Jason Statham’s underrated 2021 revenge thriller finds an audience on Netflix

Some filmmakers have reached such a high level of authorship that their name promises a certain type of film, and for the most part, the film delivers on its promises. This goes beyond simple auteur theory and extends into the realm of branding; people like Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, and Guillermo del Toro have been so consistent in their output that it stands to reason that fans of their previous films will enjoy their new works. Then there are the auteur filmmakers who are clearly their own artists, but their films are all over the place in terms of reception. That describes Guy Ritchie pretty well, because even though the man who debuted with the film “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” can still be seen in “Fountain of Youth” of 2025 the disparity between these films and their reputation is quite large.

This problem is probably largely to blame whenever Ritchie’s latest films seem to be flying under the public radar. The director has been working steadily since 2015 and his string of films over the past decade has seen him both expand and solidify his creative toolbox. However, the majority of these films followed one another without much fanfare, giving birth to certain cult followings for the likes of “The Man from UNCLE” and “King Arthur: The Legend of the Sword”. One film that seemed like it should have been bigger upon its release was 2021’s “Wrath of Man.” the fourth collaboration between Ritchie and star Jason Statham. This not only marked an artistic reunion of the men after 16 years, but also proved to be a pretty fantastic revenge thriller in its own right. Fortunately, the film now appears to be finding an audience on Netflix (according to FlixPatrol), which hopefully means he won’t stay underrated for very long.

In addition to Ritchie’s fans, Statham has his own fan base who expect a certain type of film from him, especially if it’s an action or action-adjacent genre. While “Wrath of Man” certainly offers the brooding and brutality that Statham fans crave, it is also unique among his filmography. It is in fact a remake of a 2004 French film: “Le Convoyeur”, co-written and directed by Nicolas Boukhrief. And while both films share the same premise (a grief-stricken father seeks to avenge his son’s murder at the hands of someone involved in an armored transport company), the original film is a much more tragic affair, close to something like “Silent Night” by John Woo.

Ritchie’s version (which he co-wrote with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies) takes his film into much broader territory. It divides the story into four acts, jumping backward and forward in time. It also makes Statham’s protagonist, Patrick “H” Hill, less of a tragic victim than an elemental agent of fury. Ritchie includes some of his signature supporting characters and dialogue to help lighten up the difficult discussions, a choice that doesn’t undermine the drama but rather gives it a more operatic feel. Statham follows Ritchie’s lead, playing Hill with such intimidating menace that he feels closer to a Clint Eastwood character than Statham and Ritchie’s usual cocky Cockneys. All of this mixed together makes “Wrath of Man” a standout among Ritchie and Statham’s resumes. Perhaps its uniqueness was too difficult to convey in the film’s marketing, which, coupled with its delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meant it was generally ignored upon release. Hopefully its newfound success on Netflix will expand its already growing cult following.