Tag Archives: Jason Statham

My Thoughts on: Wrath of Man (2021)

Before today, the last film I saw in theaters was Onward, all the way back in March 2020 (right before everything locked down). Fourteen LONG months later, I finally sat down in my local movie theater to watch Wrath of Man, starring Jason Statham, and I couldn’t have been happier with my choice.

Wrath of Man, directed by Guy Ritchie, is a revenge film that is admittedly a bit by rote in terms of the plot points it hits, but please don’t let that stop you from checking this film out. The story may be predictable but it is still entertaining. The film’s story follows “H” (Jason Statham), a man on a mission that unfolds a little unevenly (as the film does skip backwards and forwards in time) in the wake of a robbery gone bad. Statham is great in this film playing a man on the edge of going completely psychotic. It’s not the most action filled role he’s ever done (it’s nothing like his role in The Expendables series or his work in The Fast Saga for instance) but there’s enough to satisfy any fan of Statham’s previous work.

Rote plot aside, the part of this film I enjoyed the most (and I suspected I would) was the film’s soundtrack, which I’ve already reviewed. Composed by Chris Benstead, the music for Wrath of Man, as I’d hoped, really does reach out and grab you by the throat, forcing you to pay attention to it. I love this soundtrack even MORE now, because of how much it elevates the film. It raises the tension, it makes you feel every pulse-pounding moment, soundtracks like this are why I love talking about film music so much.

Going back to the plot, while it is very by-the-numbers, I think there is an important message in there. If you look at who the ultimate culprits are, I think Ritchie was trying, on some level, to say something about how screwed up the US is. Maybe if a certain part of society were better taken care of, this entire plot situation might have been avoided. As it is, it felt entirely too plausible given how messed up the news has been in recent months.

I also have to say I really like how the film is split up into individual acts (denoted with title cards). It helps measure the progression of the story, and I like how the title card is quoted in each section of the film. I don’t know why, but that’s a film element I’ve always liked.

Is Wrath of Man a masterpiece? Well, no, it’s too rote for that. But it is a good popcorn film and I wouldn’t say no if someone asked me to watch it again. Acting-wise, Jason Statham is the best part of this movie. Scott Eastwood is pretty good too (though I admit I didn’t work out which character he was until after the movie when I got home). Outside of that, the music is the single greatest part of this movie and I hope everyone checks out Chris Benstead’s great soundtrack.

Let me know what you think about Wrath of Man in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

Soundtrack Review: Wrath of Man (2021)

Film Reviews

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Soundtrack Review: Wrath of Man (2021)

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Sony Music Masterworks has released the Wrath of Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by composer Chris Benstead. Available everywhere now, the album features score music written by Benstead for director Guy Ritchie’s latest action thriller starring Jason Statham. The score is the latest collaboration between Benstead and Ritchie, the duo having previously worked together on The Gentleman and Aladdin.

Chris Benstead is a British film composer, arranger and Academy Award®-winning re-recording mixer. Chris received Oscar® and BAFTA awards for his work as re-recording mixer on Alfonso Cuaron’s masterpiece Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. Chris’ unique skillset allowed him to mix and sculpt the music in an extremely immersive way, pushing the limits of surround sound and exploiting the new ‘Dolby Atmos’ standard.

Of the soundtrack for Wrath of Man, composer Chris Benstead had the following to say:

“The score for Wrath of Man is centered around the cold and mysterious character ‘H’. Super close-mic’d cellos and double basses were used (and abused) to created awkward and jarring stabs as well as angry and unnervingly dark textures. A stoic main ‘hook’ is constantly repeated in different guises to help amplify the sense of impending unease and, ultimately, revenge. Sometimes only percussion was needed to create the brutal and exigent action cues. It was an amazing experience to collaborate with the utterly brilliant Guy Ritchie once again.”

I’m probably guilty of saying this too often, but I really enjoyed listening to the soundtrack for Wrath of Man. This is the kind of soundtrack I live for hearing, because it’s the type of music you feel in the very depths of your soul (yes it really is that good). Benstead uses the cello and double bass in a way that is pure genius. Normally, I think of those two instruments as producing warm and gentle music. Not here, not this soundtrack. Benstead turns the cello and double bass into weapons, making sharp, jagged sounds that cut through everything else and demand your attention. This is not the type of soundtrack that just fades into the background, you’re going to notice this music.

