The Beekeeper

Let's be real, you know what you are getting from a film starring Jason Statham. He'll be playing a cool and collected action hero that beats the living daylights out of anyone with an ounce of evil in the body. Statham is, and always has been, a very predictable actor in that sense but none of that means he isn't also incredibly entertaining and compelling to watch on the big screen.

For director David Ayer's latest effort, starring Statham in the lead role, we get the exact same kind of adventure that we've seen play out time and time again in the past. The Beekeeper channels the exact same kind of energy that we've seen in The Mechanic, Fast & Furious, Parker, Transporter, The Meg, The Expendables. It's thrilling, no-brakes action that allows Statham to continue to flaunt his skills as a talented action star, and frankly his character of Adam Clay fits the exact same mould as that of Deckard Shaw, Lee Christmas, Jonas Taylor, and so on.

If you needed any further information to understand the plot of The Beekeeper, essentially the film follows a retired elite assassin, who is dragged back into action when a caring elderly woman he is associated with is scammed for all her wealth, leading to her committing suicide. Statham's Clay is regarded as a former Beekeeper, which is a term for an agent who served a clandestine organisation known as the Hive, which is responsible for keeping the world in check, eliminating all the nasty crooks that the law fails to control, for example billionaires and high-ranking politicians. After the death of his elderly friend, Statham goes off on a good old fashioned revenge mission, which ultimately sees him uncovering the conspiracy of all conspiracies.

Needless to say, The Beekeeper's narrative is serviceable at best. This also extends to the film's dialogue, which does its purpose but never wows or blows the viewer away. This isn't a Killers of the Flower Moon or an Oppenheimer that delivers high-quality performances and meaningful and deep narrative, it's a glitzy and suave action film that excels in the metrics that truly matter to the genre.

What I mean is that the action scenes, the choreography, the set design, these parts of The Beekeeper are fantastic. When you're watching Statham effortlessly battle through hordes of FBI agents and mercenaries it all feels very John Wick-esque, albeit with more hand-to-hand action and less jaw-dropping and silky-smooth firearm moments. The action is dynamic and thoroughly entertaining, and Statham handles every scene with immense precision and satisfaction. He truly remains one of the most electric and engaging action stars in the film space.

However, The Beekeeper could definitely have done with someone keeping Ayer and writer Kurt Wimmer in check with how cliche they make Clay. Not only is the character known as a Beekeeper who works for the Hive, but he is also an actual beekeeper in his retired role, and if this wasn't enough, he also trades typical action remarks and one-liners for countless metaphors about beekeeping. It's relentless and truly challenging not to laugh out loud at them when he drops his third bee metaphor in one scene. The most unusual part about this setup is that when you meet a different Beekeeper in the film, they aren't as committed to the apiarist theme even marginally, making Statham's Clay an anomaly.

But just because it has some strange elements doesn't mean that The Beekeeper isn't a truly entertaining film. It's exactly what I want out of an action film starring Statham. It's easy to watch, well-choreographed, fun, and doesn't overstay its welcome. Clocking in at less than two hours and with seemingly no intention to expand the story any further with franchised efforts (although money will always dictate this), it's an ideal way to spend an evening, and is a great example of what the action genre needs to introduce a bit of variety beyond the regular superhero flicks that have oversaturated the space.