Jason Statham reunites together with his “The Beekeeper” director, David Ayer, in “A Working Man,” however lightning doesn’t strike twice for the duo. Written by Sylvester Stallone, who tailored it from a bestselling collection known as “Levon’s Commerce,“A Working Man,” inherently lacks the identical depth and general playfulness as their earlier collaboration, the place Statham performed an ex-mercenary out for revenge after a phishing ring robbed his aged neighbor. As a substitute, “A Working Man” makes an attempt to be a grounded vigilante crime thriller however falls flat. Its flimsy writing and haphazard execution make the motion sequences really feel like an afterthought.
To his credit score, Statham delivers the identical efficiency we’ve come to count on from him in these motion pictures, although you’d suppose he would possibly tire of enjoying characters who repeatedly say issues like, “I’m a unique individual now” or “It’s not who I’m anymore” every time a foul scenario arises, and somebody asks him to make use of his distinctive talent set to assist. Rinse and repeat. In a movie like “A Working Man,” the one factor that issues is the bloodshed, and whereas the movie actually has its fair proportion, it’s lacking the silliness that made “The Beekeeper” so enjoyable. That movie appeared content material to march to the beat of its personal ridiculous drum (in spite of everything, he was a beekeeper!). “A Working Man,” alternatively, needs to push the concept a mean individual can tackle Russian human traffickers and survive.
Statham performs Levon, a widowed, Chicago-based foreman embroiled in a expensive authorized battle to take care of custody of his daughter, Merry (Isla Gie). Nonetheless, he can nonetheless unleash his combating abilities (realized throughout his time with the British Royal Guard) every time some shady goons come sniffing round his development website. Levon’s efforts to show himself to the courtroom hit a snag when a gaggle of cartoonishly evil human traffickers kidnaps his boss’s teenage daughter, Jenny (Arianna Rivas). Her father (Michael Peña) pleads with Levon to seek out her, however Levon initially refuses, saying, “I’m not that individual anymore.” After which, not even ten seconds later, he’s promising to convey Jenny residence.
Levon’s convoluted path towards redemption takes him again to an previous ally, Gunny (David Harbour), who misplaced his eyesight in fight, together with a string of stereotypical villains that Stallone’s script makes all of it too simple to hate. You have obtained biker gangs, crooked cops, and sniveling billionaires with an urge for food for younger girls—all of whom make it onto Levon’s radar and await their second within the highlight of brutal, bare-knuckle motion.
At 57 years previous, Statham is in glorious form and nonetheless able to throwing a punch (nobody’s doubting that), however the movie’s motion choreography not often comes alive, aside from the climactic throwdown the place the script offers Levon the chance to slice and cube his means by means of anybody with a pulse. Stallone’s script doesn’t assist both, leaning closely on schmaltz with its one-dimensional characters. From the mustache-twirling grandfather who needs full custody of Merry (and hilariously screams, “Violence follows you in all places!!!” earlier than acknowledging that Levon did, the truth is, save him from a burning constructing) to the Russian mobsters who distinguish themselves by sporting coloured tracksuits, the characters are extra caricatures than actual individuals.
In case you’re into senseless shoot-’em-ups, “A Working Man” is likely to be a clean journey. However for these of us in search of extra rambunctiousness, it rapidly turns into a tedious chore. Relaxation assured, although—since that is based mostly on a e-book collection, it’s seemingly that extra movies are within the works. Whoever mentioned the long run wasn’t shiny clearly didn’t understand that Jason Statham sequels are all the time simply across the nook.
A WORKING MAN is now enjoying in theaters.