It can be said that Jason Statham isn’t a great actor by any measure, but his presence on the screen is something that no one can deny. He’s a watchable guy and some of his movies offer a perfect blend of entertainment and some serious ass-kicking skills. Wrath of Man is the newest movie in which Statham plays a man with hardly anything to say and has a quest on his mind. Wrath of Man is the fourth collaboration between Statham and writer-director Guy Ritchie after previously working together on Revolver sixteen years ago! This movie also marks the third remake that Ritchie has directed and this is a remake of the French film titled Cash Truck or better known as Le Convoyeur from 2004. In short, Wrath of Man is an explosive action thriller that showcases some truly astonishing action sequences and features Statham as his absolute best.
The movie takes place in Los Angeles and a man named Patrick Hill (Jason Statham) arrives to interview for a job at Fortico Security, an armored truck company. His impressive background and work references easily impresses the staff at this company. It’s here that Patrick meets with Bullet (Holt McCallany) who oversees his training in order to determine if he’s physically qualified to do the job that’s required. Working for an armored truck company has its perks but there’s danger everywhere! The employees face constant threats from every direction, not to mention that the trucks are often carrying millions of the dollars in cold cash with them at every moment. The danger is real and they are the prey.
Bullet later takes a liking to Patrick and since his last name is Hill, Bullet gives him the nickname “H”. The other employees at Fortico are a little more apprehensive about “H” since he doesn’t often divulge any personal information about himself. One in particular is Boy Sweat Dave (Josh Hartnett) who gets very nervous when the realities of the job are put front in center when the crew are held up after Bullet is taken hostage after picking up a drop. According to protocol, the employees are to comply with the robbers and give them whatever they want in order to reduce the risk and ensure the survivability of yourself and your crew.
H doesn’t take kindly to being held up and breaks protocol and kills the robbers thus becoming something of a hero back at the depot. The employees begin to take a liking to him although his skills at dispatching the robbers does raise questions among several of the staff at the company. We later learn during a series of flashbacks as to how H became well trained with firearms and his true motive for working at Fortico. I won’t reveal any of this but if you’ve seen any of the tv spots of trailers for this movie, then you know that Statham’s character has a grudge as is looking to right a wrong that was done to him.
As the movie plays out, we are treated to several impressively staged action sequences that reminded of the sheer intensity of Heat, but instead of relying on the action to excite the audience, Wrath of Man has a story to tell. Some might consider the story to be pretty thin, but then again, Guy Ritchie is a man who creates unique experiences along the way; including some catchy dialogue that he’s primarily known for. As I said before, I won’t reveal what the transpires as we learn the true motive of H, but when it all comes together, it culminates into an explosive ending that left me on the edge of my seat. From the somewhat colorful characters, the impressive and gritty action and the underlying tone of revenge, Wrath of Man may disappoint fans who are used to Jason Statham kicking ass. Instead, he shows a lot of restraint in the character he’s playing and I really got caught up in his motivations. It’s really an astonishing role to see him in. It may take you by surprise as I certainly was.
Aside from all the action, Wrath of Man showcases fine acting among the impressive cast with a special mention to McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett and even Scott Eastwood. I won’t mention specifics because you should be the one to become enveloped with the story and see for yourself how everything unfolds. There is a lot that I want to talk about regarding this film but if I were to do that, I feel it would be a disservice to you if I give too much away.
Score 4.5 out of 5 Stars
While Wrath of Man is a remake of a French film, this movie packs one hell of a punch. It’s violent, edgy and sports some truly great moments. From the heist elements, revenge motivated plot and catchy language that fans of Ritchie are familiar with, there’s a lot to like in this film. It may not be as action packed as Statham’s previous films, but this movie features edge-of-your-suspense and an explosive action sequence at the end that will make any hardcore fan of action films eager to see that one particular moment again and again.
Wrath of Man joins in the long line of action movies involving heists alongside Heat, Widows and even Den of Thieves. There’s more to see in this film as just another action movie, it has a great cast, a solid script (albeit thin by some standards) and one enthralling soundtrack courtesy of Chris Benstead. In closing, Wrath of Man is a thrilling experience that kept me literally on the edge of my seat in the theater. I was hooked by this film and I surely hope you’ll give this one a chance. It’s worth the cost of a movie ticket and you won’t walk away disappointed.
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