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Wild Card

Wild Card

Never bet against a man with a killer hand.

201592 minRMidcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Director
Simon West
Starring
Jason Statham, Michael Angarano, Dominik Garcia, Milo Ventimiglia

When a Las Vegas bodyguard with lethal skills and a gambling problem gets in trouble with the mob, he has one last play… and it's all or nothing.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Wild Card?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Wild Card streaming on MovieSphere+ via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Wild Card?

Wild Card earns 7 badges, led by Overhyped and Box Office Flop.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Wild Card worth watching?

Wild Card's Midcredits score is the 23rd percentile of all films, from 96K ratings across 6 sources. 29% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

23rd percentile

Better received than 23% of films

36th percentile among Action23rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)27th
Approval (how many liked it)21st

54 /100

27th percentile of all films

41st percentile among Action29th percentile among 2010s

Critics 40 · Audience 55

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

29% liked it

21st percentile of all films

34th percentile among Action21st percentile among 2010s
29% rated it 7–1071% rated it 1–6

Critics 30% · Audience 29%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

96th percentile

96K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Action96th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 33% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Worldwide gross$6.7M

Returned 0.2× its budget — 54th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree the film is a Statham action vehicle with a gambling-addicted bodyguard in Las Vegas, featuring solid fight scenes but a meandering story and undercooked supporting characters.

Fans praised

  • Statham's charisma carries the role of Nick Wild even when the script lags
  • Satisfying and brutal hand-to-hand fight scenes
  • William Goldman's script has moments of sharp dialogue and interesting twists

Detractors panned

  • Plot is a jumbled mishmash with no real direction or clear narrative
  • Weak, underdeveloped characters — especially Nick Wild's motivation and backstory
  • Pacing issues: middle sections feel like they're spinning wheels and filler scenes

What stands out

Acting70

Statham's charisma is widely praised, even by detractors; supporting cast like Stanley Tucci and Milo Ventimiglia are noted as competent but underused

Atmosphere70

Gritty Las Vegas setting feels authentic, with a neo-noir tone

Dialogue55

Some sharp lines from William Goldman's script, but overall weak and forgettable

Characters40

Nick Wild has slightly more depth than typical Statham roles, but supporting characters are thin and underdeveloped

PacingDivisive35

Run time drags in the middle with filler sequences; picks up only in the final act

Originality35

Remake of 1986's Heat, seen as formulaic and derivative of other Statham films

Plot and storyDivisive30

Multiple threads (millionaire, mobster, gambling) fail to interweave cohesively; plot is jumbled and lacks clear direction

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Wild Card like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It has a few laughs and leaves you satisfied.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
TenseMelancholicBittersweet
Heaviest: middle
Dry humor
Register
Brutal · 7% of filmsHardboiled · 1% of films: Terse, unsentimental, noir-inflected.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight, treating the revenge and violence with grim seriousness while allowing moments of dark humour and stylised action.
The rideThe middle section carries the heaviest emotional weight with Holly's trauma and Nick's escalating confrontation, while the film as a whole oscillates between action and bleak reflection.
StructureThe plot unfolds linearly: Nick takes on jobs, learns of the assault, plans and executes revenge, then faces the mob boss and escapes. No temporal shifts or frame devices are used.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Satisfied.

The answer rests on this: Cathartic · 6% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe revenge is complete and Nick earns an escape to Corsica, but the journey is marked by brutal violence and moral compromise, leaving a mix of relief and unease.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story centers on Nick Wild's confrontation with gangster Danny DeMarco, who assaulted his friend. Nick uses his skills to overpower DeMarco and his henchmen, facing mob enforcers and ultimately killing the villain, a classic monster motif with a human tyrant.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfAddictionSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% (this title) · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Addiction · 1% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Nick's gambling addiction as both his motivation and his undoing, with Holly's rape and his quest for vengeance serving as a backdrop to his self-destructive spiral.
StanceThe film interrogates the futility of Nick's addiction-driven choices, neither celebrating nor condemning his actions but presenting them as a grim cycle.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score
SettingSeedy Las Vegas casino and backroom world
MusicMarianelli's score blends tense orchestral pulses with low-key electronic textures, underscoring the neo-noir atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Wild Card okay for kids?

R

Wild Card is rated R: “Rated R for strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (78/100), sexual content at moderate (51/100), language at intense (75/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (51/100) and frightening material at moderate (57/100). Overall it is heavier than 59% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium16
  • BGC
  • Greece12
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-16
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15-
  • PortugalM/14
  • Russia16+
  • SK15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 75% of all filmsHeavier than 59% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 62%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 65%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 65%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 40%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Wild Card have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Wild Card?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jason Statham
as Nick Wild
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Angarano
as Cyrus Kinnick
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Dominik Garcia
as Holly
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Milo Ventimiglia
as Danny DeMarco
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Hope Davis
as Cassandra
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Max Casella
as Osgood
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Stanley Tucci
as Baby
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Sofía Vergara
as DD
Jason Alexander
as Pinky
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Anne Heche
as Roxy
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Wild Card?

Movies like Wild Card include French Connection II (1975), The Gambler (2014) and Con Air (1997). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Simon West, and most are hero-versus-nemesis stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 12 share its subject: addiction. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Wild Card?

1.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: neo-noir. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.