Jason Statham's Underrated 2021 Revenge Thriller Is Finding An Audience On Netflix

Some filmmakers have achieved a level of authorship so high that their name promises a certain type of movie, and for the most part, the film delivers. This goes beyond just auteur theory into the realm of branding; folks like Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, and Guillermo del Toro have been so consistent in their output that it stands to reason fans of their prior films will enjoy their new works. Then there are auteur filmmakers who are recognizably their own artists, yet their movies are all over the place in terms of their reception. This describes Guy Ritchie pretty well, for while the man who made his debut with the movie "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" can still be seen in 2025's "Fountain of Youth," the disparity between those films and their reputation is pretty large.

This issue is likely what's largely to blame whenever Ritchie's latest films seem to slip under the public's radar. The director has been working steadily since 2015, and his string of movies during this past decade has seen him both expand and solidify his creative toolkit. Yet, a majority of these films have come and gone without much fanfare, leading to the birth of some cult followings for the likes of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword." One movie which felt like it should've been a bigger deal upon its release was 2021's "Wrath of Man," the fourth collaboration between Ritchie and star Jason Statham. It not only marked an artistic reunion of the men after 16 years, it also turned out to be a pretty fantastic revenge thriller in its own right. Now, fortunately, the film appears to be finding an audience on Netflix (per FlixPatrol), which hopefully means it won't remain underrated for much longer.

In addition to Ritchie fans, Statham has his own fanbase who've come to expect a certain type of movie from him, especially if it's in the action genre or action-adjacent. While "Wrath of Man" certainly delivers the brooding and brutality that Statham fans are looking for, it's unique amongst his filmography, too. It's actually a remake of a 2004 French film: "Le Convoyeur," co-written and directed by Nicolas Boukhrief. And while both movies share the same premise (a grief-ridden father seeks to avenge the murder of his son at the hands of someone involved with an armored transport company), the original film is a much more tragic affair, hewing close to something like John Woo's "Silent Night."

Ritchie's version (which he co-wrote with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies) takes his film into much grander territory. It splits the story into four acts, jumping backward and forward in time. It also makes Statham's protagonist, Patrick "H" Hill, into less of a tragic victim and more of an elemental agent of fury. Ritchie includes some of his signature arch supporting characters and dialogue to help leaven the gritty proceedings, a choice which doesn't undercut the drama but instead makes it feel more operatic. Statham follows Ritchie's lead, playing Hill with such intimidating menace that he feels more akin to a Clint Eastwood character than Statham and Ritchie's usual cocky Cockneys. All of this swirled together makes "Wrath of Man" a standout amongst both Ritchie and Statham's resumes. Perhaps its uniqueness was too hard to get across in the film's marketing, which, coupled with its delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meant that it was generally passed over upon release. Hopefully, its newfound success on Netflix will expand its already growing cult following.