A WORKING MAN : Tuesday 1st April 2025

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'A WORKING MAN' this week, and this American action thriller is Co-Written for the screen and Co-Produced by Sylvester Stallone and David Ayer and Directed by David Ayer, whose prior film making credits take in his Directorial debut in 2005 with 'Harsh Times', and which he would follow up with other titles including 'Street Kings' in 2008, 'End of Watch' in 2012, 'Fury' in 2014, 'Suicide Squad' in 2016, 'Bright' in 2017 and 'The Beekeeper' in 2024. This film is based on Chuck Dixon's 2014 novel 'Levon's Trade'. The film was released in the US last week too, has so far grossed US$36M from a production budget of US$40M and has garnered mixed or average reviews. 

Here, we are introduced to Levon Cade (Jason Statham, who also Co-Produces here), an ex-Royal Marines Commando who leads a peaceful life as a leader of a construction company in Chicago. 

He is close to the owners of the company - the Garcia family run by husband and wife team Joe (Michael Pena) and Carla (Noemi Gonzalez) respectively, together with their nineteen year old daughter Jenny (Arianna Rivas) who works in an unofficial capacity completing lesser tasks while still studying. On the day of her nineteenth birthday Jenny is kidnapped from a club she was attending that night with three other girlfriends, by Russian traffickers, bundled into the back of a van and whisked away. 

The next day Levon comes into work as normal only to be greeted by a distraught Joe and Carla saying that their daughter is missing, and pleading for Levon to find her and bring her back to them. Levon declines saying that he is no longer that man, and cannot help them. 

Later, Levon visits a former colleague whom he served with and whose life he saved although he couldn't save his eyes which now leaves Gunny Lefferty (David Harbour) blind. Gunny lives in a remote cabin in the woods, and Levon tells him the story of how Jenny is missing. Gunny tells Levon what he already knew - that he would go after those who abducted Jenny and bring her back home - he just wanted to hear it from someone else. Levon later goes to the Garcia household and tells Joe that he'll bring Jenny back to them. 

Levon learns early on that the organisation who has taken Jenny is run by the Bratva (Russian mafia), led by Symon Kharchenko (Andrej Kaminsky). After Levon interrogates and kills high-ranking captain Wolo Kolisnyk (Jason Flemyng) by drowning him whilst tied to a chair in his own pool. Symon sends his sons Danya (Greg Kolpakchi) and Vanko (Piotr Witkowski) after Levon. Levon infiltrates the organisation by pretending to be a dealer to get close to Wolo's estranged son Dimi (Maximilian Osinski), who runs the trafficking side of the business. Jenny's captors, Viper (Emmett J. Scanlan) and Artemis (Eve Mauro), try to sell her to a client, but Jenny bites the man's cheek so badly he needs thirty-six stitches and is ordered to be killed, until the client changes his mind and wants to try again with her. Meanwhile, Levon is caught by Danya and Vanko, but he kills them in close quarter combat in the back of a van, eventually dumping them and the van in a river where it quickly submerges. Later as Symon is mourning the loss of his two sons laid out in a mortuary, this signals that things have got very personal between Levon and him.

Levon takes his young daughter Merry (Isla Gie) out of school for a few days to stay with Gunny and his wife after the thugs find out who he is and threaten him, having already burned down the house where Merry lives with her grandfather after Levon's wife died two years previously. Levon rescues his father-in-law, with whom he has a very rocky relationship, who at least is grateful for saving his life. Having armed up with Gunny's secret stash of weaponry, Levon later tracks down Dimi and gets him to lead him to the compound where Jenny is being held. 

Levon kills Dimi and proceeds to gun down, knife or grenade every last Russian goon in his path, including a biker gang and their leader who arrive on the scene after the initial bloodbath. Levon finds Jenny, kills the client, then kills Viper while Jenny kills Artemis. Following this second round two more of Symon's heavies arrive on the scene - Nestor (Ricky Champ) and Karp (Max Croes), with the latter machine gunning down a police squad car that arrives who are also in on the trafficking scheme. Levon then dispenses with these two before escaping with Jenny on a motorbike, while Symon looks on from outside and out of view. Symon calls his brother to tell him of this latest development but is told to leave Levon alone and that nobody in the organisation is going to help him in his crusade for revenge, and if he persists then he will be killed. Do you understand his brother asks, to which Symon responds with a yes. He hangs up and screams into the night. 

