“A Working Man” is an action thriller released this year and stars Jason Statham as the protagonist. The movie is nothing special to the genre, yet it managed to outperform the live-action “Snow White” film at the box office. Disney’s adaptation was an absolute mess and was bound to be a failure at the theatres, but it is bizarre that it would be beaten out by a low-budget film that had almost no buzz before release.
Action movies have been around for as long as filmmaking itself. Watching something take place that would otherwise never occur in real life is the biggest draw of any film. Most action films that we see build on this allure by emphasizing the limitless potential of humanity. It is always cool to see protagonists reach their goals through big chase scenes and choreographed fights. The spectacle is what audiences crave, which is what these movies do best. Seeing explosions going off and guys exchanging flashy moves clicks into something primal in our minds. Even sub-genres like action comedies understand this simplistic desire.
The best action films give the audience visually appealing action and a good story. The stories of these films can vastly differ, but there is always a moral of justice that prevails throughout all films. The protagonists are morally justified in their actions against the villains, which makes it easy to root for the protagonists.
Sometimes, all it takes is a simple plot with good action to entertain the masses. Action movies are not difficult to enjoy, so there will always be an audience that demands more.
