The notion of Guy Ritchie going back to some of his more basic ideas always sounded great, especially after the bold, but ultimately bland and soulless King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Wrath of Man is a film where this talented director returns to modern crime action but also manages to show how much he evolved since the days of Rocknrolla. He did stick to simplicity, though: the plot revolves around Hill, a mysterious man who begins working in LA’s dangerous cash transport business. Hill clearly has a serious backstory, but the film gradually develops it through multiple time jumps and a range of individual and collective perspectives.
First of all, Jason Statham is solid as the lead man and not a caricature of himself. Besides, the action in the film is sharp and crisp. That includes things like camera angles and the unorthodox structure of shots and cuts, which is where Ritchie makes his biggest leap into new territory. It works well, even with a sorely lacking soundtrack - in most movies this director made, these were among his strongest suits. Here, they are dull and repetitive industrial sounds, blended into an ominous but forgettable musical background. Fortunately, they are the only lacking thing in this very good hard-boiled action film.