Levon returns Jenny home to her family who all embrace and rejoice her safe arrival, before he goes off to reunite with Merry and Gunny.

Penned by Stallone and Ayer and Directed by the latter, 'A Working Man' offers nothing we haven't already seen countless times before courtesy of films from the likes of Stallone, Neeson and Butler. Here, once again Statham does what he does best as the everyman trying to put his past to rest but is called upon to unleash his very particular set of skills to reign down all hell on earth on, in this case, the Russian mob through the inventive use of guns, blades, grenades, pick axes, sledge hammers, a bucket of screws and a sack of cement. And in this respect this action flick works and delivers Statham's signature brand of ass kicking, but the storyline and the dialogue is thin on the ground, and any hints at humour fall flat. This film is not up there with last years Statham and Ayer actioner 'The Beekeeper', and it delivers nothing new to an already overcrowded genre, but what you get is exactly what it says on the box. 

'A Working Man' warrants three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 3rd April 2025

In 2025 the Doha Film Institute presents QUMRA Festival in its eleventh year (although in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak the festival was cancelled and went online) and runs this year from the 4th to the 9th April. Qumra is a unique initiative dedicated to providing mentorship, nurturing talent, and fostering hands-on development for filmmakers from Qatar, the region and beyond. 

Celebrating the art of cinema with a curated selection of remarkable feature-length films from the region and across the world, each film is supported by Doha Film Institute and reflects a commitment to championing diverse voices and fostering cultural dialogue. Audiences will embark on a cinematic journey through compelling stories that inspire, entertain, and unite.

This year, Qumra is honoured to share six remarkable feature-length films from the region and beyond. This years programme is a true celebration of the power of storytelling—offering original and unique perspectives on cultures, experiences, and ideas that help us see the world in new ways. Those six films are :-

* 'East of Noon' - from the Netherlands, Egypt and Qatar, and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Hala Elkoussy. The films follows 19-year-old Abdo, a musical prodigy who dares to challenge the rigid order of his elders. The eccentric showman Shawky rules their isolated community through a theatrical blend of performance and fear, while Galala, the village storyteller, offers solace with fables of the sea - an unseen place that exists only in myth. As Abdo's rebellious spirit grows, he begins to use music as a weapon of resistance, disrupting the fragile balance of power and exposing the system's vulnerability to the unrelenting force of youth.

* 'Demba' - from Senegal, Germany and Qatar, and Directed and Written by Mamadou Dia. Demba is about to retire after 30 years of service at the city hall in his small town in Northern Senegal. That hot summer, as the two-year anniversary of his wife's passing approaches, he realises he just can't 'shake it off'. As his mental health deteriorates, he discovers a new connection with his once-estranged son.

* 'Moondove' - from Lebanon, the Netherlands and Qatar and Directed, Written, Produced and photographed by Karim Kassem. Three stories in the mountains of Lebanon metaphysically converge to illustrate stories of memory, loss and love. A remote village faces an uncertain future - their harvest is over, but a relentless drought threatens both the land and their very way of life. As the community prepares for its annual play, this year the almost prognostically titled 'Departures', the performance takes on a deeper meaning - reflecting their fears of change, loss, and the possibility of leaving behind all they have ever known.

* 'Rising Up at Night' - from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso and Qatar, and Directed, Written and photographed by Nelson Makengo. Kinshasa, the capital city of seventeen million people, is plunged into darkness and insecurity as its inhabitants struggle to access the light. In a relentless quest, Kudi mobilises the people of his neighbourhood, Kisenso, to buy the stolen cable so that electricity can be restored in time for the festivities. At Christmas, Kudi turns into Santa Claus. Flashes of light and hope illuminate the streets of Kinshasa. On Mount Mangengenge, a sacred site, Pastor Gedeon preaches the light of Christ as the way to faith and light. Meanwhile, young Davido is looking for shelter after his house was flooded by the Congo River. He kills time by working out and waiting for the river to recede from his neighbourhood.

* 'MA - Cry of Silence' - from Myanmar, South Korea, France, Singapore, Norway and Qatar, and Directed and Co-Produced by The Maw Naing. In 2022, Myanmar remains engulfed in civil war following the military coup of 1st February 2021. Mi-Thet, a young Burmese woman, is working in a garment factory in Yangon, far from her native village. Wages have not been paid for the past two months, and a group of workers are leading a strike. But soon, the strikers are attacked by the henchmen of the military regime, leaving Mi-Thet terrified by her past trauma.

