Jason Statham is back doing what Jason Statham does best: playing a seemingly ordinary man with extraordinary combat skills, an unshakable demeanor, and an uncanny ability to dispatch bad guys with ease. Unfortunately, A Working Man brings nothing new to the table, making it feel like a lesser version of his previous films, particularly The Beekeeper and Wrath of Man.
The biggest problem with this film isn’t just that Statham is on autopilot—it’s that everything around him is, too. The villains are so cartoonishly over-the-top that they never feel like a real threat. Instead of creating tension or danger, they come off as caricatures, making the action feel hollow. A good action film needs a strong antagonist to balance its hero, but here, Statham’s character is never truly challenged.
Another major misstep is how Statham’s character (whose name is so forgettable that I may as well just keep calling him Jason Statham) ascends the ranks of the criminal underworld. The way he maneuvers through their organization is so convoluted and nonsensical that it quickly becomes distracting. A good B-movie thrives on simplicity and tight execution, but this one gets bogged down in unnecessary complications that don’t add up.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of A Working Man is that it comes from director David Ayer, who has proven he can deliver gritty, engaging action with films like Fury and last year’s The Beekeeper. Here, though, the script’s glaring holes, uninspired storytelling, and lack of a real challenge for its lead weigh everything down.
While Statham has made a career out of playing the same type of character, this time, it just doesn’t land. There’s a fine line between consistency and stagnation, and A Working Man unfortunately falls on the wrong side of it. For longtime fans of Statham’s brand of action, this might still be a serviceable watch, but for anyone hoping for something fresh or engaging, it’s a letdown.
6/10
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A lifelong film enthusiast, Adam makes it a priority to visit the movie theater at least once a week, immersing himself in the magic of cinema. Now, he’s channeling that deep appreciation into thoughtful and engaging film reviews. With a keen eye for storytelling and production, he brings a unique perspective to every review he writes.