties. He’s been reduced to sleeping in his car, struggling financially due to the expensive legal fees needed to gain custody of his young daughter (Isla Gie) from her grandfather. Despite holding a steady job as a construction foreman, misfortunes persistently follow him, such as when he’s compelled to display his exceptional fighting abilities to protect one of his workers from an intimidating group of thugs.

He says to Jenny, “I didn’t catch a glimpse of anything,” after she observes him at work and figures out that he’s not just an ordinary worker, contrary to what the movie’s title implies.

A short while later, Jenny disappears after visiting a nearby pub. Her worried parents, Michael Peña and Noemi Gonzalez, who are also her employers, recognize her previous service in the military’s elite forces and implore him to help locate her.

“It’s not who I am anymore,” he says solemnly.

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In this fresh take, Jason Statham joins forces once more with director David Ayer, following their successful collaboration on “The Beekeeper”. This action-packed movie, reminiscent of a role Sylvester Stallone might have played in the past (apologies to Sly, but time certainly moves), is both formulaic yet impactful. However, Stallone remains involved, contributing to the screenplay alongside other writers, inspired by Chuck Dixon’s book “Levon’s Trade”. The film also boasts Stallone as one of its producers. This book marked the beginning of a series that revolved around Levon Cade, an action hero name fit for purpose. With Statham stepping into the role, the character has been given a British twist, but his lethal prowess remains untouched.

Without a doubt, Cade swiftly uncovers his hidden tough side and manages to infiltrate Chicago’s criminal underworld, posing as a drug dealer in a desperate attempt to locate Jenny, who seems to have been kidnapped by a human-trafficking division linked to the Russian mob. He starts off by using an interrogation technique he learned during his military days on his first suspect, making it clear that his training was not wasted.

A string of intense altercations unfolds as Cade barely ruffles his hair during numerous encounters with villains, many of whom suffer grisly, premature deaths (which are fitting, considering their penchant for donning ’90s rock star attire). Characters like Russian mob boss Wolo, portrayed by Jason Flemyng from Statham’s “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”, even manage to growl in Russian. His flashy son Didi (Maximilian Osinski) is also present, along with Didi’s faithful associates Viper and Artemis (Emmet J. Scanlan, Eve Mauro). The group is completed by the drug dealer Dutch (Chidi Ajufo), who speaks softly but is incredibly massive in size.

Everything transpires just as anticipated, with the unflappable Cade initiating a fight involving several rowdy individuals by saying “Let’s have fun.” In one of the movie’s most thrilling fight sequences, he engages in combat with two thugs in the back of a van, even though his hands are bound. It’s not difficult to guess who emerges victorious from this altercation.

Following films like “End of Watch,” “Fury,” and “Suicide Squad,” director/co-screenwriter Ayer has built a strong reputation for macho filmmaking, and this is evident in “A Working Man.” This is further reinforced by the powerful presence of our leading man, who exudes coolness without even breaking a sweat and always seems to have the perfect, low-key response when needed. Jason Statham’s captivating charm shines brightly in this movie, although he may not quite embody the everyday man, he undeniably embodies someone no villain would ever want to cross paths with.

The movie seems overly lengthy, approaching the two-hour mark, and it develops a sense of repetition quite early on. However, it does boast some delightful quirks, many of which hint at Stallone’s unique humor that he often brings to his roles. The most memorable character is Gunny, portrayed brilliantly by David Harbour in a manner uniquely Harbour-ish, who despite being blind, demonstrates skills such as shooting arrows. He also supplies Cade with an impressive collection of guns, jokingly referring to himself as a “gun connoisseur.

The female characters exhibit a captivating liveliness, such as Cade’s daughter, who appears unfazed by her father’s adventures as she waits for his safe return, and Jenny, the kidnap victim, who demonstrates remarkable resilience by outsmarting her captors.

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2025-03-26 22:25