I also absolutely love how Benstead utilizes percussion throughout the soundtrack. It sounds like gunshots in a lot of places (and I’m certain that was done on purpose) and gives the music a distinctly prickly feeling. It’s a nice contrast to the harsh sounds of the cello and double bass and serves as a reminder that this is not ‘comfortable’ music in any sense of the word. Once this music gets started, you are on edge and I love that so much about this soundtrack.

There isn’t too much more to say about this music without sounding repetitive. Chris Benstead has created a soundtrack that doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what it is: the music for (what is hopefully) a badass action film. This is one of the most purely enjoyable soundtracks I’ve heard this year so far, and I think all of you will like it.

Track List

1. Coffee Frother (3:29)
2. Wrath of Man (2:14)
3. Dangerous Job (2:17)
4. Tooling Up (3:09)
5. Bullet Taken Hostage (3:04)
6. F**king Lunatic (1:57)
7. Coroners Report (1:22)
8. China Town (0:55)
9. Dark F**king Spirit (3:58)
10. Know The Route (1:45)
11. Dougie (3:20)
12. Idolised You (3:40)
13. Built for Combat (2:03)
14. Porn Factory (3:34)
15. Precious Ornaments (3:24)
16. Staples Center (2:38)
17. Go to Work (1:44)
18. Number 1 Loses It (3:58)
19. 120 Million (2:04)
20. The Inside Man (4:42)
21. Wanna be Hero (5:36)
22. Come Out Little Piggy (4:16)
23. Bullet Executions (3:31)
24. The Victor (4:48)
25. Liver Lungs Spleen Heart (4:13)

Let me know what you think about Wrath of Man (and its soundtrack) in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

My Thoughts on: Wrath of Man (2021)

Film Soundtracks A-W

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My Thoughts on: Transporter 3 (2008)

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*warning, minor spoilers for Transporter 3

All too quickly I reached the end of the original Transporter trilogy with Transporter 3. Unlike the other two, I went into this one with a warning. I’d been told by more than a few people that I should avoid this film since it was a step down from Transporter 2. With that thought in mind, I dove in to the film…and was pleasantly surprised.

Perhaps I please far too easily, but I enjoyed Transporter 3. The action has moved back to Europe, Statham is on point as always, and this third entry presents a dangerous wrinkle to the “transport the package from point A to point B” premise that has defined the series. Namely, our favorite transporter has to deal with getting the job done with a powerful explosive strapped to his wrist (a matching one on the package as well), one that will detonate if he gets too far away from the car. It’s already been established that being a transporter is a dangerous occupation, but now Frank Martin has to do his job while being conscious at all times of his proximity to the car, because if he’s not careful he can go BOOM. It’s an ingenious plot device, because it’s easy to forget it until it becomes relevant and then you’re like “Oh sh*t the bomb!”

Another thing I liked about Transporter 3 is watching Frank deal with his latest “package” i.e. Valentina (Natalya Rudakova). In some ways, the interaction reminds me of the interplay between Frank and Lai in the original film (just with more conversation), as Valentina strains Frank’s patience to the absolute limit (a notable example being when she gets high right before a car chase ensues). But one part of the interaction between Frank and Valentina that bothers me is how quickly they appear to develop a relationship. Ever since I was clued in to how unrealistic this is, seeing this in a film has always bothered me. However, even though it does bother me, it doesn’t stop me from enjoying the film, which is otherwise really good.

One last thing that bothers me in this film is some of the things that Frank does with the car. Now, I admit I don’t know too much about cars, but to me it seems highly unlikely that a car could be made to run again (just like that) after falling into a lake. And the odds of a vehicle being able to land on top of a moving train…I know it’s a movie and all, but something about that scene bothered me, so I just wanted to mention it.

Even though this film is 11 years old, I would be more than happy to see Jason Statham play the role of Frank Martin again (let’s just forget the reboot ever happened). Let me know what you think about Transporter 3 in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

My Thoughts on: Transporter 2 (2005)

My Thoughts on: The Transporter (2002)

Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: Transporter 2 (2005)

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I’ll admit to raising an eyebrow when I heard that Transporter 2 was considered by many to be superior to the original Transporter film. But after sitting down and watching it, I have to agree that those critics might have a point. Transporter 2 is a lot of fun to watch, and it definitely takes the action much farther than the original film did.

