Rated R

The story follows a military vet who works a humble construction job pulled back into a world of violence when the daughter of a friend is kidnapped. He goes on the warpath to get her back and punish anyone involved.

This film falls into an emerging subgenre of action films about average Joes going after human traffickers. Never mind that this isn’t actually how most trafficking works. It serves as a male-centric hero fantasy.

What this movie does well is the fight sequences where Statham dispenses justice. At those moments, it’s exciting, visceral, and thrilling.

What this movie doesn’t do well is… everything else. From a nonsensical script and goofy acting to presenting the most flamboyant version of the Russian mob we’ve ever seen, where anyone over 40 dresses like a mortician and anyone under 40 looks like they use Flavor-Flav’s stylist.

Statham is good doing what he does best, but the movie as a whole with its absurd moments and cartoonish villains doesn’t quite work.

A WORKING MAN gets two hard hats out of five. I’m Kevin Carr, and that’s the way I see it.

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