The Beekeeper

Clay dispatches his adversaries with characteristic Statham aplomb, which, apologies to Nicole Kidman, is why we come to this place.

Much of it is illogical, preposterous over-the-top ridiculous, which is what makes it such a guilty pleasure and one of Statham’s and Ayer’s best films.

Off we go. Like, way off, leaving even the notion of reality behind like a burned-out barn full of busted honey jars. In its place, a hero who makes James Bond look inconspicuous and John Wick look vincible.

This wacky bit of action fun is wildly entertaining and zips by with the good-natured buzz of a bumblebee. If this is your kind of dumb-movie honey, it’s delectable.

It’s Statham’s movie – a brisk, slick, ultra-violent action onslaught that yet again demonstrates his ability to redeem just about any old tosh.

The shame is that there are flickers of greatness here. Statham, in action, is thunderously convincing. In character, he’s pleasingly ironic.

It's no John Wick (or Atomic Blonde, for that matter), but it's a future basic cable staple that is as silly as it is satisfying.

The plot becomes increasingly ridiculous, while Clay indiscriminately beats, maims and kills anyone who gets in his way – regardless of whether they’re on the right or wrong side of the law. (As if that should matter!) 


The thought of Statham eviscerating computer scammers for 105 minutes sounds like a winning proposition, a Death Wish for the Bitcoin generation. Unfortunately, the more the story unfolds, the more convoluted it gets.

Statham is terrific. He knows the action genre, and he delivers the goods. The film satisfies as it excites. The villains kicked over an allegorical hornet’s nest. If you have the winter entertainment doldrums, here’s your moviegoing cure.