A WORKING MAN | MOVIE REVIEW

A Working Man is a brand–new blockbuster starring British action hero Jason Statham. If you’ve ever seen a Jason Statham action thriller before, you know exactly what you’re getting with this new flick. There’s just the right amount of guns, puns, car chases, and cliches to keep every action fan happy. Directed by David Ayer (the same director as Statham’s previous film, The Beekeeper) and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, this film delivers a gripping narrative that keeps audiences engaged and satisfied from start to finish.  

Statham’s character Levon Cade is ‘a working man’ as the title clearly states – a construction worker with an explicitly laid-out military past. He can make a weapon out of any object, including a bucket of nails and a bag of concrete in the film’s first fight scene. When the teenage daughter of Cade’s boss is kidnapped, Cade is committed to finding her. She may be in distress, but she’s no damsel. On multiple occasions, this teenage badass fights back against her attackers, which is a welcome update on the helpless female trope. Still, with no help from the police, it’s up to Cade alone to get her back. 

The antagonists in this film don’t deviate much from the typical action villain – rich, immoral Russian mobsters are who Cade is up against. What keeps things fresh is the eccentric costuming in this film. You’re likely to be surprised by the volume of top hats, horns, feathers, monocles, and garish designer tracksuits to appear in this one film. Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata features prominently, but then again, so does Wagon Wheel and The Boys Are Back. That’s a pretty good representation of the range of energy in this film. 

The film benefits from a couple of recognisable faces as supporting cast, including David Harbour (Stranger Things) and Michael Peña (Ant-Man). Ayer’s direction ensures a seamless blend of intense action sequences and character development in a tight runtime of just under two hours. ​ 

If you liked Taken, John Wick, or anything Jason Statham has ever been in, you’re likely to love A Working Man. It’s a perfect popcorn blockbuster for date night and it’s certainly not one you could fall asleep in with action from go to whoa.  

A Working Man movie is in cinemas at Reading LynnMall, click HERE for session details.