David Ayer is a filmmaker whose sincerity has never been in doubt, as he is one of the few writer/directors of genre stories who has refused to give into snarkiness or overt satire. The grim, tough-minded sensibilities that worked so perfectly for “End of Watch” may have failed him with “Bright,” but it is nonetheless admirable that Ayer doesn’t believe he should speak down to his audience. Ayer’s films don’t lack self-awareness, but they don’t apologize for their blunt emotionality and occasionally simplistic messaging. Despite flirtations with both the prestige and the populist, Ayer has found a niche for himself with movies like “A Working Man” (2025), which offer enough B-movie thrills and non-nonsense pathos to be completely entertaining.
Although the premise of “A Working Man” is almost identical to that of “The Beekeeper,” the last collaboration between Ayer and Jason Statham, the film is actually inspired by Chuck Dixon’s novel “Levon’s Trade,” which is the first in a popular series. The script was adapted by none other than Sylvester Stallone, who could have easily played its protagonist had the film come out thirty years prior; the plot mechanics of “A Working Man” aren’t that dissimilar from “Cobra” or “First Blood.” Nonetheless, Ayer’s rewrites of the script make it the perfect vehicle for Statham, who has gradually turned into a very interesting actor. Although Statham’s physicality is what makes him a lasting icon within the action sphere, Ayer has allowed him to become the avenging hero that serves justice to the predatory forces that have avoided consequences for their misdeeds.
Statham is Levon Cade, a former member of Britain’s Royal Marines who has made a new life for himself in Chicago as a construction worker employed by the independent businessman Joe Garcia (Michael Peña). Although Cade lost his wife to suicide and is only given intermittent opportunities to share with his young daughter, Merry (Isla Gie), he has been accepted as part of Joe’s extended family and shares a tight bond with his daughter, Jenny (Arianna Rivas). After Jenny is kidnapped by human traffickers, Joe looks to Levon for help, as the police show no interest in pursuing the investigation any further. Although Levon is reluctant to return to a life of violence that he has left behind, a meeting with his former military ally Gunny Lefferty (David Harbour) convinces him to become a vigilante.
“A Working Man” owes a significant debt to 1970s vigilante films like “Hardcore” and “Rolling Thunder,” as it does not present the notion of being an off-the-grid detective as being a source of wish fulfillment for gun-toting, right-wing extremists. Levon is reluctant to go down this path because he recognizes the consequences that it has; having already become a widower, his concern is that any attempts to bring justice to an unfair world will result in will only deprive him of the opportunity of the chance to be a good father.
As blunt as Ayer is about the dire situations that his characters are under, he does a good job at showing how overwhelming it is to be unequipped for the challenges of raising a family within a fragmented period in history. The scenes between Levon and Jenny are enough to establish that they are part of the same extended family. Moreover, Levon understands that he cannot properly be a father if he would not make the same sacrifices for the child of the man who rehabilitated him.
Escalation is the key to why “A Working Man” is so effective, as Ayer understands that Levon needs to be coaxed back into being fully unleashed. The film effectively hints at a backstory that explains the various skills that he has at his disposal, but it is still exciting to see the various techniques that Levon uses to dispense with his enemies. While the plot goes in a fairly obvious direction with little deviation, there is refreshingly enough detective work to make the non-action scenes worth investing in.
Ayer is not subtle in the way he portrays his villains, but there is a novel method to the way in which he pairs legitimate evils with completely absurd theatricality. Although it’s safe to say that human traffickers, cruel aristocrats, hired guns, Russian gangsters, and corrupt cops all exist in the world, “A Working Man” suggests that they are all part of an extended conspiracy that operates in secrecy. It’s a ridiculous notion, but Ayer is able to point the audience’s anger in the right direction; beyond the fact that this makes it more satisfying to see Levon take out the world’s predators, the broad characterization of the antagonists allows the film to become gleefully pulpy with its villains.
“A Working Man” benefits from its uncompromising frankness; there are overt moments of expositional lines being spoken directly to the camera, motivations revealed through generic monologues, and melodramatic “nightmare situation” moments that play out like a safety video. Nonetheless, Ayer’s directness allows the film to avoid any dull sections that would have complicated a story that benefits from being straightforward. It also helps that this is one of his most technically accomplished films. Every environment is given enough detail and personality to signify its importance, with the practicality of the choreography obvious to pick up on.
Although “A Working Man” is perhaps a tad too long to justify a fairly thin premise, the moments of character work signify a maturity in Ayer’s writing, which has certainly evolved since “Harsh Times” and “Suicide Squad.” The scenes between Levon and his daughter, as cliche as they can be, do speak to the burden felt by all parents as they try to explain the issues that plague the world to their children. Harbour is also having a blast chewing the scenery, and gives enough comedic edge to avoid feeling too sullen.
The final act of “A Working Man” ranks among the best things that Ayer has ever directed. The kineticism of the action does not detract from the severity of the violence, as the personal journeys that both Levon and Jenny are on do not become secondary to the spectacle. Between motorcycle chases, hand-to-hand combat, advanced weaponry, and traps lifted from “Home Alone,” “A Working Man” contains all the action possible within a mid-budget B-movie, without ever appearing to be something more mainstream. “A Working Man” has a clarity of intent that is hard not to respect, and those willing to indulge in the pulpiness will certainly find something to enjoy within one of Ayer’s most accomplished works yet.
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