I Finally Watched Jason Statham’s The Beekeeper, And I Think People Are Sleeping On A Really Fun And Thrilling Action Movie

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Towards the end of 2024, I had a mad rush to catch up on movies I’d been meaning to watch but hadn’t found time for. Among these was Jason Statham’s film, The Beekeeper. To my delight, it turned out to be one of the most entertaining movie experiences from the entire 2024 lineup – quite unexpectedly so. I can’t help but feel disappointed that I waited so long to watch it.

Despite the critic’s assessment that “The Beekeeper,” directed by David Ayer, was “too foolish for brilliance and too grim for genuine enjoyment,” I personally found it an amusing, exhilarating, and downright enjoyable rollercoaster ride. Granted, it might not rank among the greatest action films ever crafted, but in my opinion, this underrated gem deserves a second look. It’s time more people recognized its fun and adrenaline-pumping qualities!

I Expected This To Be A Simple Revenge Thriller

Upon watching the initial trailer for “The Beekeeper”, I initially assumed it would resemble many action films starring Jason Statham from the past 15 years, being primarily a straightforward revenge-driven thriller filled with numerous fight sequences. To some extent, this assumption holds true, as the film indeed follows Adam Clay (portrayed by Statham), a highly skilled former assassin turned beekeeper who embarks on a violent spree. However, it was nonetheless an enjoyable watch.

In this fast-paced action flick, the protagonist, Clay, returns to action following the tragic loss of his world’s only friend, swindled and suicide victim of a massive scam. However, little did I expect the storyline to take such unpredictable turns. To my surprise, Clay’s unexpected arrival at a call center and its subsequent destruction was merely the tip of the iceberg. Boy, was I ever wrong about how wild this movie would get!

Instead, The Beekeeper Is An Over-The-Top Action Spectacle That Goes To The Top Of The U.S. Government

As an ardent cinephile, I can’t help but be captivated by action flicks that start off seemingly ordinary yet gradually escalate into mind-blowing proportions as the narrative unfolds. Take “The Beekeeper,” for instance; what initially appears to be a simple call center plot is, in fact, intricately tied to a grand, nationwide conspiracy involving key figures within the U.S. administration. The suspense is palpable!

The sequence of events in this tale, particularly its climax, unfolds into an exhilarating, over-the-top action extravaganza that’s hard not to enjoy. Was it a bit absurd watching Jason Statham devise inventive methods for eliminating his targets (which I’ll delve into later) or enduring the myriad beekeeper jokes? Yes, but David Ayer skillfully blended humor, action, and explosive scenes in such a way that it resulted in an engaging and thrilling adventure.

I Can’t Get Over Adam Clay’s Inventiveness And How He Doesn’t Rely On Guns

I greatly appreciate “The Beekeeper” because Adam Clay doesn’t solely depend on guns to carry out his tasks. While he does shoot a couple of henchmen towards the end, his methods for taking down villains are often creative and unconventional.

Moving into a massive fraudulent scheme armed with gas cans, explosives, and a triggering device, switching over to shackling a minor criminal to his vehicle before driving it off a bridge, and delivering an outstanding car chase scene reminiscent of the famous fight in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, there’s plenty that keeps viewers engaged.

Instead of constantly enjoying the spectacle of action heroes such as John Wick blasting wave after wave of adversaries, I found it immensely enjoyable watching Clay devise original and creative methods for neutralizing or injuring villains.

The Chain Of Increasingly Wild Villains Was So Much Fun

Over time, I’ve had my fill of action flicks, yet watching a protagonist climb the ladder of progressively more eccentric antagonists remains captivating. It’s reminiscent of a video game where the player battles through foot soldiers, mid-level bosses, and final bosses in order to conquer a criminal organization. Just as each enemy becomes more challenging in the game, The Beekeeper masterfully escalates the villainy of each successive adversary.

As a cinephile, I’d rephrase it like this: From the rank-and-file operator Mickey Garnett (David Witts) at the helm of the call center, all the way up to Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson), the CEO of Danforth Enterprises, who orchestrates the call center scam, and even powerful figures in the U.S. government, my protagonist has his work cut out for him before he can bring this mission to a close. And as we progress through the story, the faceless minions evolve too – starting as security guards, escalating to mercenaries, and ultimately transforming into flamboyant assassins serving their respective bosses.

The Beekeeper Ending Has Me Hungry For More

⚠️ Caution: The concluding part discloses significant plot twists from the movie “The Beekeeper”. For those who haven’t seen it yet and wish to avoid knowing the ending, please stop reading here.

Immediately after finishing “The Beekeeper”, I hopped online to check if David Ayer was planning a sequel. While I stumbled upon an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment that hinted at the possibility of delving deeper into the “beekeeper” mythology (since Adam Clay is a former assassin from a secret government program called the Beekeepers), I couldn’t find any solid information about the plot or even if it will come to fruition.

Following Clay’s nearly unprecedented actions, such as exposing a top-secret program, preventing a presidential assassination by taking down her own son, and evading an enormous number of Secret Service agents, I can’t help but crave more thrilling scenes. Frankly, this tale could morph into the next blockbuster action series in the vein of Jason Statham, complete with a generous helping of witty one-liners and innovative fatalities.

Despite not being my preferred action film of 2024, “The Beekeeper” was an extraordinary spectacle that left a lasting impression. As I eagerly anticipate updates regarding potential sequels, there’s no shortage of fantastic choices on the 2025 movie calendar to keep me entertained in the meantime.

Stream The Beekeeper on Prime Video.

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2025-01-07 00:07