Jason Statham has made a career out of punching, kicking, and glowering his way through action movies — but The Beekeeper might be the one where everything finally clicks. Now streaming for free, the high-octane revenge thriller has surged in popularity as viewers discover (or revisit) what many are calling the most entertaining performance of Statham’s career.
In The Beekeeper, Statham plays Adam Clay, a quiet man living off the grid who keeps to himself — and his bees. But when a kind-hearted woman he befriends becomes the victim of a devastating scam that leads to tragic consequences, Clay is forced back into a world he tried to leave behind. And that world is bigger, darker, and more powerful than anyone realizes.
What makes The Beekeeper stand out from Statham’s many action outings is how confidently it leans into its pulpy, almost comic-book premise while still delivering bone-crunching, grounded fight scenes. The movie knows exactly what it is: a slick, mean, unapologetically violent thrill ride built around Statham’s no-nonsense screen presence.
Alongside Statham, the cast also includes Emmy Raver-Lampman as Agent Verona Parker, Josh Hutcherson as Derek Danforth, Bobby Naderi as Agent Matt Wiley, Minnie Driver as Director Janet Harward, and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld.
Was ‘The Beekeeper’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s Nate Richard hailed the action and cheese on display in the movie, noting the sheer amount of buzzy puns:
“The Beekeeper is made for a very specific audience. Those who don’t want their action paired with a large quantity of puns and cheese won’t find much here. The title alone hints at this being much more of a throwback to the action movies of a different era. Where the Mission: Impossible and John Wick franchises have excelled at pairing breathtaking action with top-notch world-building, The Beekeeper isn’t trying to do that. It just wants its audience to have the time of their lives on this wild ride. It’s an action movie with plot beats that might make certain audience members raise their eyebrows and scoff, but it will have Statham devotees smiling, laughing, and cheering in their seats.”
The Beekeeper 2 doesn’t yet have a firm release date, but with production underway, Statham fans can look forward to seeing Adam Clay back in action soon. The Beekeeper is currently streaming, for free, on Tubi until the end of this month.
- Release Date
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January 12, 2024
- Runtime
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105 minutes
- Director
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David Ayer