A One Mann’s Movies Film Review of “The Beekeeper” (2024).
In terms of ‘leave your brain at the door’ cinema, “The Beekeeper” is high up there on the list. Sometimes this type of film can leave you weeping into your popcorn. Amazingly, this one felt like a fun ride. (But, I mean, it’s still not bloody Shakespeare).
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
When widow and charity-coordinator Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad) gets conned for everything she’s got, her beekeeping neighbour Adam Clay (Jason Statham) takes it personally. He goes after the faceless call-centre organisation conning millions out of gullible older people but uncovers a chain of command that goes to unexpected places.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: “Strong violence, injury detail, language, drug misuse”.)
Talent:
Starring: Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Jeremy Irons, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Jemma Redgrave, Phylicia Rashad, Michael Epp, Minnie Driver, Don Gilet.
Directed by: David Ayer.
Written by: Kurt Wimmer.
Twitter Handle: #TheBeekeeper.
Running Time: 1h 45m.
If you see Jason Statham marching into your call centre, head for the exit quick! (Source: Sky Original)
“The Beekeeper” Film Review:
Positives:
- It’s a Statham movie! You get what you expect! A lot of mindless violence with bad guys and sometimes whole FBI teams of good guys being beaten senseless by Statham using only his muscles. It’s absurd… but it’s quite fun at the same time.
- Statham oozes charisma and seeing him sparring with the acting heavyweight Jeremy Irons is a joy. I’m with “The Times” reviewer Kevin Maher in saying that if Statham got linked into a quality film with a quality action director like Christopher McQuarrie, then a classic could ensue. Having Statham cooly walking into the dodgy call centres and, with suitable quips, wreaking havoc is fun to watch.
- I only remember Emmy Raver-Lampman from the decent Channing Tatum canine tale “Dog“. She seems to have done most of her other work in TV. But playing the FBI daughter of Eloise Parker, she really makes a mark. A strong and confident performance that is more of a match for Statham’s ego.
- The set-up of the plot is really quite well done. The scamming scenes were completely believable and you could actually relate to Eloise’s dilemna and Clay’s reaction to that event.
- Generating the biggest laugh of the night was a mercenary with an OUTRAGEOUS South African accent, who I think was actor/stuntman Martin Gordon. (A guy in the middle of the auditorium almost needed the Heimlich Manoever he was laughing so much when he started talking!) But the guy actually generated the most tense moment in the film. All the best close-combat movie scenes take place in confined spaces: think Grant vs Bond in “From Russia with Love” or indeed Tee Hee vs Bond in “Live and Let Die”. Here we have Clay vs Peitz (assuming this is Martin Gordon) in a narrow, mirror-lined corridor and it all works brutally well. A good scene.
Negatives:
- I mean, it’s all nonsense. The FBI SWAT team scene for example completely defies common sense! And how he gains access to a secure area in the finale of the film also beggers belief.
- The overall premise of the film (no spoilers, but it involves elections and campaign funds) might be ‘on point’ for the current ludicrous state of American politics. But I’m not buying it.
Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson) as the baddie who may or may not be well-connected. (Source: Sky Original)
Summary Thoughts on “The Beekeeper”
Occasionally, I’ll set a rating for a film and THEN write my review notes, but find that the positives more than outweigh the negatives. And this is a case in point. I originally rated this 3*s but my positives far outnumber my negatives. And I also have the words of the illustrious Mrs Movie Mann ringing in my ears: “Well” she said in the car home, “That was ABSOLUTE RUBBISH…. but it was quite fun too”! And I agree. It was a silly but fun outing to the cinema. So I upped my rating to 3.5*.
Surprisingly, despite its US setting. most of this movie was filmed in the UK: Eloise’s farmhouse is in the Castle Farm estate near Sevenoaks, the ‘beach house’ was the very much land-locked Tyringham Hall near Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire and the swing-bridge, where Clay executes someone in ludicrous fashion, is on the Isle of Sheppey!
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Trailer for “The Beekeeper”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzINZZ6iqxY .
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