The Beekeeper
If you’ve been around this website for a while you’ll know that CFR and I are both long time fans of Jason Stathan. She’s more of a fan of him losing his shirt, but I’ve never complained about it. His thing for a couple of decades has been super macho tough guy with a heart of gold. Now that he’s pushing 60 he’s one of the biggest action heroes of all time and is the front man for several well-known action franchises like The Mechanic, Transporter, The Expendables. I wanted to see this movie in the theater, until I saw the trailer and that made me wonder if I wanted to see it at all, fan or not.
Andy Clay lives a simple life as a beekeeper on a gem of a farm. The owner is a nice elderly lady who is, “the only person who has ever taken care of me.” She is taken for everything she owns by a quick talking internet scammer and is so despondent she takes her life. Her daughter the FBI agent quickly becomes his nemesis, chasing him around, thinking he’s somehow responsible. What he’s doing, though, is chasing the money and “protecting the hive”, working his way up the corporate ladder, burning down their houses one by one. He is a retired “Beekeeper”, a man who has worked all his life doing the hard things to bring justice where needed. His landlady’s death causes him to unretire.
Normally I would say this is a typical action movie premise. Someone they love has been mortally wronged somehow and heads must roll. I’m cool with that, it’s the quickest way to get the viewers to the awesome fight sequences, and Statham is a grand master. The framework for this one, though, contains some obvious political allusions, which were obvious to me even watching the trailer in the theater. The icky bad guy is a spoof of Hunter Biden, which by extension should make the parent a comic-y bad guy. I haven’t been a fan of Joe Biden since the whole Anita Hill thing, but this much political allusion made me super uncomfortable to watch, not least because it made me question the political leanings of one of my favorite tough guys.
But of course I did, because I can’t help myself. What I found is one of his prettier action films. The production values are very high, with great sets just aching to be fought in and then blown to smithereens. Without giving away too much, I hope, I will say that the Hunter Biden crap was irritating, but ended up being somewhat leavened by other “beautiful” parts of the story.
Production values were high, but his acting, shockingly, was sub par for the most part. He seemed almost zombiefied, there was so much telephoning going on. Yeah, he’s one of the producers, but how many times can he get away with action only, no real acting as he ages? The script plays with some horrendous things, like the mortification and despair of being financially scammed, and I really appreciated it. There is a bit lighter emphasis on laws versus justice which kinda hung there for me, seen through the eyes of the nice, dead old lady’s daughter (Emmy Raver-Lampman, The Umbrella Academy). She was trying really hard, but her motivations didn’t quite work for me. That’s the writers’ fault, so I will say she was good as an FBI agent.
Overall it’s not a bad film and, as action movies go, it’s okay. Don’t expect Statham to exude much emotion even after a supposedly devastating loss. And expect to be a little mystified about character motivations. The action sequences are about an A-, predictable and well executed, but very short and emotionless. Overall, I won’t say don’t watch this, but don’t expect some of Statham’s best work.
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CFR: In Addition
Well huh. Good review and I’m glad I read it. I have been really taken by the beauty of the ads. Also, Bees. I love them. I want to protect them. I want the whole world to protect them. They are important. So that is probably why I haven’t seen the movie because I am worried about the bees getting hurt. (It’s me, I know.)
Now my soul-sister and her wife loved the movie. They didn’t say anything about the politics. I can’t talk to that.
I have this movie on my cue to watch. I think I will one day. (I love the opening lines of the trailer – OMG YES!) Also, I love me a good revenge movie. So one day.
For now, I’m watching Star Trek: Lower Decks* – my soul’s soundtrack – and My Life Is Murder. Both of those are great.
*I NEED MORE LOWER DECKS!!! #SaveLowerDecks
Chick Flicking Reviews 