But admitting it’s the superior film? Hmmmm, I’m still not sure about that.

First let’s start with the basics: Transporter 2 goes the route of most sequels by putting a twist on the original premise. Instead of transporting packages for anonymous buyers, Frank Martin has been working for the last month as a personal driver for a family, taking their young son back and forth from school. It seems innocent enough, but given Frank Martin is involved in the situation, it doesn’t take long for things to go sideways.

One area in which Transporter 2 unquestionably excels is in the action. As great as the fight scenes in the original film are, they’re taken to the next level in this one. And some of the things that Frank does with that car of his just aren’t human (in fact, if I’m honest, at times it pushed my suspension of disbelief). No, in terms of action, Transporter 2 is a lot of fun.

Where I take issue with this film comes in the depiction of Lola, one of the main antagonists of the film. Lola is a completely psychotic gun-wielding killer, whose wardrobe is so scanty that it screams “mid-2000s fan service” from beginning to end. On one level, I get why she’s presented this way: the idea is that Lola is so crazy she just doesn’t give a f*ck and will dress however she wants, society be damned. But on the other hand, every time I see her this way it made me cringe. If I could alter one thing in this film, it would be her.

Other than that quibble, I suppose Transporter 2 really is superior to the original, except for that ending. I feel kind of bad for Frank in the end, but then I suppose he couldn’t be who he is if the film ended any other way. I also like how Inspector Tarconi is worked into the story. With the change of locale I didn’t think we’d see the dear inspector, but it worked out perfectly.

Overall, I enjoyed this film very much. Let me know what you think about Transporter 2 in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

My Thoughts on: Transporter 3 (2008)

My Thoughts on: The Transporter (2002)

Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: The Transporter (2002)

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I actually remember the commercials advertising The Transporter (many many moons ago, when I was just a wee middle school student). It stuck out to me because it listed the rules the Transporter goes by: 1) Never Change the Deal; 2) No Names, and 3) Never Open the Package. I had no idea what the film was really about, but I remember being curious about a character who likes to follow their own set of rules (my own brain works in a similar way). Last night, 17 long years later, I finally got to see the film for myself (thanks Hulu!) and oh my goodness. I have been missing out haven’t I?

The Transporter, as the title implies, follows professional transporter Frank Martin (Jason Statham), who will deliver anything to anywhere, provided the aforementioned rules are followed. Inevitably, with a system like this, the rules are broken and Martin’s life is turned upside down when he becomes mixed up in some major criminal dealings.

This film is a wild ride to say the very least. From the opening car chase (which is actually very funny, I loved watching how he treated those robbers), to the final chase, I loved every minute of it. There is one thing I noticed though: I’m not sure if this was because of the director, or because this was relatively early in Statham’s career, but this isn’t quite the Jason Statham I’m used to watching, if that makes sense. Oh the fight scenes are what I expected (and the oil fight is insane), but the way he talks and acts…it’s just different. I’m not saying it’s bad, it’s just different. Also, this is yet another film where Statham still has hair and it is so weird to see him with hair.

And speaking of the fight scenes, they’re nuts but in a good way! I’ve yet to see a movie that does not involve Statham showing off his awesome fighting skills, and this film is no exception. The previously mentioned oil fight was crazy to watch, though I read afterward that they had to use molasses for that scene and it had to have been a pain and a half to clean up afterward. (also, one last thought, I was genuinely upset when that house got blown up, that was a really nice house!)

I’m so glad I watched The Transporter at long last, Transporter 2 and 3 have now jumped to the top of my watch list, and I can’t wait to check out even more of Jason Statham’s filmography. Let me know what you think about The Transporter in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

My Thoughts on: Transporter 3 (2008)

My Thoughts on: Transporter 2 (2005)

Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: Furious 7 (2015)

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Believe it or not, Furious 7 is only the second film I’ve seen in the entire Fast & Furious series (Hobbs & Shaw, being a spin-off, technically doesn’t count). I didn’t pay the series any mind until my senior year of college, when I got to see Fast Five at a screening that was free for college students. I was nearly hooked into the series then, but the stress of finishing my degree distracted me enough that I forgot about the series all over again (Paul Walker’s tragic death in 2013 did not help). That’s how things stayed until just recently, when I watched Hobbs & Shaw, remembered that the duo had appeared (more or less) in several Fast & Furious films prior to the spin-off, and decided to find out what I was missing.

