Jason Statham’sThe Beekeeperseemingly came out of nowhere in 2024 to be a cult action hit. Directed by David Ayer (Fury), the film stars Statham as Adam Clay, a.k.a. The Beekeeper, a member of a secret government group of assassins who seeks vengeance on a criminal empire run by corporate suits and evenpollenticians. The film also stars Jeremy Irons, Josh Hutcherson, Taylor James, Jemma Redgrave, and Minnie Driver. Action fans love Jason Statham’s high-kicking, over-the-top style of action. But a real Navy SEAL wasn’t as impressed with the movie and gave it a score for realism that’s got to sting.
DJ Shipley is a former Navy SEAL who sat down with Insider to watch close-quarters battle scenes from various action movies.The Beekeeperwas one of the first films he was shown, and he immediately began dismantling the film. “CQB is supposed to be formed in a team,” he said of the film’s dramatic final fight. So, when Statham separated from his hive, Shipley wasn’t exactly buzzing about the idea. “Solo CQB is about the worst thing you could ever get into. Every step forward, you’re opening yourself to a new angle that you don’t have a teammate to cover.”
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Shipley was then shown a scene from earlier in the film where Statham had to infiltrate a building against a swarm of bad guys. Unfortunately, the team of mercenaries wasn’tbeehavinglike they should have. “That right there is the biggest issue in CQB, it’s not clearing the corner,” Shipley said, as Statham attacked one of the mercenaries from a blind spot. After seeing the clips, Shipley scored the film out of 10 for realness. Although he acknowledged that Jason Statham meantbeesnesson his mission for revenge, the rest of the mercenaries and henchmen clearly hadn’t earned their stripes. “I will say that Jason’s fight sequencing, his choreography, is second-to-none,” Shipley said. “If you did all of that in real life, would you survive? No. I give it 2 out of 10.”
‘The Beekeeper 2’ Is In the Works
Even though a poor score for realism from a real Navy SEAL will sting,The Beekeeperfans will be buzzing to know that the film has been greenlit for a sequel. Earlier this year,The Beekeeper 2was given its biggest update yet,as the film is due to start production soon, and it has acquired a distributor for a theatrical release.
The Beekeeper 2will begin production this fall. Ayer won’t return for the sequel, withNobody 2director, Timo Tjahanto, taking over as the new queen bee. Plot details remain thin, but fans are hoping they will be smoked out in the coming weeks. David Ayer previously teased that thesequel will expand the “mythology of the beekeepers.“Maybe there’s an even more secret group of assassins called the wasps, or the bears?The Beekeeperis currently streamingon Prime Video.
Source: Insider
The Beekeeper
