Wrath of Man (2021) Review

Directed By: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonzo, Raúl Castillo, Deobia Oparei with Eddie Marsan, Scott Eastwood

Synopsis: A mysterious and wild-eyed new cash truck security guard (Jason Statham) surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.

Review: Jason Statham returns to our screens in his best role to date!

Wrath of Man delivers in every aspect, and the formula of Guy Ritchie with Jason Statham is always a winner. Going back to Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Guy Ritchie introduced us to the charming Statham, who stole the screen as a small-time criminal called Bacon. Twenty-three years later, the duo are still going strong; Ritchie always brings us the Statham we want.

Wrath of Man starts off comedic, and has Statham throwing out the usual ‘Ritchie-esque’ quotes that we love. We assume that we know how the story is going to go — a simple, shoot them up — a meat and potatoes kind of story, but … Wrath of Man lifts up its kilt and surprises you! It goes powerfully dark very quickly; that is when we start to peel back the layers and discover more about the characters and where the story is going.

All the characters are brilliantly written and well fleshed-out, with enough backstory, that by the time the finale comes, and everything comes to head, we are just caught in the middle (like in Heat, where De Niro and Kilmer’s characters were bad guys, but we still rooted for them!).

Wrath of Man has some great action scenes and shootouts; the finale is awesome! The opening hit on an armoured car is a brilliant scene that is well put together. It features a disorienting flashback sequence; a small touch like that can make the most memorable impact.

The supporting cast are amazing, and every character has their own arc. This is something Ritchie does to perfection; he always lets us get to know his characters. Josh Hartnett always delivers and his performance in this is excellent. His character arc goes through the ringer — from total douche to redemption — Hartnett is very underrated and deserves more credit.

Holt McCallany plays Bullet, who partners up with Jason Statham’s character. To describe Bullet — he is that guy in the workplace that everyone gets along with and is very well respected among the team.
A personal highlight in Wrath of Man is Scott Eastwood, from the opposing side; Eastwood is outstanding. His character is cold, and he plays by his own rules; he’s one guy you wouldn’t want on your team —he is too unpredictable. Eastwood plays this role with ease and I would love to see him in more villainous roles.

Wrath of Man is more of a thriller than action and builds upon a world of lies and deceit. It has no goodies or baddies; it’s all just one huge ‘grey area’, packed with twists and turns, so before we realise it, every character’s worlds collide. It’s worth the wait for that first moment of action, and the finale is action-packed. Martial arts fans will probably be disappointed that Statham doesn’t roundhouse kick anyone, but rest assured he throws down! ‘H’ is one of the best characters that Statham has played.

Overall, Ritchie and Statham are gold. Wrath of Man is a gripping thriller, spliced with moments of violent action, that will leave fans fully satisfied. Statham is back at his best!