When Jason Statham returns, retaliation tastes sweeter than ever.

WHEN IT COMES TO ACTION FILMS, JASON STATHAM IS THE BEE’S KNEES – BUT THE NEW SKY ORIGINAL FILM THE BEEKEEPER TOPS ANYTHING YOU’VE SEEN. IN CINEMAS FROM JANUARY 12, STATHAM’S LATEST COMBINES ALL YOU WANT IN AN ACTION FLICK – BRUISING PUNCH-UPS, SPECTACULAR STUNTS, KILLER KISS-OFF LINES – THEN CRANKS IT UP TO THE MAX. ADD A GRIPPING YARN ABOUT CYBERSCAMS, PLUS A STELLAR SUPPORTING CAST, AND THE BEEKEEPER IS A MUST-SEE FOR ANY ACTION JUNKIE OR THRILLER FAN. ANY QUESTIONS? WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED…

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN APIARIST? YOU MUST BE KIDDING…

‘SO THIS IS AN ACTION FILM… ABOUT BEEKEEPING?’

ER, NOT EXACTLY. THE BEEKEEPERS ARE A SUPER-SECRET ORGANISATION WHO WORK OUTSIDE THE ESTABLISHED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WHEN THE NATION IS UNDER THREAT AND ALL ELSE HAS FAILED. THEY PROTECT THE HIVE – IF YOU KICK THE HIVE, YOU REAP THE WHIRLWIND.

‘SO THE STATH IS ONE OF THESE BEEKEEPERS?’

HE WAS – BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM, HE’S JUST A LITERAL KEEPER OF BEES. ADAM CLAY LIVES A QUIET LIFE IN THE COUNTRY, BRINGING HIS NEIGHBOUR ELOISE (PHYLICIA RASHAD) HONEY LIKE A BALD-HEADED WINNIE-THE-POOH. WHEN ELOISE FALLS VICTIM TO PHISHING SCAMMERS WHO STEAL $2MILLION FROM HER CHARITY, CLAY COMES OUT OF RETIREMENT AND STARTS A ROLLERCOASTER OF REVENGE. AND IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN A CAN OF RAID TO STOP HIM.

‘WHAT SORT OF BLOKE IS THIS CLAY?’

HE IS A ONE-MAN ARMY, BUT ONLY FOR GOOD. HE’S A CHAMPION OF THE DISADVANTAGED, A PROTECTOR OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE.

‘SOUNDS LIKE THE BAD GUYS DON’T STAND A CHANCE’

THEY ARE A PRETTY FORMIDABLE GANG. THE BIG BAD IS DEREK DANFORTH, THE CEO OF DANFORTH ENTERPRISES. HE IS A SPOILED NEPO BABY WHO SKATEBOARDS AROUND HIS VAST OFFICE, INDULGES IN MEDITATION AND SPOUTS CORPORATE BUZZWORDS SUCH AS “LET ME GO BIG DOG THIS S***” – BUT DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE NEW-AGE SHENANIGANS. HE IS A RUTHLESS CYBERCRIMINAL, RUNNING A NETWORK OF SCAMMING OPERATIONS THAT FLEECE THE GULLIBLE. HE’S BRILLIANTLY PLAYED AGAINST TYPE BY JOSH HUTCHERSON, WHO MAKES DANFORTH EMINENTLY DISLIKEABLE.

MEET THE CAST

ADAM CLAY

(JASON STATHAM)

STRENGTHS EXPERT MARKSMAN, A MASTER AT HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT, CAN TURN ANY HOUSEHOLD OBJECT INTO A WEAPON WEAKNESSES NONE

WALLACE WESTWYLD

(JEREMY IRONS)

STRENGTHS HYPER-INTELLIGENT, BOASTS IMPORTANT FRIENDS, CALM IN A CRISIS WEAKNESSES COULD HE REALLY BEAT JASON STATHAM IN A FIGHT?

DEREK DANFORTH

(JOSH HUTCHERSON)

STRENGTHS ADVANTAGED, CALLOUS, WELL PROTECTED WEAKNESSES A HOT-HEADED TEMPER, A PARTY BOY LIFESTYLE

VERONA PARKER

(EMMY RAVER-LAMPMAN)

STRENGTHS SMART, DOGGED, FUNNY, ON A PERSONAL CRUSADE WEAKNESSES HER NICE-GUY FBI PARTNER MIGHT HOLD HER BACK

‘YOU SAID “GANG”. WHO ELSE?’

DANFORTH’S SECURITY DETAIL IS PUT TOGETHER BY A FORMER HEAD OF THE CIA, THE BRILLIANTLY NAMED WALLACE WESTWYLD (JEREMY IRONS). AND THE FBI IS ON CLAY’S TAIL, LED BY SMART, SASSY AGENT VERONA PARKER (EMMY RAVER-LAMPMAN).

‘MAN ALIVE! CLAY HAS GOT HIS HANDS FULL!’

IT’S DANFORTH AND HIS SUPPORTERS YOU SHOULD FEEL SORRY FOR. THIS IS THE STATH AT HIS VERY BEST, CAUSING CHAOS ON A BIBLICAL SCALE. CLAY CAN KILL AN ATTACKER WITH ANYTHING THAT COMES TO HAND, FROM A DESK PHONE TO A JAR OF HONEY. HE TAKES DOWN A WHOLE SWAT SQUAD ON HIS OWN, UNARMED, AND TURNS A TOOL-SHED INTO A HOUSE OF PAIN. HE OFTEN LEAVES A TRAIL OF DEVASTATION IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR — AND THERE’S ALWAYS A STING IN THE TALE.

‘WOW. WHAT ELSE?’

DID WE SAY THE FILM IS ALSO HILARIOUS? AS WELL AS JASON STATHAM’S DRY QUIPS, THERE’S DANFORTH SCREAMING AT HIM: “I TOLD YOU MY NAME. IT’S F*** YOU. MR F*** YOU!” AND WESTWYLD TELLING DANFORTH: “FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS ELEVATED F***ING UP TO AN ARTFORM, THIS MIGHT WELL BE YOUR MONA LISA.”

‘SO THERE’S A REAL BUZZ ABOUT THE BEEKEEPER?’