* 'Red Path' - from Tunisia, France, Belgium, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Lotfi Achour. In the ruggedly beautiful, yet isolated arcadian landscape of central Tunisia, 14-year-old Ashraf's life is suddenly shattered when a group brutally murders his cousin and forces him to carry a horrific message back to his family. As he struggles to process his internal trauma, he finds himself completely abandoned externally by the authorities and the very people who should protect him. Alone in his grief, Ashraf is left to make sense of a world that offers neither justice nor solace - only silence.

For more information on the above named six films being featured, plus the Industry Programme, the Master Classes being held plus a whole lot more, you can go to the official website at : https://www.dohafilminstitute.com/qumra

Looking then at this weeks four new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we launch with an action comedy of when the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, this mild-mannered everyman turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back. This is followed by a fantasy adventure comedy offering that sees four misfits suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination, but to get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected, expert crafter. Next up we turn back to the late '70's where a teenager discovers the underground post-punk music scene in Christchurch, New Zealand, and looking to impress someone, he attempts his own songs. And closing out the week we have an animated film about a half dog and half man, who is sworn to protect and serve as he doggedly pursues the feline supervillain Petey the Cat.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'NOVOCAINE' (Rated MA15+) - is an American action comedy film Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen whose prior feature film Directing collaborations take in 'Body' in 2015, 'Stake Land II' in 2016, 'Villains' in 2019 and 'Significant Other' in 2022. This film has received generally positive reviews from critics, and has so far grossed US$29M from a production budget of US$18M since its US release in mid-March.

When the girl of his dreams Sherry Margrave (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, everyman and assistant manager at a San Diego credit union Nathan 'Novocaine' Caine (Jack Quaid) turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back after she is kidnapped on Christmas Eve by a bunch of thugs dressed in Santa suits. Also starring Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel and Matt Walsh. 

'A MINECRAFT MOVIE' (Rated PG) - this fantasy adventure comedy film is Directed by Jared Hess, whose previous film making output includes 'Napoleon Dynamite' in 2004, 'Nacho Libre' in 2006, 'Don Verdean' in 2015, 'Masterminds' in 2016 and the animated 'Thelma the Unicorn' in 2024. Here, four misfits - Garrett 'The Garbage Man' Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks), find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld - a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). The film was originally set for a release date in late May 2019 but in late April of that year the film was delayed until early March 2022. Then in early October 2020 it was removed from the release schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in early April 2023 after being undated for over two years, the film was given its current release date of this week here in Australia and the US. It cost US$150M to produce, and was filmed in New Zealand. 

'HEAD SOUTH' (Rated MA15+) - is a New Zealand coming of age comedy film Written and Directed by Jonathan Ogilvie, whose prior feature film offerings take in 'Emulsion' in 2006, 'The Tender Hook' in 2008, and 'Lone Wolf' in 2021. In 1979, Angus (Ed Oxenbould), alone for a couple of weeks with his world-weary father, is drawn into the underground post-punk music scene in Christchurch, New Zealand. Desperate to fit in with this magnetic but fickle subculture, Angus distances himself from his true friends and lies about his musical abilities to his new 'friends'. Caught out by his own deceit he must become the musician he pretended to be. With the support of his friends, especially the talented Kirsten (Benee), Angus navigates self-doubt, derision, harmful behaviour and a family tragedy to take the stage for the first time with his band 'The Daleks'. The film saw its World Premiere screening as the Opening Night Film at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in late January 2024 and was released in its native NZ at the end of October last year. Also starring Marton Csokas.

'DOG MAN' (Rated G) - this American animated film is Written for the screen and Directed by Peter Hastings and is based on Dav Pilkey's children's graphic novel series 'Dog Man'. It is a spin-off and story within a story of 2017's 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie' and the second film in the 'Captain Underpants' franchise. Hastings made his feature film Directorial debut with the Disney animated 'The Country Bears' in 2002, and he has also Written and Directed many animated TV series episodes in the intervening period. When a police officer and his faithful police dog get injured in the line of duty, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together, and Dog Man is born (voiced by Peter Hastings). As Dog Man learns to embrace his new identity, he must stop feline supervillain Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson) from cloning himself and going on a crime spree. Also starring the voice talents of Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Billy Boyd, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Root. It has garnered generally favourable critical reviews and has so far grossed US$132M from a US$40M production budget since its release Stateside at the end of January. 

With four new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-