A Working Man – REVIEW

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Over the past two decades, it’s undeniable that Jason Statham has been consistently active in the film industry, releasing at least one action movie per year and often more than that. His recent project sees him collaborating with director David Ayer once again, and interestingly, Sylvester Stallone is also involved, not as a cast member this time, but as the writer of the script, which is based on the book series ‘Levon’s Trade’. In this story, Statham’s character appears to be engaged in a trade that involves chaos and destruction.

In past movies, Statham has portrayed various roles such as a mechanic, spy, oceanographer, beekeeper, and more notably, a fighting machine. In this new film, he takes on the role of a construction foreman, though it’s another disguise for his true identity – a skilled combatant with an impressive military background as a British marine. However, Statham himself admits, ‘I’m not that person anymore,’ a statement that would seem less convincing if it came from Meghan Markle. It doesn’t take long before he slips back into his old habits when the boss’s daughter goes missing during a night out, and her concerned parents, fully aware of his hidden talent, ask him to find her.

Working his way seamlessly into the criminal underworld, our protagonist leaves behind a trail of bodies, leading to the kidnapping of his boss’s daughter by the Russian mafia for human trafficking. Notably, Jason Flemying reappears as Wolo, reuniting with Statham for the first time since ‘Snatch’. Alongside Wolo, there’s his son Didi (Maximilian Osonsli) and a multitude of other Russians, some of whom are dressed in 1970’s Floral wallpaper patterns. Each one will face a gruesome end. Accompanying him is David Harbour as Gunny, a former veteran who Statham’s character had previously saved. In this film, the character of Gunny resembles the armory sommelier in John Wick, although more screen time could have been dedicated to his role for added impact.

The conversations often seem strange, with one peculiar example being, ‘He’s just small fry, I’m the big fish!’. The storyline can be confusing at times and the action may not always be unique. In the plot, Jason Statham plays a single widowed father who is now being challenged by his granddaughter for custody of his daughter. This conflict is depicted in only one scene, after which it’s not further developed in the storyline.

Despite Statham being almost 60, he remains as awesomely dependable as anticipated in A Working Man. The movie concludes with the customary high-octane, bloodied and chaotic finale. This is the second film starring Statham under director David Ayer following last year’s The Beekeeper, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of that film. For now, it serves as a temporary stopgap until the anticipated sequel to The Beekeeper arrives.

Here’s A Working Man trailer…..

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2025-03-27 15:23