A Working Man (2025) - Film Review

      A Working Man, 2025.

      Directed by David Ayer.

      Starring Jason Statham, David Harbour, Michael Peña, Jason Flemyng, Arianna Rivas, Noemi Gonzalez, Emmett Scanlan, Eve Mauro, Maximilian Osinski, Kristina Poli, Andrej Kaminsky, Isla Gie, Chidi Ajufo, Alana Boden, Sophie-Louise Craig, David Witts, Daniel Lundh, Piotr Witkowski, Andrea Vasiliou, Greg Kolpakchi, Neil Bishop, Jose Conejo Martin, Eddie J. Fernandez, Cokey Falkow, Benjamin Schnau, Jade Coatsworth, Joanna DeLane, Priyasasha Kumari, Muki Zubis, Max Croes, and C.C. DeNeira.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Levon Cade has left his previous life behind to work in construction and be a good father to his daughter. However, when a local girl disappears, he is called back to employ the skills that made him a legendary figure in the covert world of counter-terrorism.

      It’s almost remarkable how quickly director David Ayer (co-writing with Sylvester Stallone) discards any unique aspect that might distinguish A Working Man from the entirely standard action film it becomes. Featuring Jason Statham as Levon Cade, a former British soldier who is now a construction worker and father in America, he remains sharp enough to turn any item in the potentially dangerous environment around him into a weapon if necessary. While the character proves to be resourceful in conflict outside of construction, this is surprisingly a minor issue. It’s as if their recent collaboration, The Beekeeper, eliminated all bee-related jokes and its respective mercenary group after just 20 minutes, settling into something much less inspiring and more mundane. Instead, the tone here is overly serious, losing sight of what made their previous project enjoyable.

      There’s also an attempt to add a personal touch to Levon’s story, as he is frequently kept from seeing his young daughter by her grandfather, who accuses him of being responsible for the girl's mother's suicide while he was serving in the military. Before long, 19-year-old Jenny (Arianna Rivas), the daughter of his boss Joe Garcia (Michael Peña), is kidnapped by Viper and Artemis (the ruthless Emmett Scanlan and Eve Mauro), part of a human trafficking operation, providing Levon a chance to unleash a wave of revenge to save her and express his frustrations over being separated from his daughter. In essence, it resembles a British-American version of Man on Fire, but with a forgettable execution.

      Even that personal element ultimately fades, leading the narrative to settle into the uninspired notion that violence perpetually follows Levon wherever he goes, and that being “a working man” simply means taking justice into one’s own hands through vigilantism. His quest to rescue Jenny draws him into the shady worlds of human trafficking, drug lords, Russian gangsters, and various henchmen, gradually transforming what should be a straightforward story into a collection of action clichés and convoluted plotlines.

      The plethora of characters continues, as the screenplay (derived from Chuck Dixon’s book Levon’s Trade) provides an easy solution for every unfortunate circumstance, whether it’s a reclusive war buddy (David Harbour) who can care for his daughter while the criminal elements of Levon’s life come back to haunt him, or a helpful law enforcement officer who can provide crucial information whenever Levon encounters a dead end in his investigation.

      Perhaps fittingly, there is a competent and efficient manner to the numerous brawls and shootouts. The action includes brutal, bone-crushing hand-to-hand combat, an emphasis on torture through water, heavy shotgun fire, and a series of buildings assaulted in an extended climax. The drawback is that all of this occurs against villains that lack any distinctiveness or personality, merely defined by absurd outfits for the Russians.

      David Ayer and Sylvester Stallone distort Levon’s journey through excessive narrative twists while navigating this criminal underworld, leading to an overwhelming amount of content with little momentum or significant impact. It becomes a series of episodic encounters showcasing who Jason Statham will next beat, which may sound thrilling in theory. However, in practice, it turns out to be just adequate and competent, marred by severe pacing issues. Jason Statham typically delivers a charismatic and intense performance, and he does the same here, but it isn’t sufficient to make A Working Man successful. The construction of the film is bloated and disjointed, occasionally saved by its lead accumulating a body count.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He also serves as the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews