Happy mid-January, I hope everyone is staying warm and safe while we fight through the first big cold blast of the season. My choice this week was The Beekeeper and nothing will keep you warmer than a nice action movie, right? Well, maybe not. The theater I visited to watch this was a little chilly inside, but at least I had some warm popcorn.
For any movie starring Jason Statham where he is the top-billed star, you can probably figure out what sort of movie this was going to be without ever seeing the trailer. But before I finish that thought, I don’t want you to hear the buzz of a spoiler, so if you don’t want to pull out that stinger, then watch the movie, but return here after to read what I have to say. In the meantime, check out my other reviews here.
Ok, I did see the trailer and it went pretty much the way I thought it would. However, I didn’t imagine the Beekeeper name would have the double meaning as it did. This is some information that you find out later in the movie, but since you are lucky enough to be here with me, I will tell you about it first. So, in the movie The Beekeeper, Jason Statham plays a man named Adam Clay. Clay happens to be an actual beekeeper, but at the same time, he is retired from a secret government program where he was a powerful operative known as the Beekeeper. Make sense? Ok, stay with me and I will explain.
The movie starts as most action flicks do, just following the steps to set up the story. Clay is renting out space in the barn of Eloise Parker (played by Phylicia Rashad). I hadn’t seen Rashad in anything for a while, so it was fun to see her play this part… and play it well. Clay is an actual beekeeper who tends to the hive and makes honey. Things take a dark turn right away as Mrs. Parker has a pop-up on her laptop with a number to call. A classic scam that unfortunately a lot of people fall victim to in real life as well. She falls for it and gives them her bank account information. Instantly, all of her accounts are zeroed out and she is left without a dime. Mrs. Parker had invited Clay over for dinner that night, so when he shows up, he sees her lying dead on the floor after taking her own life.
Eloise’s daughter, who is also an FBI agent, Verona Parker (played by Emmy Raver-Lampman) is on the case along with her partner Matt Wiley (Bobby Naderi played that part and this is the first time I had seen him). A side note, I had to look her up and then was mad at myself for not remembering her from The Umbrella Academy. Anyway, after a brief misunderstanding, they let Clay go free after the signs of suicide is undeniable. At this point, Clay goes on a full-on revenge tour taking out these data centers that are full of people making millions of dollars by preying on those unfortunate enough to get caught in their trap. I have to admit, it was very enjoyable to watch Clay do that knowing that those sorts of places exist in real life. Makes you wish this was a true story.
He is able to track this group to the literal top when he finds out that the whole organization is being run by the son of the President of the United States. That son was Derek Danforth, who was played by Josh Hutcherson. This was a fun role to watch him play. He normally plays roles that are the exact opposite, so it was nice to see him branch out here. Another solid performance was put in by Jeremy Irons, who played Wallace Westwyld. He was working for the Danforth company and was trying to keep Derek safe. Plus, a Minnie Driver sighting!
Since Clay has some superhuman fighting abilities, he is able to tackle any group that comes after him with almost comical ease. He can take out entire buildings, whole forces of elite soldiers, and even his Beekeeper replacement without breaking a sweat, but then one guy at the end gives him a ton of trouble and manages to stab him, not sure why that guy was so special because it doesn’t really explain, unless I just missed it. Seriously, he makes every fight he is in look like he is taking on a group of children, but yet one guy almost gets the better of him. In the end, he takes down Derek Danforth, saves the President, and then escapes as Agent Parker lets him get away.
I feel like I heard I word “hive” more in this movie than I ever had in my life… except for maybe in the 2007 Jerry Seinfeld movie “Bee Movie” (which was a hit in my house for years as the kids were small). They really drove home the title of the movie to the point where it was overkill. Overall, it was a fun action flick even if it was a little unrealistic with the fighting and the ease of him breaking into the President’s estate, but it wins points back for showing him take down a truly evil organization that makes you wish it was a documentary! I like the buzz this is getting and will give it a 6 out of 10.
I wasn’t sure about this movie. I appreciate the review.