The Beekeeper

"Clay" (Jason Statham) has worked for an off-the-books US government programme designed to provide the ultimate security to the democratic process by providing unlimited training and resources to a group of people whose job it is is to objectively protect the system. These folks are called "beekeepers" which is lucky because our Jason has decided to spend his well earned retirement doing precisely that. He rents some space in the barn of "Eloise" (Phylicia Rashad) and one evening she invites him round for supper. He arrives to find that she has committed suicide and a cursory investigation from her FBI daughter "Verona" (Emmy Raver-Lampman) reveals she was the victim of a callous scam that wiped out not just her savings, but $2 million from a charity she chaired. Yep, you've guessed it. "Clay" decides it's time to reactivate his account and get on the trail of these people regardless of just how high up the food chain the trail of complicity and corruption leads. Statham adopts a rather curious accent throughout this totally unoriginal and derivative action thriller that gets gradually more preposterous as it goes on. Josh Hutcherson and Jeremy Irons add a little box-office to the thing, but their roles are undercooked and the former is actually pretty hopeless throughout. Some fun pyrotechnics and you wouldn't ever want to mess with "Clay" but these one-man assassination squad movies are ten a penny now and this is certainly not one of the best.

9/10
> A **violent, bloody and relentless action thriller** with a cliche but strong storyline and beautifully shot action scenes.

I watched all the The ___ movies in preparation for the most expensive, The Beekeeper. It's short, snappy and dumb. Statham kills people like usual. Just a hard-working American bloke who only ever wanted to be cared for. If you feel all Australians are goofy and should die, you'll really like the end and probably rate it higher than I did.

Dumb as a brick. I'm sorry but the story behind this is downright moronic, not helped by shallow or aimless characterisations, absurd action, empty dialogue and no real finale.

In summary, a low IQ action flick that's stuffed full of empty exposition and little else.

I'm conflicted about <em>'The Beekeeper'</em>.

On the one hand, it's fantastic entertainment as Jason Statham plays a brilliantly badass character - every scene with him is top, top notch. The editing, action and score are positives, though everything around those aforementioned elements is annoyingly very hit-and-miss... and I'm not sure how much the other bits affect my enjoyment.

Away from the great Statham, the cast are also up-and-down. Josh Hutcherson and Jeremy Irons are decent, I think inferior actors would've done much worse so those two do do well in fairness. Sadly, for Emmy Raver-Lampman & Co. on the FBI side of the story... not the best. I mean, they're OK but kinda boring at the same time.

Raver-Lampman's character is also quite lamely written, not the actress' fault of course but still. Without spoiling anything, I feel like her character should've been way more sympathetic to Clay's cause given the obvious - like, still 'do your job' absolutely but it's as if the character forgot what happened at the start of the movie.

The scummy organizations are also portrayed a bit too cartoony, based on what I've seen in real life about those sorta people is that they're usually lousy losers who happen to know how to do what they do - rather than 'Gen Z' (please do forgive me for using that term *shudder*) smartasses who party 24/7 as this 2024 release shows.

I'm happy with the rating I've settled on, Statham merited more though.

**The Beekeeper** is a serviceable action thriller that delivers what you would expect from a _Jason Statham_ vehicle: brutal fights, cheesy one-liners, and a simple revenge plot. The film is directed by David Ayer, who has a knack for creating gritty and violent urban settings, and written by Kurt Wimmer, who has a penchant for crafting absurd and convoluted sci-fi scenarios. The result is a mashup of John Wick, The Equalizer, and The Matrix, with a dash of bee-related humor and symbolism.

**Statham** plays _Adam Clay_, a reclusive beekeeper who lives on a farm owned by his elderly friend _Eloise Parker_ (**Phylicia Rashad**). When Eloise falls victim to a phishing scam orchestrated by a sinister tech company, Adam decides to use his skills as a former elite operative to track down and punish the culprits. Along the way, he encounters various obstacles and enemies, such as corrupt cops, hired goons, and a mysterious hacker known as The Queen (Ruby Rose). He also forms an unlikely alliance with Eloise's daughter, FBI agent Sarah Parker (**Emmy Raver-Lampman**), who is investigating the same case.

The film does not waste much time on exposition or character development, focusing instead on the action sequences and the spectacle. Statham is in his element as the stoic and efficient killing machine, dispatching his foes with a variety of weapons and martial arts moves. He also delivers some witty and sarcastic remarks, often involving bees or honey. The supporting cast is mostly forgettable, except for Rashad, who brings some warmth and dignity to her role, and Rose, who plays the villain with a mix of charm and menace.

The film's biggest flaw is its lack of originality and coherence. The plot is a generic and predictable revenge story, with some implausible twists and turns. The film also tries to incorporate some themes and messages about technology, society, and morality, but they are either underdeveloped or contradictory. For example, the film seems to criticize the dangers of data mining and online fraud, but also glorifies the use of hacking and surveillance by the protagonist. The film also uses the bee motif as a metaphor for Adam's identity and mission, but it is often inconsistent and superficial.

The Beekeeper is not a film that will challenge or surprise you, but it is a film that will entertain you if you are in the mood for some mindless and fun action. It is a popcorn flick that knows its strengths and limitations, and delivers on its promise of Statham kicking ass and cracking jokes. If you are a fan of his previous works, or of the action genre in general, you will probably enjoy this film. Just don't expect anything more than that.