The new Jason Statham thriller, “A Working Man,” knows just what it wants to be. The film is a well-crafted and exciting retro entertainment, directed by David Ayer from a screenplay co-written by Sylvester Stallone (adapted from the novel “Levon’s Trade” by Chuck Dixon). This is an ode to the type of eighties to mid-nineties action pictures where the lead character works a normal job but hides the fact that they are former military, Navy SEALS, etc. until bad guys force them to do their thing. Familiar, to be sure, but Stallone knows how to make this genre work. The eighties-action titan was always a good screenwriter, and Ayer knows the crime genre very well. For this one, the two filmmakers combine to give their star a worthy film and audiences a raucous good time filled with good action, a good cast, and enough badassery to fill 10 Walter Hill pictures.

Jason Statham has been making the same films ever since 2002’s “The Transporter” made him a bona fide action star. When given the rare chance, the actor occasionally stretches his acting abilities (2008’s “The Bank Job” and Taylor Hackford’s “Parker” are good examples) but mostly sticks to what he knows and stays inside the genre in which audiences accept him. While there may be more to his bag of acting tricks than kicking ass in movie after movie (see Guy Ritchie’s “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch”), the actor is always watchable, even when many of his films are not.

Reuniting with Ayer directly after their 2024 surprise success, “The Beekeeper,” Statham stars as Levon Cade, a foreman at his friend Joe’s (Michael Peña) construction company. Cade is a former Royal Guard soldier now living the blue-collar life in Chicago. Sleeping in his pickup truck to save money, Cade grieves the loss of his wife and works to regain custody of their daughter (Isla Gie), whose grandfather (Richard Heap) is fighting for sole parental rights. Grandad is afraid Cade’s PTSD will put his granddaughter in danger.

Cade is well-liked by his co-workers and seems to be a fair man. He is considered part of Joe’s family, has a good-paying job, and is out to prove that he is a good father. Cade’s path to normalcy is sidelined when Joe’s college-age daughter, Carla (Noemi Gonzalez), is abducted by Russians (of course) and is put into a sex-trafficking ring. Carla is no dummy, as early scenes show Cade teaching her some survival skills, but she can’t survive for long. The ex-soldier becomes committed to bringing her home and bringing down vengeance on those who took her, laying waste to those who dare test his mettle. Behold, I saw a pale British construction foreman. His name was Cade, and Hell followed with him.

There is no need to quibble over the fact that opportunities were missed in examining the deeper effects of PTSD in former military men and women. While this could have been an interesting throughline, “A Working Man” is not concerned with exploring its lead character’s psyche, which is fine. There is nostalgia to the way Ayer and Stallone have designed their film. Set-up, action, more action and then, the finale. Every moment plays out precisely as fans expect, but Ayer keeps things tight and exciting. The talk is tough, and the fights are violent, with cinematographer Shawn White steering clear of shaky-cam shenanigans to fully allow viewers to experience the well-choreographed mayhem.

Arianna Rivas in “A WORKING MAN”

Cade is lethal. His time as a commando never left him, as he proceeded to waterboard, shoot, slice, beat, and drown all who got in his way. The filmmakers and their stars make each fight scene count. Fred Raskin’s editing can be too kinetic at times, but much of the action works. Every bruised and bloody moment is executed with skill and vigor. As he proved in “Street Kings,” “End of Watch,” and his undervalued “Sabotage,” David Ayer knows how to direct gritty action sequences. Some fantastic set pieces exist within this film.

The supporting cast does well. While Peña is underused, David Harbour is in fine form as a former soldier who lost his sight during a mission with Cade. The actor gives a dose of reality to the film but doesn’t have enough screen time to really develop a deeper character. Staham’s old “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels” buddy Jason Flemyng plays Wolo, a Russian baddie with just the right amount of slime whose son dares to take on Cade.

The women’s roles draw the short straw, as Harbour and Peña’s wives are barely given anything to do other than the standard “stand by your man” cliché. Let’s be honest: Audiences aren’t here for character development. They will pay their money to see a good action flick, and Ayer gives them blood and bang for their bucks.

No need for your thinking caps. Just get a big popcorn, some candy, and a soda, and sit down for an old-school action thriller with just the right amount of entertainment. With “The Beekeeper” and now this film, we are witnessing the beginnings of a beautiful friendship between David Ayer and Jason Statham. If they want to add Sylvester Stallone to the mix, that would be all the better.

“A Working Man” doesn’t tread any new ground, but what Ayer and Stallone have done is give modern action junkies a taste of the good ol’ days. Come with me, won’t you, to a time before CGI, when stunt teams ruled and big-screen macho heroes were fun.

This one is a blast.