The Beekeeper – is it buzzworthy?
The patient, methodical science of apiculture isn’t something you’d normally association with high-concept, high-stakes, high-octane action but you’d better believe THE BEEKEEPER is going to push the metaphor to breaking point and beyond as it looks to bend it into serving this kinetic revenge thriller by sheer brute force, turning the quiet hum of bees into the roar of vengeance.
Jason Statham stars as Adam Clay, a former operative of a shadowy organisation known as the Beekeepers. The story begins when Adam’s landlady, Eloise (Phylicia Rashad), falls victim to a spear phishing scam, driving her to take her own life. Consumed by grief and anger, Adam sets out to dismantle the call centre operation responsible. But, being an experienced beekeeper, he knows that snuffing out a few drones won’t be enough – he needs to follow the honey – er, I mean money – all the way to the top, setting him on a collision course with Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson), a crypto-bro corporate scam artist, and Wallace Westwyld (Jeremy Irons), his ex-CIA director minder.
THE BEEKEEPER sees Statham at his absolute best. Freed of the po-faced pomposity of the FAST & FURIOUS franchise and allowed to act his age rather than help the aged in another EXPENDABLES romp, he’s clearly got a buzz from a script which sees him in imperiously taciturn form. He dismantles an entire call centre operation with spectacularly extreme prejudice, setting the tone for a movie filled with explosive action and putting him on the radar of the bad guys and the authorities, both of whom seem powerless to prevent his relentless march towards justice.
The film’s villains, particularly Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson) and Wallace Westwyld (Jeremy Irons), add a darkly comic dynamic as they bicker and squabble amongst themselves about how to possibly escape the inevitable and unstoppable force of retribution barrelling towards them. Hutcherson’s portrayal of a sleazy, entitled crypto-bro is hilariously, obnoxiously spot-on, while Irons’ cynical and nihilistic ex-CIA director provides a formidable counterpoint to Hutcherson’s incredulous entitlement. Their combined moral repugnance makes their – and their various lackeys – comeuppance all the more satisfying.
There are moments where the narrative gets bogged down by some unnecessarily complex backstories involving internecine government agency rivalries and the primary subplot featuring Eloise’s daughter, FBI Agent Verona Parker (Emmy Raver-Lampman), feels unnecessary and more of a distraction from the film’s primary story than an enhancement. While Raver-Lampman and her partner Matt Wiley (Bobby Naderi) have good chemistry, their scenes often disrupt the movie’s pacing without adding anything.
The action sequences, though, are undeniably entertaining. Statham’s fight scenes are as bone-crunching as ever, and Ayer’s direction ensures that the violence is both stylish and slick, our enthusiasm for THE BEEKEEPER’s quest allowing us to overlook some of the comical ease with which he evades capture and circumvents the most stringent of security measures. The final showdown, set on the President’s weekend retreat, is an audience treat, combining intense fight choreography with explosive set pieces and gloriously over the top scenery-chewing performances from the likes of Taylor James as the mercenary Lazarus.
THE BEEKEPER fits in well with Statham’s solo filmography with its blend of tight fight choreography and high-concept morality for its protagonist and while it might not quite reach the heights of classics like THE TRANSPORTER or have the sheer balls-to-the-wall-no-fucks-given-fun of the CRANK series, it’s a solid entry that showcases Statham’s strengths as an action movie hero in a honey of a movie that packs a real sting!
