Why ‘Working Man’ Statham Is the Action Hero We Need

Jason Statham is a kid compared to some Hollywood peers.

Tom Cruise will be 63 in July. Sylvester Stallone of “Tulsa King” fame is 78. Liam Nesson turned 72 last year and “John Wick” alum Keanu Reeves is now 60 (Whoa!).

At 57, Statham has plenty of life left in him, at least by action star standards. It helps that he looks a decade younger than his birth certificate and moves like a man in his 30s.

That doesn’t fully explain why his new film, “A Working Man,” beat “Snow White” at the box office over the weekend. The movie, adapted from Chuck Dixon’s Levon Cade book series, casts Statham as a former Special Ops warrior who taps those old skills to find his boss’ kidnapped daughter.

The movie earned $15+ million, roughly the same as his previous film “The Beekeeper.” That actioner kick-started a new franchise.

“A Working Man” may do the same if it has box office legs.

Statham doesn’t mind getting dirty on screen. His heroes aren’t slick or well dressed. They’re humble, blue-collar types who, at their best, fight back against moral outrages.

“The Beekeeper” finds his character taking down scammers who target the elderly. Watching Statham wreck their network is cathartic in ways only action heroes can deliver.

Levon Cade’s “Working Man” mission also strikes a personal chord. He’s tasked with rescuing a young woman taken hostage by a sex traffickers. It’s like a spiritual sequel to “Sound of Freedom,” only with a protagonist who personally takes out the (human) trash.

How can you root against Levon, even when he bends the rules to make the bad guys sweat?

Veteran stunt coordinator Eddie Fernandez worked with Statham on “The Beekeeper” and “A Working Man.” He praised Statham’s boundless on-set energy and eagerness to get stunts right. Both qualities suggest his action star reign will continue.

Statham’s ties to Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone also can’t be overlooked.

The actors worked well together in the “Expendables” franchise. Stallone spent years nurturing a Levon Cade film adaptation before officially co-writing “A Working Man.” 

The stars have something in common besides their signature brawn. They know what audiences expect of them and have no qualms about delivering it. Statham isn’t looking to perform Shakespeare or reinvent his screen persona.

Another similarity? Both kept their political preferences to themselves for decades.

Most people don’t know where Statham stood on Brexit, nor did he weigh in on the 2024 U.S. presidential election. He doesn’t wear pro-Palestinian ribbons on the red carpet, and he hasn’t shared his thoughts on the U.S. border crisis.

He lets his fists do the talking for him, at least on-screen. 

Stallone abandoned his apolitical tone following President Donald Trump’s election last year, ending a half-century of political silence. Statham remains a mystery, more or less.

All of the above endeared him to Heartland audiences exhausted by stars insulting their core beliefs. Those are the people who love rock ’em, sock ’em action movies, the kind Statham delivers.

Neeson’s action star status had faded in recent years. His latest films have drawn tepid box office results. Statham is still going strong.

Tomorrow’s action stars might take notes the next time the British actor graces the big screen. They could learn about breaking bones and, more importantly, film longevity.

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