Movie Review: A Working Man (2025)

A Working Man (2025) co-written and directed by David Ayer

Jason Statham is Levon Cade, a single dad whose daughter is mostly in the custody of his father-in-law since his wife died. As ex-special forces, he is deemed "dangerous" by that side of the family. But Cade has given up soldiering for construction work. When his boss's (Michael Cena) daughter (Arianna Rivas) is kidnapped with no ransom demand, Cade reluctantly agrees to get her back. He hunts down what turns out to be a human trafficking organization run by Russians that has lots of layers and connections to seedy underworld businesses. Cade is all business as he works his way through their chain of command to get the girl back.

While Statham is reliably good at the action, the plot gets harder and harder to believe as the movie goes on. The set-up is solid with the intriguing mystery about why she was taken. Cade seemingly has no money but during the investigation he suddenly has all sorts of surveillance equipment, several cars, several weapons, and wads of cash to pass himself off as a drug dealer. David Harbour's role is little more than a cameo--he provides an out-of-the-way place for Cade to stash his pre-teen daughter when "things get personal." Maybe I would have put up with the ridiculous stuff if the movie had more of a sense of humor like in other Statham movies or more convincing bad guys. 

Not recommended--this isn't terrible but it doesn't offer much entertainment either. 

Movie Review: The Beekeeper (2024)

The Beekeeper (2024) directed by David Ayer

This movie starts with a harrowing sequence of a retired black lady getting all of her savings stolen by a cyberfraud company that preys on people like her. Unfortunately for the company, Adam Clay (Jason Statham) lives next door and is friends with the old lady. In despair she shoots herself, sending Adam on a revenge spree that climbs the corporate ladder all the way to the top. The lady's daughter (Emmy Raver-Lampman) is an FBI agent, so she is working the crime from a more legally restrained angle, also getting up to the top but at least one step behind Clay. Clay used to be a federal employee. He was in the "Beekeepers," an extra-elite and extra-secret unit that most of the FBI and CIA don't know about. He is very effective at what he does, and what he does is very violent and very effective.

The movie is an entertaining action romp. Some of the logic does not quite connect in many places. But the old-fashioned theme of justice winning out is satisfying, as is Statham's ability to fight out in the open or in tight situations. The movie is not going to win any Oscars but it clear is not interested in doing that. It's a rip-roaring time and plays well to Statham's strong, silent, violent type.

Recommended.

Movie Review: Suicide Squad (2016)

Suicide Squad (2016) written and directed by David Ayer

In response to the ever increasing threat of meta-humans like Superman, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) wants to put together a team of super-villains as a potential response to take down those over-powered beings. She gets the government to sign on and develops the Suicide Squad, a group of B-list villains who are incarcerated in Bell Reve, Louisiana. How much of a villain are you if you are involuntarily in jail for one or more life sentences? The Squad has a job to do almost right away because an ancient and powerful bad guy has shown up in Midway City. After injecting their necks with explosive devices (a way to guarantee they'll behave), the Squad is sent in with a bunch of soldiers to get a key asset out of the city. Things don't go as planned, naturally.

The star characters of the film are Deadshot (Will Smith) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). Deadshot never misses with whatever gun he's using and he's spent his life killing for money. He has a kid who he doesn't see anymore because he was caught by Batman. Deadshot hopes to get stuff for his daughter (the best education possible, etc.) in return for being part of the Squad. Will Smith underplays the character, showing a surprising lack of charisma. His heart doesn't seem to be in it. Margot Robbie is more fun and more sympathetic as the deranged manic pixie dream girl Harley Quinn, a.k.a. the Joker's girlfriend. She gets the best lines and has more style than everyone else. She's not as over-the-top enough as her comic book version but perhaps they decided to dial her down for a live-action portrayal. Her backstory is a little inconsistent and incoherent which drags her down a bit too.

The other characters are fairly bland, and that weirdly includes Jared Leto's Joker. This Joker seems more like a mid-level crime boss with occasional flairs of derangement and an obsession with Harley. He isn't funny or scary or threatening, just infatuated with Harley. He lacks the panache found in any other depiction of the Joker.* Other characters have hints of depth but not enough to engage the audience beyond the level of a summer popcorn blockbuster.

And that's basically what this movie is--a throw-away summer action blockbuster. Plenty of actions scenes are thrown in but at least half of them don't make much sense. Twists and surprises are predictable and unexciting. The jokes aren't particularly funny though they'd probably work better in a crowded theater than by yourself at home. The production design is detailed and well-crafted but not original or distinctive.

I can't recommend this movie.



*For those keeping score, this makes a third wasted super-villain for 2016 (the others being BVS:DOJ's Lex Luthor and X-Men's Apocalypse). I guess Captain America: Civil War saved itself by not having a super-villain!