‘Wrath of Man’ movie review: This is Jason Statham’s show

“This is a creaky old dinosaur. This girl should have been retired 10 years ago.”

That’s a doomed safety guard speaking a couple of weather-beaten armoured automotive within the newest bloody motion movie from Man Ritchie. However it’s additionally a simple opening for Ritchie and actor Jason Statham to flex their ageing chops, as if to say, “Hey, there’s some life in us yet!” And by the tip of this practically two-hour crime drama, a remake of the 2004 French thriller “Le Convoyeur,” the director and star, each of their 50s, appear reinvigorated, albeit at a slower — and simpler — tempo than one may anticipate.

Statham, whose quiet rage is clear as quickly as he seems on display screen, performs Patrick Hill, a newly employed guard at Fortico, an organization whose fleet of vehicles transfer thousands and thousands of {dollars} in money round Los Angeles. Co-workers welcome the recruit with a barrage of locker room taunts as they attempt to set up dominance — till H, as they name him, surprises all of them by single-handedly foiling an tried heist.

H places fellow guards just like the veteran Bullet (Holt McCallany) and the less-experienced Dave (Josh Hartnett) to disgrace, and his mild-mannered supervisor Terry (Eddie Marsan) suspects that the brand new worker has one thing up his sleeve. He appears to be out for revenge — however who’s the goal?

Statham and Ritchie first teamed up within the 1998 action-comedy “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” which turned them into scorching properties. However whereas that youthful movie plied its post-Tarantino wares with shaky hand-held digicam photographs and rapid-fire dialogue, the now middle-aged males, working collectively for the primary time for the reason that 2005 thriller ‘Revolver’, have slowed down. Statham’s H is a person of few phrases, and, within the vein of such ageing motion stars as Liam Neeson and Keanu Reeves, he’s seemingly invincible, partially due to a hard-earned bodily knowledge that doesn’t permit a wasted transfer.

“Wrath of Man” matches its star’s bodily effectivity with a visible readability. Cinematographer Alan Stewart wields a gentle digicam that patiently stalks its prey like a panther, constructing stress till it lastly pounces.

With chapter headings like ‘A Dark Spirit’ and ‘Scorched Earth’ all the way in which to that ominous title, ‘Wrath of Man’ is against the law drama with pretensions — and, courtesy of Christopher Benstead’s booming rating, loud ones.

H’s blood lust makes him each hero and villain, which makes up partially for the pretty interchangeable unhealthy guys. However that is Statham’s present, and his stoic brutality makes this a fascinating gradual burn.

‘Wrath of Man’ is exhibiting in UAE cinemas from Could 13.