Levon Cade: When a Builder’s Past Comes Back to Haunt Him
Levon Cade (Jason Statham) is a construction worker who maintains a cordial relationship with his boss, Joy (Michael Peña), and his family, while also making time for his child. However, during a party, the boss’s daughter is kidnapped by unknown individuals, leading back to a city-wide mafia network. Joy implores Levon to find his daughter, and the builder agrees, reluctantly revisiting his violent past.
Jason Statham as Levon in “The мастер”
Following the success of “The Beekeeper,” the creative partnership between David Ayer and Jason Statham can be considered a hit, much to the envy of Guy Ritchie. These action movie veterans didn’t stop there and decided to explore other interesting roles for the actor – Statham had yet to play a construction worker. “The мастер” (originally titled “A Working Man”) is, of course, not a commentary on the plight of the blue-collar worker. As is often the case, the protagonist has a surprise in store: a special forces or military background that resurfaces. While in “The Beekeeper,” the hero avenged a defrauded pensioner, here, a sense of virtue drives Statham to rescue his boss’s daughter.
From Beekeeper to Builder: Statham’s New Role
Jason Statham as Levon in “The мастер”
However, “The мастер” is not “The Beekeeper.” Ayer decided to tone things down significantly, with almost none of the insane self-awareness. The film doesn’t come across as a lighthearted, fun-for-all romp. The movie’s tone is closer to Statham’s action films from the early 2010s – brutal, cold, and uncompromising. Sylvester Stallone’s involvement as a screenwriter likely contributed to this, as he’s not particularly fond of over-the-top antics, considering the somberness of “The Expendables” with Statham or the final “Rambo.” One might have hoped for more construction-related puns, but the hero doesn’t exactly overflow with them, preferring to occasionally utter monotone phrases like “I believe in biology” or “My interest is purely pharmaceutical.” Perhaps it’s time to cast him as a pharmacist?
Action and Investigation
Jason Statham as Levon in “The мастер”
Statham certainly believes in biology, quickly understanding how to deal with unfriendly members of the environment. Beatings, shootouts, interrogations with prejudice – “The мастер” delivers classic Statham in action. Levon Cade is not only a first-class fighter but also a detective. Director Ayer tries to prove this by constructing a chain of investigative measures and forcing the hero to follow the mafia’s trail. Somewhere, the line lacks pressure, and somewhere, the film lacks a key component: the characters should feel like part of a larger meme. After all, “The Beekeeper,” and the most high-octane films with Statham in general (think “Crank”), were always distinguished by a meta-dimension – the character seemed to know about internet jokes and continued in the same vein. While there is a colorful villain in the frame, played by Jason Flemyng – a longtime colleague of Statham’s from Guy Ritchie’s criminal underworld – “The мастер” quickly disciplines itself and switches to default mode. Bandits, dialogues, plot outline, and even signature atrocities – after “The Beekeeper,” everything seems to be done a little on autopilot.
Predictably, the action movie occasionally turns on “John Wick” mode and sends the builder to neon-lit clubs, where beatdowns are much juicier. Statham forms, if not chemistry, then a bridge of communication with three characters: his daughter, whom he takes for walks; a fellow soldier, whom he visits (David Harbour); and a hulking drug dealer (Chidi Ajufo), with whom he communicates, always seasoning the conversation with the word “brother” – perhaps the most amusing arc of the film.
Like the value of Pi, Statham never changes – also an irrational phenomenon, which is precisely why the actor is loved. Most likely, “The мастер” will appeal to loyal fans of the artist. Otherwise, Ayer’s film can be watched in the background, but it is unlikely to emotionally connect with the audience and expect a full house. “The мастер” could easily get lost in the actor’s combat filmography somewhere between “Parker” and “Safe,” but you still want to stay in touch with Statham: he will fix the crane, get honey, and build a house. Or destroy it.