And that’s basically how i found myself watching Furious 7 for the first time ever last night. By rights, I should have watched Fast & Furious 6 first, since that’s where we meet Owen Shaw (and without him we never would’ve met Deckard Shaw). But…I was really impatient to get to Jason Statham’s involvement in the series, so I skipped ahead.

To put it mildly, Furious 7 is an insane film, with stunts that make Fast Five look tame in comparison. I’m still trying to work out how a crew of street racers and thieves got involved in international espionage (that IS what this is, right?), but thankfully the story is so over the top that it just works. The plot largely revolves around Dom seeking revenge on Deckard Shaw for killing Han and nearly killing himself, Mia, Brian, and their young son Jack. Deckard, for his part, wants revenge on the crew for nearly killing his brother Owen. Jason Statham fits into the story perfectly, and I really believe that adding him in raises the story to a whole different level.

I also have to say, that while I love all of the stunts in this film, I do understand why people are saying the franchise is seriously pushing the limits of believability (and I haven’t even seen Fate of the Furious yet). Case in point, that entire sequence where the expensive supercar flies/drops/jumps between skyscrapers in Abu Dhabi. It looks really cool but at the exact same time there’s a voice in the back of my head saying “Yea, right, like that could totally ever happen.” Fortunately, I love crazy action scenes, so I don’t let it bother me too much.

No review would be complete without addressing how the film bids farewell to Paul Walker. I remember when the news of his death came out, and at the time I legitimately thought that was the end of this film. After all, Brian is so important to the story, how could you possibly go on without him? Well, they found a way, and it’s one of the best character send-offs I’ve ever seen that doesn’t involve outright killing the character off. The digital effects are so good, if I hadn’t read some trivia that reveals where and how some of the footage was manipulated, I probably wouldn’t have known which scenes were and which scenes weren’t (except for the beach scene and the ending of course). And that ending…I can’t imagine a more fitting end than having Brian drive off into the sunset (in an all-white car no less). I freely admit I was crying when the credits finally rolled.

Furious 7 is really fun to watch, and I may or may not be kicking myself for not seeing it in theaters. Let me know what you think about Furious 7 in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

My Thoughts on: Fast Five (2011)

My Thoughts on: The Fate of the Furious (2017)

My Thoughts on: Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

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*warning, minor spoilers for Hobbs & Shaw below

I’ve literally been waiting all summer to check this movie out. I initially wasn’t on board with it at all (even though I’ve only seen Fast Five, I still didn’t think Fast & Furious needed a spin-off), but then I saw the first trailer and I was all in. As the title implies, Hobbs & Shaw sees Luke Hobbs (Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) forced to team up to save the world from a dangerous super-virus. Oh, and there’s also Shaw’s sister Hattie (Vanessa Kirby) in the mix, not to mention a genetically-enhanced super soldier (Idris Elba), the latter also being after the virus.

Overall, I really did enjoy Hobbs & Shaw. As I suspected, the film is mostly an over-the-top action flick, with Hobbs and Shaw at the center of it all. There are fights, explosions, just enough plot to satisfy my brain, and of course, the undeniable chemistry between Johnson and Statham that makes it all work. Seriously, how were these two not paired in a movie sooner? (Yes, I know about them being in that Fast & Furious movie together, but that’s beside the point). I found it hysterically funny to watch these two square up to each other, they’re both alpha males who are definitely not used to working with anyone, let alone another alpha. On that basis alone, I look forward to the sequel that was obviously being set up at the end of the film.

While highly enjoyable, Hobbs & Shaw is far from perfect. For example, I loved most of the last act that was set on Samoa, once the action got going anyway. But am I the only one who thought the family scene didn’t quiet work? The feeling didn’t last long, since the film almost never slows down the action, but still, that part could’ve been done better. The final fight scene itself was insane (even if it did strain my suspension of disbelief just slightly). I know this is a movie and all, but you can’t seriously tell me that Hobbs and Shaw went through all of THAT (just in the finale alone), without having serious health issues immediately afterward. Maybe I’m nitpicking but that bothered me a little. Oh, and speaking of the finale, I found the slow-motion punch shots to be really unnecessary. I *think* I get what they were going for, but it really does come across as silly.

