TL;DR – It is a solid action film and one of Jason Statham’s best roles in a while.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid to see this film.

Warning – contains scenes that may cause distress.

The Beekeeper Review –

Do you have a world that exists just outside of the one we live in, moving through the cracks of society? Well, can I just say that you have written something that I am very excited about? Today, we look at a film that explores what happens when you upset the wrong person, someone you never should have gone within 100 miles of.

So to set the scene, Adam Clay (Jason Statham) is a quiet person who keeps to himself, tending his beehives with space that he rents off Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad), a retired school teacher who owns an old farmstead all by herself. One day, Eloise was doing her bills when spyware was detected on her computer, but the people she called didn’t help. In fact, they were scammers that took everything from her. Clay arrives for dinner to find her body, just as her daughter, FBI Agent Verona Parker (Emmy Raver-Lampman), gets to the farm to find out what happened to her mother’s bank accounts. Clay is at a loss as to who would hurt someone as caring as Eloise, but unlike many, he has resources, a lot of resources. The kind that can find things the FBI cannot and does not care if someone goes on a rampage.

Okay, let’s get this out of the way quickly that there are a lot of comparisons that I can make between The Beekeeper and John Wick. One way you see it clearly is in how they go about making it crystal clear just how awful these people are and how very much you will not care when he carves a bloody scythe through the organisation. Ripping everyone and all in sunder as he makes them pay for what they did.

Jason Statham is known as one of those actors who plays the same character in every single one of his films. I am not sure that is entirely fair, but also it is something I can’t really argue against either. However, it was refreshing to see that while he is playing to type, there is a bit more range to his performance. We get a much more muted and restrained character, someone who is tired and wants to find peace and who is saddened that he has been dragged back into this world but also resolute in his determination to see it through.

The supporting cast is also good. I am here for the Josh Hutcherson-aissance, and he captures the smarmy/sleazy Derek Danforth perfectly. Jeremy Irons, Minnie Driver, and Jemma Redgrave just look like they are having fun playing these broad characters who get to pontificate. This also goes for the team that Eddie Fernandez, Jeremy Marinas & Nicholas Schodel put together for all the stunts. There are a lot of them, and look, there were more than a few times when I let out a gasp at a hit or bench saw.

When it comes to the production, I liked the lighting that they worked with, using a lot of contrast and shadows and never looking murky. Also, the staging of the opening scam scene was a great mix of performance and editing heightened by however sadly realistic it all felt. While there were a few action scenes that got a bit messy, most worked well, which is essential for some of the larger action set pieces. ‘The Beekeeper’ part of the story felt a bit underdeveloped, but it was just an excuse for what happens, so it’s not a big deal.

In the end, do we recommend The Beekeeper? Yes, we would. This is a solid action film with a strong motivation and fun characters. If you liked The Beekeeper, we would recommend to you The Equalizer 3.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Have you watched The Beekeeper?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 


Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of The Beekeeper
Directed by – David Ayer
Written by – Kurt Wimmer
Music by – Dave Sardy & Jared Michael Fry
Cinematography by – Gabriel Beristain
Edited by – Geoffrey O’Brien
Production/Distribution Companies – Miramax, Cedar Park, Punch Palace Productions, MGM & Roadshow Pictures
Starring – Jason Statham, Josh Hutcherson, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Bobby Naderi, Jeremy Irons, Jemma Redgrave, Minnie Driver, David Witts, Michael Epp, Taylor James & Phylicia Rashad with Don Gilet, Sophia Feliciano, Enzo Cilenti, Megan Le, Dan Li, Dan Li, Derek Siow, Jay Rincon, Kojo Attah, Joe Urquhart, Peter Brooke, Martin Gordon & Rebecca Jane Hazelwood
Rating – Australia: MA15+; Canada: 14A; Germany: 18; New Zealand: R; United Kingdom: 15; United States: R