I think it’s about time we really come to collectively recognize Jason Statham as one of the most versatile action stars to hit the western world of filmmaking since the hey day of action mega-stars like Sylvester Stallone, Brice Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger back in the 80s and 90s. His career has shown a surprising amount of range, and quite a bit of success in almost every form you can get him – whether it’s comedic, dark, artsy, subdued, whatever. He’s always been the guy who has shown to consistently – as the kid’s say these days – understand the assignment. So, while not every film of his is a winner, when a good one does come out, it’s a nice reminder of the raw talent, and his new film, The Beekeeper is a really good one.
Directed by David Ayer and written by Kurt Wimmer, The Beekeeper follows the titular Beekeeper, Adam Clay (Jason Statham), who lives a simple life working with bees, with not much going on socially with the exception of his kind neighbor, Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad), who he rents out a barn from. Unfortunately, Eloise gets so devastated after being the victim of a phishing scam, which resulted in all her money plus the fund of a charity she works with getting emptied out, she ends her own life. So, just FYI in case you came into this for Rashad.
The news is also a major blow to Eloise’s daughter, FBI Agent Verona (Emmy Raver-Lampman), who initially finds Adam suspicious after finding him in her mother’s house during the discovery of the body. Those suspicions evolve when Adam shows himself to be much more capable than your average beekeeper, blowing up a building where the call center that Eloise was in contact with was located. But not only is he capable, he was once a part of a mysterious, classified organization of highly skilled individuals who “protect the hive.”
So, yes, it is a fairly by-the-numbers revenge film with the added bonus of silly lore that might hold up to some franchise potential. However, this is one of those cases where it’s all in the execution. Ayer knows exactly how to handle material like this, and he crafts a near perfect throwback to old school action movies, the kind that hit the ground running, employs actors who are over-delivering on some wacky dialogue, has earnest emotional stakes, and allows even the smallest roles to have a sense of personality in order to make them memorable.
The big bad in the film is Josh Hutcherson’s Derek Danforth, and I don’t want to give away the whole deal with his character, because one, it’s a nice surprise, and two, I also want to let you all know this isn’t leading up to some Statham versus Hutcherson showdown – as amusing as that sounds. He’s the kind of sniveling, weaselly villain who is always pulling the strings, the one giving the orders, making things move. Or at least, whatever he isn’t delegating to Wallace Westwyld (Jeremy Irons), a former head of CIA, yes, literally, who now works under him. Wallace also gets to be the guy who delivers the exposition about the mysterious Beekeepers that Adam was one associated with, and it’s so bananas. But since it’s Irons delivering the dialogue, you 100% buy it.
The action is very solid and satisfying. Adam is the kind of one-man-army action hero, hyper competent and extremely capable of getting things done that would otherwise be near impossible for most people – without going superhuman, of course. The fight choreography reflects that ingenuity and quick thinking, always one step ahead of most of the people he encounters. One interesting touch I liked was how Adam went out of his way to only disarm and/or knock out members of law enforcement, while his tactics toward private military groups and other hired guns sent by Derek are much more lethal and unforgiving. Major props to second unit director and fight coordinator, Jeremy Marinas.
David Ayer is one of those guys who can be pretty hit-and-miss given his commitment to a very specific aesthetic and vibe, which I have thoroughly enjoyed in films like Fury and Sabotage, but have found them less charming in others. Given he didn’t write this film, there is a certain voice that does feel lacking at times, but this being more of a for-hire gig doesn’t stop Ayer from knocking it out of the park. He has a strong command of tone and a cast that is totally game, allowing them to get away with ridiculous lore and enough bee puns to make Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze blush. I imagine it’s extra satisfying just seeing apathetic tech bros getting absolutely wrecked. I’m sure many of us have experienced scam calls and close encounters with online scammers, and for the folks who have fallen victim, I can only imagine the rage they must feel. There is a certain, very modern catharsis that The Beekeeper offers regarding the ways power can allow people to bypass laws, and giving us the satisfaction of seeing folks who are most often leading consequence-free lives get their just desserts and in delightfully brutal fashion. It’s definitely the kind of vibe I wanna start the year off with.
The Beekeeper is now out in theaters.