Can’t finish a review of this film without talking about Idris Elba; he was fantastic! Any scene he’s in, I loved. Honestly, I wish we could’ve gotten more of his character, or at least more time for his character to develop, I think he had the ability to be quite nuanced if we could’ve learned more about him. (Also, I love his motorcycle).

Oh, one last thought. Without giving too much away (hopefully), I think I know who that mysterious voice at the end belongs to. If you think you know too, please don’t say anything in the comments, for now let’s just keep it to ourselves, we’ll find out soon enough if the theory is correct. (And on one further point, I’m very glad I made sure to watch Game of Thrones when the season aired, or a certain line would have royally pissed me off.)

Let me know what you think about Hobbs & Shaw in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

My Thoughts on: Fast Five (2011)

My Thoughts on: Furious 7 (2015)

My Thoughts on: The Fate of the Furious (2017)

Film Reviews

Become a Patron of the blog at patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button)

Don’t forget to like Film Music Central on Facebook

My Thoughts on: The Italian Job (2003)

See also:

Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: The Expendables (2010)

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By all the rules of film as I understand them, The Expendables should not work. It’s a film filled with big action stars from the last 30 years who are slowly but surely getting past their prime and a story with actors like that just shouldn’t work! However, the action is so over the top that it does work and that’s why I freaking love The Expendables. It’s a story that follows Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and his band of fellow mercenaries as they go on a job for Mr. Church (Bruce Willis). The regular band of Expendables consists of:

Lee Christmas (Jason Statham)
Yin Yang (Jet Li)
Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren)
Toll Road (Randy Couture)
Hale Caesar (Terry Crews)

There’s also Mickey Rourke as Tool and Steve Austin (of WWE fame) as Dan Paine, one of the bad guys.

The plot of The Expendables, in a nutshell, is extremely basic. The band of mercenaries gets hired on a job that becomes very complicated and messy before all is said and done. In this case, Barry and the rest of our heroes are engaged to take out the dictator of a small island nation, only to find out that he’s being backed by a rogue CIA agent. It’s about as basic as a plot gets for an action film, but that’s alright because the insane levels of violence make up for any missing plot details. Seriously, this film (and the entire Expendables series) is an homage to the action flicks of the 80s. There are explosions everywhere, huge gunfights, and so much blood and death it’s kind of scary at times. And yet, despite that, as I said before, it just works. All the violence, all the gun fights, there’s something oddly cathartic about it all, that I can’t help but love.

It really is great to see so many action stars together in one place, that’s just part of what makes The Expendables so much fun, seeing all of those stars together and just watching them bounce off one another in all kinds of entertaining ways (I particularly love the dynamic between Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone).

Let me know what you think about The Expendables in the comments below and have a great day!

Brian Tyler talks The Expendables (2010)

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My Thoughts on: The Meg (2018)

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When I first saw the trailer for The Meg, I thought one of two things would happen if I saw this movie. One, I would be scared out of my mind or two, I’d be laughing like crazy because of the ridiculous material. It promised to be a semi-interesting film at any rate, as it featured the oft-visited science fiction scenario of a prehistoric Megalodon wreaking havoc in the modern world. Well, having returned from seeing The Meg, I wish I could say the film did one or the other, or was even a combination of both.

But I can’t.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some good elements to The Meg. There are some gorgeous underwater scenes showing life in the Mariana Trench and a shot of a shark cage appearing very small in the vast ocean. Actually, the film even starts with a semi-plausible scenario that sets up how a Megalodon could have survived all these years in the modern ocean. And in terms of the cast, Jason Statham does an admirable job with the material he’s given. In fact, the show is almost completely stolen by child actor Shuya Sophia Cai. However, despite these good qualities, I can’t overlook the messier aspects of the story.

The big problem with The Meg is, it doesn’t seem to know what sort of film it should be. At times it feels like a dark comedy, with any tension relieved by humorous quips (including a Finding Nemo reference). And yet there are also moments where it seems the filmmakers were trying to emulate the terror of Jaws or the scarier aspects of Deep Blue Sea (which might not be the best example but I got strong reminders of that film in particular). If the film had just committed one way or another, The Meg would have been a comfortably enjoyable B-film. Unfortunately it just didn’t work out that way.

And those are my thoughts on The Meg. What do you think of this film? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

Film Reviews

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