Directed by David Ayer, “The Beekeeper” is the latest action thriller on the block. It marks another addition to the occupation-based titles that came out in the recent past. After “The Painter,” “The Bricklayer,” “The Carpenter,” and “The Mechanic,” here comes another ‘blue-collar killing machine’ called “The Beekeeper!” Jason Statham is back with a bang for those who were dying to see him beating a bunch of people black and blue. This time, we see him seeking revenge against those who wronged his innocent neighbor. Thanks to Ayer’s direction, “The Beekeeper” becomes a fairly impactful action thriller despite its unintentionally funny dialogue writing. Spoilers ahead.
The Beekeeper (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
What is ‘The Beekeeper’ about?
Jason Statham is back in action mode with “The Beekeeper.” Playing a former government operative turned beekeeper, Statham delivers his signature brand of hard-hitting violence as he seeks revenge for his neighbor’s tragic death. The cast of “The Beekeeper” includes Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Jemma Redgrave, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, and Jeremy Irons. Directed by David Ayer, known for his gritty style, the film promises a high-octane thrill ride.
Please note that Statham speaks in a strange baritone, which makes him sound like British Bruce Wayne! Most of his dialogues involve explanations for his important work and how it correlates to beekeeping. Because of this, the film becomes unintentionally funny at times. Still, if you just want to see Statham doing his thing, “The Beekeeper” is the perfect choice.
The Beekeeper Movie Plot: A Tale of Revenge
The plot of “The Beekeeper” revolves around Adam Clay (Jason Statham), who works as a beekeeper in the Massachusetts countryside. Retired schoolteacher Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad) offers him a place to stay and work. Since her daughter rarely meets her, Clay takes care of her like a son. One day, Eloise receives a message on her laptop about some hardware issue. She calls the number mentioned in the message, hoping this person will help her. Little does she know that she is falling for a phishing scam. Mickey Garnett (David Witts) empties a majority of her life savings – the money that also goes to a charity managed by her.
Eloise cannot bear the thought of having lost everything she had. So, she decides to end her life. By the evening, Clay returns home and knocks on her door. After getting no response from her, he walks in to find her dead body lying on the couch. Right after, Eloise’s daughter – FBI Agent Verona Parker (Emmy Raver-Lampman), holds him at gunpoint and considers him to be the killer. After realizing that Eloise died by suicide, Verona sits down for a conversation with Clay. By then, she had discovered that Eloise was a victim of a phishing scam. Clay feels sorry for Eloise and hopes to seek justice for her death.
How does Clay plan to get revenge for Eloise’s death?
Before being a literal beekeeper, Clay used to work for a powerful & clandestine organization called Beekeepers, who were supposed to protect the USA while operating over and above governmental jurisdiction. He calls a fellow beekeeper (a past colleague) for a favor. That’s how he learns the details about the call, which came from the United Data Group. He reaches their offices, intending to burn it down. Clay walks in and tells their vain employees to evacuate. Since they refuse to take him seriously, he shows them what he can do. Shortly after, the building bursts into flames. So, Mickey calls his boss, Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson), to inform him about the destruction.
Derek tells former CIA director Wallace Westwyld (Jeremy Irons), who currently works as the head of security for his organization. Wallace says that the police will find their culprit. However, Derek takes it upon himself to locate this man. He makes Mickey fetch a bunch of hired goons to confront Clay. Instead, Clay kills Mickey’s men and manages to cut Mickey’s fingers. As if that’s not a clear signal of his capabilities, he follows Mickey to a bridge and has a phone conversation with Derek. He warns Derek that he is coming after him. Besides this threat, Derek learns that Clay is a beekeeper.
The Antagonists in The Beekeeper
Wallace learns that Clay is a beekeeper and realizes the group he was a part of. He feels certain that Clay won’t stop until gets what he wants. So, he gets concerned and calls the current CIA director, Janet Harvard (Minnie Driver), to put a stop to Clay’s plans. Janet learns that Clay has retired from the Beekeepers organization. She gets a current beekeeper to kill Clay. Instead, Clay kills this beekeeper and adds to Wallace’s worries. By then, the FBI learns about a couple of murders that are connected to someone who understands beekeeping. So, Verona suspects Clay is behind this killing spree.
