More unexpected than "The Gentlemen", cooler than ordinary action films: "The Wrath of Man" by Guy Ritchie simply cannot disappoint.

The film pleased us not only with its excellent humor and recognizable techniques of the director, but also with its nonlinear plot.

On April 22, Guy Ritchie’s new action-thriller “The Wrath of Man” will be released in Russian cinemas. The main role in the film was played by Jason Statham, without whom not a single iconic work of the director was once complete (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and Revolver).

Guy Ritchie is especially respected in Russia; his films are much loved and awaited. Perhaps because their heroes always combined magnetic charm with brutality. This is how they captivated a whole generation of viewers.

But at some point, the director’s career path took him in the wrong direction: after the films about Sherlock Holmes, the controversial “The Sword of King Arthur” was released in 2017. Moreover, Guy Ritchie shot the film in the atypical genre of medieval fantasy. Then he was called to film Aladdin, another live-action remake of a Disney classic. Only now the producers have erased from there any hint of the author's view, for which Richie is famous.

But in 2020, Guy Ritchie returned with the perky “ Gentlemen ”. He made very similar films in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Fans greeted the film enthusiastically: it not only restored their faith in their favorite director, but also made them look forward to the next release.

Arsenal of proven techniques

According to the plot, a mysterious guy named H is hired by the collection company Fortico. When they try to rob one of the armored cars with money, the newcomer unexpectedly reveals himself as an experienced fighter with iron endurance. It immediately becomes clear to colleagues that a simple worker simply cannot shoot so accurately. And Hitch really infiltrated the company for a reason: he is looking for someone who caused him great pain in the past.

Essentially, that's all there is to say about the script to avoid critical spoilers. In this case, maintaining suspense when talking about the film is really important, since unnecessary details can spoil all the fun. But this does not prevent us from explaining why fans of Guy Ritchie’s original style will be very pleased with the new picture.

The director again generously poured out the tricks for which people go to the cinema to see his films. Parallel editing, energetic narration, frequent frame changes and unique opening credits were used, referencing classic action films of the 1990s. In addition, viewers, as in Guy’s old works, will have to remember the names of a dozen different characters, otherwise it’s easy to get confused in the plot turned upside down.

Fortunately, all the characters have pronounced charisma, and some are also incredibly cool . After all, Guy Ritchie is one of those directors who knows how to show a guy clicking the bolt of a weapon in such a way that it immediately takes your breath away. I was also pleased with the hero of Scott Eastwood (son of the legendary Eastwood Sr. ), who gave his all this time.

Non-linear narrative structure

It is important to note here that the trailer of the film has deceived everyone. One could easily think that the director's next work would be an ordinary cheerful action movie with a star in the leading role and a minimum of food for thought. And Guy Ritchie’s signature style was absolutely not felt in it.

In fact, the structure of the script became even more convoluted than in The Gentlemen. It seems that the Briton decided to enter the territory of his compatriot Christopher Nolan and play with non-linearity. Although this method of storytelling also took place in “Revolver,” Ritchie generally likes to experiment with script construction.

The division into chapters makes the film similar to the works of Quentin Tarantino , another virtuoso of the genre. Moreover, with each new part the degree of drama increases. Closer to the middle, they even inserted a torture scene, making the comparison with Tarantino even more appropriate: after all, Guy used to try not to show violence without cuts.

By the way, if you put the events in chronological order for a minute, you will get the most ordinary action movie, and all the charm will immediately fall apart. It’s just that something that would be of no interest in the hands of an ordinary director here irrevocably captivates you, forcing you and Eich to wonder who the main villain in this story is.

Subtle irony over brutal heroes

At this point, it is permissible to again recall Tarantino, who also skillfully dilutes the bloodbath with jokes of varying degrees of obscenity. Only in "Wrath" the funny moments are mainly concentrated in the first third of the film.

After this, the film will suddenly throw out its dramatic trump card and smoothly mutate into a robbery film, and there will be no time for witticisms.

But even in the most intense scenes, Guy Ritchie still finds a moment to have fun. For example, the director funny plays on the plot trope, often arranged like this: one of the characters enters the room, and there a friend is already waiting for him, ready for a serious conversation. And he waits dramatically - sitting in a chair under the ominous light of a lamp.

Naturally, in this case, the role of this comrade is Jason Statham, whose impenetrable severity already serves as a constant object of irony in the film. It’s impossible not to laugh while watching his character gloomily stare at the ceiling or play “Ride of the Valkyries” on his bell—well, what else could a man who embodies brutality choose?

If Guy Ritchie had been a different director, such techniques could have been considered buffoonery. But the author treats his characters with tenderness, and all this is done very delicately and subtly.

Now that the film industry is , for obvious reasons , going through a crisis, Guy Ritchie’s new work will definitely be a breath of fresh air for fans of spectacular cinema. This story, with a different approach, could have remained a standard action movie.

But the nonlinear plot turns it into a box of surprises, and the characters, bold in every sense of the word, seem to be created to be adored.