Directed by: David Ayer
Written by: Kurt Wimmer
Jason Statham has long been known globally as a British Action Star with several films and franchises to his credits. Getting his film start collaborating with director Guy Ritchie on Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000), Statham would go on to star in action thriller franchises like Transporter (2002), Crank (2006), The Expendables (2010), and The Fast and Furious series since 2013. Audiences know what they can expect from a Jason Statham film and this film is no exception. The action is almost nonstop and even the storyline is concise with a much deeper history they may have opened for another franchise. With a straightforward plot of revenge that is relatable to current cyber security threats to the elderly and non-technical people in the world, this film delivers what you would expect, and for that, I give this film a ‘writing a movie RIGHT’ review.
Now here comes the spoilers…
Retired schoolteacher Eloise Parker is living a quiet life on her farm, and she has Adam Clay, a Beekeeper, staying at her barn helping with the bees on her property. Eloise falls for a phishing scam and is robbed of over $2 million, the majority of which belongs to a charity organization she manages. Devastated, she shoots herself dead. Clay finds her body and is immediately arrested by FBI agent Verona Parker, Eloise’s daughter. After Eloise’s death is ruled a suicide, Clay is released. Verona tells him the group that robbed Eloise has been on the FBI’s radar for a while but is difficult to track. Wanting justice for Eloise, Clay contacts the Beekeepers, a mysterious group, to find the scammers responsible. He then goes to the office where the scammers work and delivers the first round of justice as a Beekeeper.
He goes on to tracking down the other organizations one by one until he reaches the top and all the while the FBI, Secret Service, and private security forces are trying to stop him to no avail. There are some solid action sequences with scenes in the barn, a high-rise office building, and a vacation home surrounded by hundreds of security people. The best scene is when he deals serious bodily damage to the first scam office manager, and you can get the sense from audience members that they wanted even more damage done than just severed fingers.
I will stop here for spoilers as anyone can safely assume he will finish his quest for revenge and justice. Yet what is most intriguing here is the mythos and history that is spoken about Beekeepers. Beekeepers are a highly skilled and dangerous clandestine organization tasked with protecting the United States, operating above and beyond governmental jurisdiction. This draws many similarities to the John Wick series in establishing a society that sits outside of the public view. I personally hope they continue to develop this into a franchise and introduce other actors and actresses in the role of The Beekeeper and even consider going back in time to dive into the formation of the Beekeepers. This concept is very intriguing and would draw in many fans. I know I would ‘Bee’ in line for that (pun intended).
Thanks for reading Writing Movie “WRONGS.”