Verona and her colleague Matt Wiley (Bobby Naderi) believe that Clay will plan an attack on the Nine Points Center in Boston – because it is the epicenter of Derek’s scam involving multiple call centers. Verona informs FBI Deputy Director Prigg (Don Gilet) about Clay and his connection to the Beekeepers. Upon hearing that, Prigg approves SWAT team support along with the required funding. It seems like Prigg knows the dangers a beekeeper can pose to their lives. So, he thinks it is better to go fully prepared to put the matter to rest.
Does Verona manage to arrest Clay?
Wallace decides to send a team of ex-special ops personnel to stop the attack. He warns them how skilled and dangerous Clay is because of the history of the Beekeepers. Despite Wallace’s efforts, Clay manages to outsmart this team. The FBI also places its own team around the building under Verona’s supervision. By the time they reach him, Clay finds out that these scammers work for Derek, who is the son of the President, Jessica Danforth (Jemma Redgrave). He flees the scene before they can catch him. The moment Verona finds the scammer group lead, she realizes their connection to Derek. It puts her in a tough spot since it means she needs to confront the President herself.
Later on, Verona lets Prigg know that Derek runs both the scam racket and Danforth Enterprises. Their revenue funds many government agencies and potentially helped fund Derek’s mother’s presidential campaign. So, Verona believes that Clay will go with his beekeeper ideology and kill the queen, i.e., the President, for her association with this scam. Meanwhile, Wallace learns about all these recent events and advises Derek to stay safe with his mother’s Secret Service protection.
The Beekeeper (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Does Clay get his revenge for his neighbor’s death?
Clay reaches the President’s mansion, situated in a remote, lavish estate. The FBI reaches there to catch him. Meanwhile, Wallace sends hired guns to kill Clay and protect Derek. By then, Clay switches places with a Secret Service agent and infiltrates into the mansion. Verona notices Clay and goes up to arrest him. Clay tricks her into catching some other man looking like Clay. However, the FBI eventually finds him. When Verona is about to arrest him, he activates a bomb that distracts both teams. That’s how he evades the arrest and reenters the mansion.
By that time, Prigg informs the president about her son’s scam – that Derek misused a CIA program for his benefit. Upon hearing this, she decides to come clean, which infuriates Derek. So, he takes his mother hostage in an attempt to preserve his reputation. By then, Clay fights his way to the president’s office. Despite Wallace’s attempt to persuade him against it, Clay enters the room, followed by Verona and other FBI agents. Amidst all the chaos, Clay kills Derek and then jumps out the window. Although Verona has the chance to shoot him, she lets him go. So, Verona does not arrest Clay at the end of “The Beekeeper.”
What happens to Clay in the end?
At the end of “The Beekeeper,” Clay shoots Derek and jumps out of the window of the presidential office. Verona has him at her gunpoint. But she decides to let him go. It may have to do with their earlier conversation where she mentioned feeling no hope in the system helping her mother get justice. So, she probably sees Clay’s revenge as a means of achieving that goal. In the last few moments, we see Clay reach the coast, change into scuba gear, and dive into the water.
The first act of “The Beekeeper” is quite similar to a recent Bulgarian film – “Blaga’s Lessons,” which was their official entry in the Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. It also showed an old woman (also a teacher) falling prey to a phone scam that emptied her entire life savings. Unlike the David Ayer film that turns it into a conspiracy action thriller, “Blaga’s Lessons” provides a hard-hitting take rooted in realism. It also shows this old woman seeking retribution herself rather than Jason Statham doing it for her. So, if you are looking for something similar to watch afterward, “Blaga’s Lessons” is a great choice.
Read More: The Beekeeper (2024) Movie Review: A Screenplay Committed to Stylish Violence But Not Without Self-reflection
The Beekeeper (2024) Movie Trailer:
The Beekeeper (2024) Movie Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Wikipedia, Letterboxd
Cast: Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, Jeremy Irons
Genre: Action/Mystery & thriller, Runtime: 1h 45m
