The Beekeeper: Jason Statham's Return to Action Glory

The Beekeeper: A Non-Stop Action Flick

When it comes to action movies, Jason Statham is a reliable source, and The Beekeeper is no exception. The actor, whose comedic chops have been less utilized than his ability to punch someone in the face, teams up with director David Ayer and writer Kurt Wimmer to deliver a non-stop action flick that is high on adrenaline. With expertly staged fight sequences, an aloof and extremely slick Statham fights his way through highly trained agents at every level to protect the beehive. The Beekeeper may be your run-of-the-mill revenge film, but it’s got a dash of style, fascinating exchanges, and exciting action set pieces.

Jason Statham and Jeremy Irons face off in The Beekeeper

To say Statham’s Adam Clay is operating on a level all his own would be an understatement. Clay, a retired government agent who trained in the secretive Beekeeper program, is an unstoppable one-man show. The Beekeeper opens with Clay, now an actual beekeeper, exchanging pleasantries with Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad), a kindly woman from whom Clay rents out a barn to house his bees. It’s a simple scene, but it grounds the rest of the movie while showcasing what kindness can do for Clay, who was never taken care of by anyone. It’s a shallow setup, but it works.

Emmy Raver-Lampman aims to shoot in The Beekeeper

The Beekeeper is also quite absurd. This isn’t a knock against the film in the slightest; rather, it's quite fun because it’s all so ridiculous.

Josh Hutcherson stares ahead in The Beekeeper

The Beekeeper’s Action Is Jason Statham At His Best

The moment is the calm before the storm before all hell breaks loose, and Clay starts dropping bodies. Clay is unhinged. He’s lethal, precise, and open about his plans, and it’s thrilling to watch him saunter up to different groups — be it federal agents or security personnel — and tell them he’s going to burn a building down. These elements add a bit of surprise and fun to an otherwise straightforward film, and I found myself waiting for Clay’s next move with glee, since they brought a fair amount of levity to a plot that would have failed had it taken itself too seriously.

Jeremy Irons walks away from mercenaries in The Beekeeper

And while Statham hasn’t taken a break from being an action star, he hasn’t been in many films (beyond Wrath of Man) that really showed off his nimbleness as an action hero in recent years. To that end, The Beekeeper is a return to form for Statham, who takes center stage and carries the fight scenes as though his life depends on it. Action sequences can get rather boring when they solely involve guns, but Ayer’s film is more dynamic than that, and Statham dukes it out in hand-to-hand combat to great success.

Jason Statham is ready to fight in The Beekeeper

The Beekeeper Is Fun Thanks To Its Absurdity

The story is extremely thin, as are the characters, but they’re no less intriguing. The script brings the various threads together to make it believable despite the chaos. The Beekeeper is also quite absurd. This isn’t a knock against the film in the slightest; rather, it's quite fun because it’s all so ridiculous. Clay waltzing up to a team of FBI agents like it’s no big deal while they look on blankly before recognizing he’s their target is downright comical. There’s no end to wildly entertaining moments like this, though it perhaps helps to watch it with an audience that’s up for the shenanigans like I was.

The Beekeeper is an engaging ride, and once the action starts it never lets up. Statham is at home in his role as Clay, and he seems to enjoy playing with the subtle humor and power his character has over others. The action set pieces can be exhilarating, and Clay’s mission firmly holds the film together despite a lack of narrative and character depth. Ayer’s film isn’t so rigid that he can’t have a party with the material, and the entire filmmaking team proves they’re up to the task of delivering the amusement required to enjoy it.