Wrath of Man
Genre action, thriller
Director Guy Ritchie
Cast: Jason Statham (H), Josh Hartnett (Dave), Holt McCalany (Bullet), Scott Eastwood (Ian), Jeffrey Donovan (Jackson), Eddie Marsan (Terry), Neve Algar (Dana), Alex Furns (John), Laz Alonso (Carlos), Line Reni (Kirsty), etc.
Pages Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Miramax, CAA Media Finance
Release year 2021
Site IMDb
The first thing you’ve probably heard about The Wrath of Man is that it lacks Guy Ritchie’s characteristic humor that turns almost every one of his films into an ironic story that you can’t tear yourself away from.
This is true, “The Wrath of Man” is very different from the previous works of the director, but this does not mean that the film is not worth the attention of the audience. On the contrary, Guy Ritchie produces a rather intense and brutal action movie with thriller elements that looks great on the big screen. And you definitely shouldn’t miss it.
The action of the film begins with a robbery of a collection van, which turns into a tragedy for those who, on duty, transported money. Some time later, in order to strengthen security, the cash collection company hires new employees. The interview is conducted by a man named Patrick Hill (Jason Statham) – he is moderately competent, hardy and rather silent. Patrick doesn’t show much skill until one incident occurs at work. It turns out that the new employee is an excellent shooter who hides the true reason for his employment.
Few people can make a film about collectors in such a way that the audience does not feel bored, collecting the story in separate parts, and are in suspense for the denouement. Guy Ritchie, as one would expect, turns all this rather famously, but first he conducts a simple acquaintance with the peculiarities of the work of value carriers.
The director shows us and the main character the most ordinary conversations among the company’s employees (they all live in constant tension, preparing for the likelihood of an attack, so rough skirmishes become part of their leisure time), and after a brief acquaintance, Richie gives a little more detail so that we understand what he is trying to scout a man with a mysterious past.
Do not wait for the usual course of events, it’s still Guy Ritchie. While Jason Statham sullenly performs collection services, he studies everyone who is involved in protecting money. When his motives raise more and more questions, the plot is transferred to a few months ago, revealing new and completely non-obvious details of the plot.
And that’s not all, there’s a third storyline in the movie that’s been sidelined for quite some time – it’s a full story with a new group of characters playing their game. In addition, the film is divided into several chapters with high-profile titles (they gradually become clearer as events unfold).
It is noteworthy that Guy Ritchie, as always, uses the camera, creating special conditions for his story. At first, the operator shoots a robbery only inside the van, and we only see what can be seen from the car, not knowing all the nuances of what is happening. There are also spectacular moments in the film with a fast camera zoom, which does not lose focus on the hero of Statham.
Jason Statham, by the way, is perfect for the role of a harsh and unemotional character (without any ridicule, here it is hitting right on target). For quite a long time it is impossible to guess what kind of person he is, but it is quite possible to believe that such a hero devotes his life to revenge, waiting for the right moment to attack.
This is not the first time Statham has collaborated with Richie – what are the tapes “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Big Jackpot” (Snatch) worth. This time, the actor is investing in the production in his own way, adding to the picture honed fighting skills acquired during the filming of numerous action films.
Fortunately, “The Wrath of Man” also turns out to be a full-fledged action game (and a pretty good one at that) – at first the events are measured, and by the end they are gaining big and serious momentum.
The only pity is that the film sometimes sounds stupid dialogues, saturated with demonstrative brutality (screenwriters Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davis, old colleagues of Guy Ritchie, overdid it here). But this detail is unlikely to spoil the action, in which, in addition to Statham, there are Josh Hartnett (with the most mockingly masculine character in this story), Eddie Marsan (he can be recalled in Guy Ritchie’s previous film The Gentlemen) and Scott Eastwood (not only son of Clint Eastwood, but also Lieutenant GQ Edwards of the Suicide Squad).
Pros: Jason Statham as a silent character with his own motives; three storylines that are revealed in flashbacks; good exciting action Cons: the film differs from the previous works of the director (which is not so bad, just there is no recognizable irony here); some dialogs Output:
Guy Ritchie turned out to be a rather intense and brutal action movie with thriller elements that is best viewed on the big screen.
