‘Expose the corruption. Protect the hive’
The Beekeeper is a 2024 American action thriller film in which one man’s brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organisation known as “Beekeepers.”
Directed by David Ayer (Fury; Suicide Squad) from a screenplay written by co-producer Kurt Wimmer (The Thomas Crown Affair, Equilibrium, Ultraviolet, Street Kings, Law Abiding Citizen, Salt, Expend4bles). Produced by Bill Block, Chris Long and Jason Statham.
The movie stars Jason Statham (Meg 2: The Trench; Expend4bles; Wrath of Man; Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw; The Meg; Ghosts of Mars) Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, Jeremy Irons (Dead Ringers), Enzo Cilenti, Taylor James, Dan Li, Adam Basil, Reza Diako, David Witts, Kojo Attah, Chelsea Li, Jessica Maria Gilhooley, Arian Nik and Michael Epp.
Reviews:
“There’s little buzz about The Beekeeper despite well-choreographed action sequences, and it’s more than inevitable you’ll end up being stung by how bad it actually is in parts. Statham feels at times like he’s phoning it in rather than imbuing his Terminator-like character with any kind of charisma. The most frustrating thing about The Beekeeper is the potential that’s wasted here…” At Darren’s World of Entertainment
“It’s not exactly an acting challenge, with the endeavor merely asking Statham to growl his lines, but the lights are certainly out for the star during the run time, with Wimmer straining to create a connected game of villainy and insect-laden motivation for the lead character, while Ayer once again goes the hyperactive route with his action, failing the thrill with his empty sense of style.” ★½ Blu-ray.com
“The Beekeeper understands a, perhaps the fundamental tenet of pulp cinema: There is something deeply satisfying about watching a good guy hurt bad guys in inventive ways […] I saw The Beekeeper with a paying audience this weekend at a preview, and they were positively buzzing afterwards. It’s a pleasing throwback, old ideas and ideals convincingly packaged in a modern wrapper.” The Bulwark
“The lines of the script emphasize the metaphor of society as a hive again and again, as if he constantly needed to justify his own narrative. We can’t say that Beekeeper is excessively original… How many lone avenger movies have we already seen? Many, many. What is not so common is that they are such beasts, there Ayer has done the rest and it is a winning trick.” 65/100 Hobby Cine [translated from Spanish]
“You have to accept some craziness, excesses and nonsense in the film to be able to enjoy all the action it has. To compensate, its cast includes several luxuries, in addition to Jason and Emmy. They work with none other than Jeremy Irons in a very small role and Minnie Driver in a tiny role […] Leer Cine [translated from Spanish]
“Statham excels as a straight-faced goof. Between his glower and the movie’s high-quality production values, this brain cell-destroying schlock resembles an earnest drama. Yet, Ayer makes it plain that he’s in on the joke. As Statham lays waste to a camo-clad squadron, the shoulder patches on their uniforms read BS.” The New York Times
“Statham sticks to his brand, playing yet another variation on the baldheaded battering ram we’ve come to associate with the star. It’s more than a little absurd that a coldblooded killer would turn in his kill-whomever-you-please Beekeeper status to … keep bees (how many ex-Navy SEALs have dedicated themselves to raising seals?), and yet, such half-brained plotting is meant to suggest that Ayer and company don’t find it necessary to waste their energy on backstory or psychology.” Variety
“Graded just on its action scenes, The Beekeeper is an acceptable film. There’s enough well done, give or take a crappy CGI explosion, to keep it from getting dull. Unfortunately, just about everything else in this film is a mess thanks to Wimmer’s worst script since Ultraviolet. He seems to have put more effort into coming up with bee jokes than making anything in the plot believable.” ★½ Voices from the Balcony
“Between notable action sequences, many characters who appear morally grey, to the only real issue being you having questions about what is a secret organization, The Beekeeper is a reminder that January has long stopped being a dumping ground for movies and can produce potentially major hits.” 83% Wherever I Look
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