Wrath of Man Movie Review

Wrath of Man (2021)

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Written by: Nicolas Boukhrief and Éric Besnard (based upon the film 'Le Convoyeur' written by), Guy Ritchie and Ivan Atkinson & Marn Davies (screenplay by)
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Josh Hartnett, Jeffrey Donovan, Scott Eastwood, Andy Garcia, Laz Alonso, Eddie Marsan
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A mysterious new cash truck security guard surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills.

Verdict
This is a thrill ride. While it generates a lot of questions to start, everything is eventually revealed. The setup lays a great foundation for the culmination of two different stories that intersect. The last third of this movie is nearly non-stop action, but it's the depth the movie builds prior that gives the action meaning. It keeps you guessing the entire time, but it also keeps getting better. I really enjoyed it, more than I expected.
Watch It.

Review
Guy Ritchie's recent movies have returned to his crime roots after a few big budget movies. While The Gentlemen was a return to his convoluted crime movies, this proves he's adept at on the rail action movies too.

This starts with a cash truck, and I wondered if there was a reason for the camera deliberately avoiding the driver. There's not. The truck is robbed, and it's as scene reminiscent of Heat. I really like how this opens.

Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Josh Hartnett play Hill, Bullet, Boy Sweat Dave

Then we see Hill (Jason Statham) applying for an armored car job. He gets the job and we accompany him on his first day. The music is very ominous, and tensions are high between everyone on this outfit. Hill gets a chance to show off his skills, and it's no surprise because it's clear there's more to this guy than we're seeing. The question isn't what but how soon we'll find out. He's just too cool. It's a ruse and either he's a criminal or something else.

I like the intrigue of who is Hill and what is he after. It gives the plot nice stakes above being just a robbery type movie.

The movie is split into parts, and the second part reveals a lot of background really quickly. Some of the outcomes are expected, some aren't. There isn't much I can say about the movie after the first chapter as it would give too much away. At the least we discover why Hill wanted this job.

Holt McCallany plays Bullet

The way this cuts the story certainly makes it more interesting. It's an example of an asynchronous plot that actually adds depth. While I expected Hill to have a faceless adversary, this provides depth for both sides. The way these two opposite forces intersect is really well done. This movie is full of tension as you have no idea what will happen. This plays into some tropes while subverting others. This is a movie I liked more with each passing minute, and the last third is intense as it's basically non-stop action.