Deliciously predictable: all about The Beekeeper’s buzz
Holly Sealover, February 2024 for JOUR 3630: Review and Criticism
While “The Beekeeper” is an exciting, action-packed film, it is not without its shortcomings. The movie was enjoyable, but somewhat predictable. “The Beekeeper” takes the typical rogue-government agent trope and runs with it. The cliche works for what it is worth, but it is not groundbreaking.
The film’s director, David Ayer, is no stranger to the action genre. He has directed many films, perhaps most notably, “Suicide Squad.” Additionally, the film’s lead character, Mr. Clay, is played by action-movie veteran, Jason Statham. Statham has appeared in “The Expendables,” “Wrath of Man,” “Fast X” and more.
“The Beekeeper” follows Mr. Clay, a beekeeper, as he searches for the person responsible for stealing money from his friendly neighbor, Mrs. Parker, via an online phishing scheme. Along the way, Mr. Clay commits many crimes, skillfully evades arrest and kicks some serious butt; all to “protect the hive.”
I’ll admit, the movie kept me on the edge of my seat. There was no dead space. I found it very entertaining. The problem? It’s all been done before. “The Beekeeper” follows the repetitive format of the countless number of action movies that came before it. The movie begins with an event which triggers the retired agent, the agent gets angry and takes matters into their own hands, the agent pursues the bad guys using unethical methods, the agent avoids being captured by authorities, the agent inevitably reaches the top of the food chain using any means necessary, then eventually evades capture once again. But don’t worry! If you find this template boring, there are plenty of fight scenes and explosions to keep you interested.
Clearly, this formula works. Despite its predictability, the movie is incredibly thrilling. The fight scenes were dramatic and fast-paced. Mr. Clay flexes his survival skills through his quick-thinking and physical stamina. It is an action movie after all.
The writing is lazy. Not only did the script follow the tried-and-true storytelling we’ve all come to expect from an action movie, but there was minimal character development. The characters did not undergo any type of growth. Instead of revelations, we received increasingly violent displays from the main character.
The laziness doesn’t stop there. Instead of showing the viewer what happened through consequences, the film cuts to the FBI marveling over the mass number of casualties. While the scenes involving the FBI served to break up the action, it felt redundant. In a quality film, the script and action should be strong enough to stand on its own. The viewer should be able to understand the gravity of the situation without an FBI agent quantifying every single injury.
Another qualm I had regarding “The Beekeeper,” is the lack of meaningful dialogue exchanged between characters. Outside of bee jokes, barking orders and intimidating phrases exchanged during physical altercations; there isn’t a whole lot being said. Maybe instead of cutting to FBI agents for a body count, dialogue could have somehow been used to further the plot.
“The Beekeeper” stands out almost exclusively in terms of cinematography. The camerawork is very well done. The effects are outstanding, and the set is incredibly realistic. However, this should be the standard for box-office films. This isn’t to say it’s a bad movie. It’s not. It also isn’t a transformative experience. It’s simply nothing special.
“The Beekeeper” ticks all the boxes of a classic action movie without fixing any of the problems plaguing the genre. The movie doesn’t stray from the formula. It’s predictable. Arguably, that’s what makes it enjoyable. The non-stop nature of action movies is appealing to those who want to walk into theaters, watch a movie and not think about the plot. The all gas, no brakes model used works because it doesn’t foster thoughtful viewership. Most consumers of action movies want to turn off their brains for a couple hours and enjoy some mindless action. “The Beekeeper” does just that and nothing more.