A Working Man ★★

CALL me naïve, but I didn’t think David Ayer and Jason Statham could make a more average film than 2024’s The Beekeeper.

Was I wrong. A Working Man is about as average as actioners get, based on a novel but seemingly just trotting out the same old formula and characters.

It’s hard to believe these films comes from Ayers whose early credits included 2012’s End of Watch and Fury in 2014.

Then again, in those early films he was working with actors like Jake Gyllenhaal and Brad Pitt, as opposed the standard action stars he seems to have teamed up with over recent years.

Another one, Sylvester Stallone, helped adapt the screenplay for A Working Man which hasn’t amounted to much of a contribution.

Levon Cade (Statham) is a former British commando who now works as the leader of a construction team – as they all do.

The family that runs the company loves old Levon but has no idea of his background and ‘special set of skills’ until their teenage daughter is kidnapped by Russian traffickers. Why you ask? I can’t recall.

Anyway, Levon takes matters into his own hands to get her back with much violence and death resulting.

Michael Peña is wasted while David Harbour’s role looks like a desperate attempt to crowbar in an interesting character without much thought.

While over-the-top, at least Jason Flemyng has some fun as a Russian crime boss.

Watched at the cinema.