The Wasteland Reviewer

A Working Man (2025) Written Review

What would you expect from a film written by Sylvester Stallone, directed by David Ayer, and starring Jason Statham? Big…dumb…fun. As a follow-up to the campy and wild action flick, The Beekeeper, A Working Man finds Statham portraying yet another highly skills killer living a more mundane existence who gets dragged back into the fray. We have seen films like this time and time again and it appears that Ayer and Statham have found a niche for themselves. War veterans. Custody battles. Sex trafficking. The Russian mafia. Biker gangs. Amazon/MGM Studios has a wild ride prepared for audiences at the theater. 

Does Ayer deliver the right tone for A Working Man to entertain its audience? The film is one that struggles quite a bit with its tonal shifts. From the opening credits, the audience is treated to a Bond like credit sequence that is uber patriot, has a killer composed theme from Jared Michael Fry, and has visuals that are so military focused that it almost feels like a parody of itself (except Ayer is certainly trying to be serious). When A Working Man goes for over-the-top campy violence and one-liners, this flick soars. There is plenty of fun to be had and the action sequences of just absurd as Statham just tears through everyone without much effort. The film does lack tension because of it but it is certainly more fun this way. The action is not consistently the strongest (some sequences are limited by the editing), but it is satisfying enough. There are moments that feel so out of place in this film that it will legitimately perplex you. Some characters are full camp and in on the joke. Others are as serious as a heart attack and that just feels so awkward in comparison. The film does attempt to have a heart and soul, but the emotional moments are by far the least convincing. 

How does this script make the most of its concept? This concept is getting quite tiring at this point. There are only so many trained warriors turned mundane workers who must dust off their killing shoes to go mess up bad guys. Stallone obviously wrote this for himself, and its vibe of the story just gives so many 80s or 90s action movie vibes. The focus of the film with Statham’s character trying to save the kidnapped daughter of his employers is rock solid. The film gets so convoluted that you almost forget that this was even how this story started. The story gets lost in unnecessary and half-hearted Russian Mafia and bike gang lore. There could have been whole characters and subplots cut, and the film wouldn’t miss them. There is a subplot with Statham trying to get custody of his daughter and it does quite work because of how cartoonish elements are with it. Some of the films are written like a cartoon while others are written like a stone-cold drama. That just doesn’t mesh well. The most frustrating elements are just how stretched out the film is. There are whole scenes that add nothing to the film and could be easily cut. There is a 90-minute leaner film in there somewhere. The pacing just drags so badly after the first act of the film. 

Does the cast make this bonkers flick work? Statham is Statham…and that is all we want him to be. There aren’t as many fun one-liners as there could have been, but he nails everyone. Statham delivers (as always) with the physicality of the role. There is also a bit of a knowing element to the performance which is appreciated. But when the film tries to get too emotional, his presence is a bit lacking. David Harbour is the best supporting character, and he is instantly a blast. We could use a spinoff with Harbour’s blind warrior demolishing people too. Jason Flemying hams it up for the brief time he is one screen as a flamboyant and over-the-top Russian mobster. Arianna Rivas is a fun time as our kidnapping victim (who is a lot more resourceful than you might expect). Most of the other actors just turn things up to 11 and swing for the fences. Silly and fun (when the film is trying to be fun). 

Is A Working Man a fun time at the movies? At times, yes! The problem is that Ayer never commits either way. This is not a consistently fun and bonkers action thriller that is knowing and winking at you. This is also not a completely committed thriller that has weight and drama. Statham knows the mission and commits (so does Harbour). This is too long, too messy (narratively and tonally), and too inconsistent to truly be a great time at the movies. But there are some elements to do really work.