A Working Man: Another Standard Jason Statham Actioner (Blu-ray)

The Film:

When it comes to the career of Jason Statham, one that has included such delightful romps as "The Expendables," "The Transporter," "Crank," "The Mechanic," "Safe," "Parker," "and "The Beekeeper," there's really not much left in the way of surprise when it comes to what kind of movie you're going to get when his name pops up. To be fair, there are times when he has tried to mix it up just a little bit, such as when he faced off against deadly sharks in "The Meg" and its sequel or when he tried out his comedic chops in "Spy," but for the most part, you know exactly what kind of film you're likely to get.

Now he's back with his latest outing, "A Working Man," a film that reunites him with his director from "The Beekeeper," David Ayer, and has him working from a screenplay co-written by Ayer and Oscar nominee Sylvester Stallone (adapting the novel "Levon's Trade" by Chuck Dixon). Will this be the one that finally shakes him out of his repetitive rut, or will it merely be more of the same old thing that we've seen him do dozens of times before?

The film focuses on Levon Cade (Jason Statham), an ex-Royal Marine, who now works construction for a company owned by the Garcia Family: Joe (Michael Pena), his wife Carla (Noemi Gonzalez), and their daughter Jenny (Arianna Rivas). One night, Jenny is abducted by Russian traffickers while out partying with friends, leading her parents to ask Levon for help finding her. He initially refuses, having wanted to move on from that part of his life, but after talking it over with an old comrade, Gunny (David Harbour), he decides to do what he can to get her back, putting him on a path that will have him facing some very dangerous people.

Just from that brief synopsis, there's little doubt that you'll be able to arrive at the correct answer to the question posed near the top of this review. Yes, "A Working Man" is another is the seemingly-endless line of Jason Statham films that basically feature him running around, beating people up, and/or shooting them, all while on a mission of some sort. It certainly makes no illusions about what it is, which is perfectly fine, as there has clearly been an audience for this kind of movie ever since he burst onto the scene over 25 years ago. Sometimes all people need from a movie is a good dose of action and a scenario involving a "man on a mission," especially when it's a mission to do good, such as rescuing a young woman from traffickers.

However, as to whether it's actually a "good" film is an altogether different question. In the case of "A Working Man," we have a heavily-cliched and rather generic storyline where you can pretty much see every beat of the story well in advance, making for a film that might provide some mild amusement with its numerous fight & shootouts, but which mainly comes off as a very rote outing. Again, the action parts will probably be more than enough for the audience that the film is gunning for, but for everyone else, meaning those that want a little more than mindless fighting, there really isn't going to be a whole lot to see here. Ultimately that's what it really comes down to: If you've enjoyed Statham's other similar actioners, then you'll likely find this somewhat satisfying. All others will be better off spending these two hours simply doing something else.

Video/Audio:

"A Working Man" comes to Blu-ray in a 2.39:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of excellent quality. This can be a rather dark film at times as our protagonist makes his way through the underworld of human trafficking, but the picture always remains perfectly sharp & clear throughout the two-hour duration. Likewise, the Dolby Atmos-TrueHD audio track is marvelous, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in outstanding quality. Overall, Warner Bros. has done a fantastic job in both areas for the film's physical release.

Special Features:

None.

Conclusion:

David Ayer's "A Working Man" presents your typical Jason Statham action vehicle that has him fighting & shooting his way through another cliched & generic mission. If you've enjoyed the multitude of Statham's similar actioners, then you'll likely be just as pleased with this latest outing as it merely delivers more of the same, but for everyone else, there simply isn't going to be a whole lot to see.

Score: 2.5/5

Now available on Blu-ray.

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