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 organization. A film by David Ayer, starring Jason Statham, Phylicia Rashad, Jeremy Irons, Minnie Driver, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Jemma Redgrave, and Josh Hutcherson.

Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad) is a retired schoolteacher who lives alone in the Massachusetts countryside. She rents out her barn to Adam Clay (Jason Statham), a beekeeper with unknown past. One day, while Adam is out in the field working on his farm, Eloise falls for a phishing scam and loses over $2 million, which belongs to a charity account that she helps manage.

When Adam arrives at her house in the evening, as Eloise invited him for dinner earlier that same day, he hears the fire alarm blaring and the door unlocked. Cautiously, he grabs a knife and enters Eloise’s living room, only to be intercepted by FBI Agent Verona Parker (Emmy Raver-Lampman), who has just come to visit her mother. Together they find Eloise dead, with a gunshot wound to the head and a gun lying on the floor.

Adam is arrested by the local police for questioning but later released from custody because they found no trace of gunpowder residue on him. The police rule Eloise’s death a suicide. Initially, Verona refuses to believe her mother would take her own life. However, she discovers that all her mother’s savings, including the charity account, were drained completely.

Suspecting foul play, Verona invites Adam to the house and informs him that her mother had fallen victim to a phishing scam orchestrated by a mysterious organization. This group has been exploiting innocent people for over two years, and even the FBI remains clueless about their true identities.

Driven by grief and vengeance for Eloise’s death, Adam resolves to take matters into his own hands. He contacts a former colleague from his agency, seeking the names and addresses of those responsible for draining Eloise’s accounts. Fueled by anger, he journeys to the United Data Group, planting explosive devices that engulf the building in flames.

An upstream ripple effect from Adam’s revenge reaches United Data Group owner and top executive Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson), who gives a directive to eradicate the danger. Nevertheless, Adam is all set, so he eliminates the henchmen and sets out on a quest to take out the boss.

Our nation is not unlike a beehive, with its complex systems of workers, caretakers, even royalty. If any of the beehive’s complex mechanisms are compromised, the hive collapses. Someone a long time ago decided that a mechanism was needed to keep our nation safe. A mechanism outside the chain of command, outside the system. Its one mission, to keep the system safe. Beekeepers are given all resources, empowered to act on their own judgment. For decades, they have quietly worked to keep the hive safe.

The BEEKEEPER is an action thriller film directed by David Ayer. It features a familiar face in this genre, Jason Statham, as the protagonist. Statham’s character Adam Clay possesses exceptional skill in all kinds of combat and a relentless determination, resembling a Terminator that cannot be stopped.

While notable supporting characters such as Wallace Westwyld (Jeremy Irons) and CIA director Janet Harward (Minnie Driver) appear to have significant roles, their presence does not move the narrative forward. The script, written by Kurt Wimmer, requires a lot more than just a suspension of disbelief.

How is it possible for an individual to have complete autonomy to do whatever he wants, whenever ever her wants? Adam Clay is essentially an unbridled John Wick with no boundaries or rules to control him.

Right from the start, he has no vulnerabilities and is thus practically unbeatable. This leaves little room for audience engagement, as there’s seemingly no one capable of challenging this lone individual within the entire nation.

The film feels quite sluggish in the middle as it drags on with unnecessary scenes and lesser characters such as Agent Verona Parker and her partner Agent Matt Wiley (Bobby Naderi), which makes the film feel longer than it should.

I enjoy Josh Hutcherson’s performance as Derek Danforth, though the character itself bears some resemblance to Daniel Radcliffe’s villainous roles.

Despite some shortcomings, The BEEKEEPER delivers spectacular action sequences, brutal fight choreography, decent special effects, and stunning camerawork.

Even though the occasionally mediocre CGI grand explosions look unrealistic and some dialogue feels cheesy, giving the vibes of 90s action films, the movie remains ultimately entertaining.

The BEEKEEPER was theatrically released in the United States on 12 January 2024.