Wrath of Man: Movie Review (No Spoilers)

 

By Michael Momper

    It is so exciting to be back in the theaters finally for some action flicks. Nowadays, every trip to the theaters is even more of a treat than it was in the past, and has become sort of a special occasion (luckily, it sounds like that will change shortly). No matter how cinema-starved we have become though, it is important to keep a level head and fairly review the movies we see just as we always would have in the past- we must be honest about both disappointment and satisfaction. Guy Ritchie's newest film, Wrath of Man, exists somewhere in between. That being said, even a less-than-stellar Ritchie action film is worth seeing, and maybe seeing again.

If you have followed Guy Ritchie at all in the past, you are no stranger to his gleeful profanity and cockney humor, which stand out in all 3 of his gangster films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and The Gentlemen (perhaps you read our review of the latter, which came out only a year ago). These 3 movies are of almost equal caliber and I could honestly call either of them my favorite Ritchie work on any given day. The tone is light in these films because of the hilarious wisecracks and snappy editing. Ritchie pioneers many crazy camera tricks and uses extremely witty rapid-fire dialogue to keep the audiences entertained and on their toes. At the forefront of these films are lovable losers and bottom-feeders; Ritchie develops incredibly eccentric and colorful characters of every race, creed and profession.

When I think of Guy Ritchie's writing and directing style, I think of a majestic opera conductor. With his upbeat and swaggering tone, think of it more as a rock opera. Ritchie waves around his baton with precision and brings together a few delightful, seemingly stand-alone pieces that all of the sudden come together to form one cogent, magnificent piece of art. His stories are all interesting threads in their own right, but soon weave together like 6 trains all coming down different tracks toward the same destination. He is inventive, creative as hell, and cheeky without coming off as lowbrow. 

Though Ritchie has not done strictly gangster films his entire career, it is always exciting for his fans when he is in both the writer's chair and director's chair for an action movie (movies like his live-action remake of Aladdin threw some fans for a loop). Wrath of Man is very different, however. His old buddy Jason Statham is back in the saddle as the main character, but the tone of this movie is far different from his gangster flicks- less enjoyably so for me as a huge fan of his older work, but maybe more palatable for fans unfamiliar with him. This movie is packed with bloody, brutal action, a menacing and haunting orchestral score, and far fewer wisecracks than his devotees would be used to. The first 30 minutes or so are full of funny lines, but those soon start to drop off as the revenge plot at the core of this story starts to kick into gear.

There's a lot to like about this movie. Where the main plot would in some directors' hands be delivered linearly and without unique structure, Ritchie mixes things up and changes the timing of things to keep the audience on alert. It makes the relatively standard revenge story seem fresh and inventive, while also making viewers think. There is a sleek style to his cinematography as always, and this keeps even the most frenetic scenes of gunplay from coming across as brainlessly bloody. There are some interesting mythological tie-ins as well. I do find myself wishing that some of the humor that showed up in the first half of the movie could have stuck around for the second half.

With the absolute masterpiece that was The Gentlemen being released only a year ago, I didn't expect a movie that was going to blow my mind this time. I got a pleasant bit of viewing that kept me satisfied for a few hours and then made me want to watch some of his older movies again. What Wrath of Man lacked is a group of lovable, acid-tongued outcasts. Ritchie's gangster films are chock-full of characters, but through their eclectic costumes and dialogue we come to know what makes them tick and what makes them unique. I found myself wanting to know more about the characters in Wrath of Man- what has made the villains turn out this way? What is different about the world in which they exist? What do they think of each other? There are fun twists in this movie to be sure, and it is a decent springboard into the summer blockbuster season since it still has a sharpness to it. I still am far more excited for the next Guy Ritchie cocktail of mayhem, wisecracks and swagger, whenever that may be.

Rating: 70/100