Much like Martin Scorsese with Robert De Niro, filmmaker Guy Ritchie was known for frequently working with actor Jason Statham. The two worked together on Long, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and Revolver only to go their separate ways. Statham went onto star in The Expendables franchise while Ritchie directed the two Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr. Following the live-action Aladdin and The Gentlemen, it was announced that Ritchie would be remaking the French film Cash Truck. Released in 2004, the film was about a money transport company suffering from numerous robberies where their guards are killed. Ritchie’s remake was supposed to be released in January of 2021 but was pushed back due to COVID-19. It was released in numerous foreign territories in April, but the US wouldn’t see a release until May. Ritchie’s remake of the 2004 film would be retitled Wrath of Man.
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Synopsis
Patrick Hill (Jason Statham) gets a job with Fortico Security, an armored truck company, as a truck driver. During a training run, Hill manages to rescue his superior Bullet (Holt McCallany) from some thugs by killing them. Though he’s commended for his actions, many of the other employees, particularly Boy Sweat Dave (Josh Hartnett), are suspicious. Turns out Hill is actually Heargraves, a crime boss whose son Dougie (Eli Brown) was killed during a truck heist. Said heist was orchestrated by former soldiers led by Jackson (Jeffrey Donovan), and Dougie’s killer was associate Jan (Scott Eastwood). Jackson and his group are now planning a major heist at Fortico Security during Black Friday for approximately $150 million. Soon, Heargraves/Hill learns that one of the truck drivers is an informant for Jackson’s group and who killed Dougie. It all culminates in a major shootout with Fortico Security as the battleground.
Review
Wrath of Man is a much darker and more serious film than what you’d normally expect from a Statham flick. While Guy Ritchie is known for making crime films, most of them have a somewhat lighthearted tone to them. Here, they try to mix in some of those quips and quick-witted dialogue with a much darker tone and story. The Gentlemen felt more in line with old-school Guy Ritchie, while this feels like a bitter and cynical Guy Ritchie. However, like many of Ritchie’s other films, this is told in a non-linear fashion, jumping backward and forward in time. This style of storytelling makes it a unique experience having to fit everything together, but it can get somewhat confusing. Even at roughly two hours, the non-linear storytelling can make the film feel longer than it actually is. Granted, it’s still paced well and is an enjoyable watch.
Like many films where he’s the lead, Jason Statham delivers the same cool and commanding performance we’ve come to expect. Admittedly, he does come off somewhat stoic and emotionless, but then again, Statham isn’t known for playing richly complex characters. Jeffrey Donovan, though not as commanding as Statham, is still great as the leader struggling to keep his team together. Given how we spend more time with Donovan than with Statham, some might become more attached to Donovan. Then again, both aren’t exactly good people, so it’s difficult to really side with either, but that’s probably the point. In terms of action, this film delivers it in spades, though there’s a good chunk where not much action occurs. That being said, the slower scenes are still enjoyable to watch thanks to the solid acting and captivating story. Overall, Wrath of Man is a dark and intense action-thriller worth watching.
Buy tickets for Wrath of Man on Fandango: https://fandan.co/3huJDuT
