The Beekeeper (2024)

[Fif22]

Originally Posted by russweiss1

These are the 4 films he was in this year. Well over a billion in box office. Two lost money. Two made money. The two films that lost money cost an estimated 150 million combined so I don't know where you're getting the 300 million in losses from.


Expend4ables (lost money)
Meg 2: The Trench 395 million box office (made money)
Fast X 704 million box office (made money)
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (lost money)

Probably because Fast X actually lost money, 146 million no less according to that 2.5x rule. May be even more considering China was one of its main markets, and US studios only get 25% of BO revenues from there.

You need to add marketing, distribution on top of production budgets, and bear in mind that studios in average get less than 50% of BO revenues.

So, yeah, I'd say over 300 million in losses is pretty accurate.

[Just_Discovered_3D]

Originally Posted by Fif22

Are you actually suggesting Jason Statham is a bigger movie star than Tom Cruise? My God!

Even Oblivion actually made more money at the BO than like 90% of Statham's filmography, including his three Transporter movies combined.

And the sole consistent performance about Statham's filmography seems to be losing money, since that was the case for most of his movies, and even moreso for those he headlines, to the point where USA Today branded him one of the 'least bankable movie stars' a couple of years ago.

I really don't know how Statham has kept getting work (maybe he's connected, maybe he got leverage over the right people, maybe he sold his soul, his butt or both, or maybe he was just lucky), but a box office draw he is certainly not. And 2023 has been a perfect example of this, with the balance for his movies this year being over $ 300 million. Over $ 300 million in losses, that is...

No, I maintain that people see Tom Cruise movies for the movie itself, not Tom Cruise, but they see Jason Statham action movies to see Jason Statham go "all Jason Statham" on a boatload of bad dudes.


Statham's films aren't always mega blockbusters, but I contend his presence is what sells his films. Tom Cruise's does not, people here grappled with that hard truth in the MI7 thread. Shoot, over in that thread people were down on the movie because of the fate of side characters, almost a case in point.

[Martoto]

I think arguing that Cruise is not a movie star does him a disservice. I say that as someone who isn't a fan.

[Fif22]

Originally Posted by Just_Discovered_3D

No, I maintain that people see Tom Cruise movies for the movie itself, not Tom Cruise, but they see Jason Statham action movies to see Jason Statham go "all Jason Statham" on a boatload of bad dudes.

Statham's films aren't always mega blockbusters, but I contend his presence is what sells his films. Tom Cruise's does not, people here grappled with that hard truth in the MI7 thread. Shoot, over in that thread people were down on the movie because of the fate of side characters, almost a case in point.

More like they never are, unless it's:

• an FF movie, a series where he's not the lead and which was huge long before he joined; or
• a Meg movie, which has many other selling points, notably being Summer shark movies, based on novels, and in the 2nd movie also having Wu Jing, one of the biggest film stars in China, which accounts for about 1/3 of the movie revenues. Or is someone arguing that Statham was the main reason Meg 2 made almost 400M at the BO in the same year his other two movies made less than 50M...

You may be right that he's the main selling point of most of his own movies. But apparently that's just a tough sell for most people, since his movies lose money more times than not.

I don't get your point about people discussing the fate of side characters. Was the MI7 thread supposed to talk about Tom Cruise only? I must say, I find the fact you've brought up Cruise in a thread for a movie that has nothing to do with him more telling.

At the end of the day, you're comparing apples to oranges. Even the least performing Tom Cruise movies bring far bigger crowds than any Statham movie that is not one of the above.

For better or worse, everyone knows who Tom Cruise is. Most people don't know Statham, even less so by name (in the sole real life reference I've ever heard of him, he was mentioned as 'that bald guy').

[Tony208]

Saw the early screening. Good action flick, never seen Statham as overpowered as he is here though. Him taking down giant sharks seemed more believable. Like John Wick on honey.

4/5

[Modren]

This had some preview screenings tonight that I went to. The movie is broadly competent, but feels cartoonish and very obviously tries to ape John Wick's approach to worldbuilding. Jeremy Irons even gives the "Baba Yaga" speech almost verbatim. It also feels like David Ayer was just taking all the things he hates in modern society - scam artists, social media influencers, and, inexplicably, Hillary Clinton - and throwing them in a blender to make the bad guys more hateable, and it doesn't quite hang together.

Also, not a single person is killed by bees in the whole movie. No one even gets stung. What the hell, David?

[Zivouhr]

Seeing Statham doing martial arts with hopefully some kicks, would be good for an action film. This looks like it has a lot of action, so I'm looking forward to Bee Keeper next weekend in theaters.

Hopefully they kept the budget low enough to earn some income. Statham was really good in Expend4bles 4, considering he was the star of that film, with his martial arts and action scenes. Not a true expendables film in that sense, but he stole the movie IMO. A fan of Statham since Transporter 1, which I saw in theaters back then. I'll have to rewatch it soon. His character roles usually have a lot of personality, which helps a lot IMO.

[BigPudge]

I dug the movie. Just an old school revenge movie in the vein of a John Wick.

Doesn't reinvent the wheel. Just Statham kicking ass. And I couldn't have asked for anything more.

I will say I thought the lead woman of the movie, the FBI agent was pretty horrible in the role. Was trying way too hard to be a tough guy character and it jusy didn't work

[Tony208]

The script is kinda bonkers with Statham spitting bee analogies cult classic potential

[kopitarrulez]

Originally Posted by BigPudge

I will say I thought the lead woman of the movie, the FBI agent was pretty horrible in the role. Was trying way too hard to be a tough guy character and it jusy didn't work

I kind of liked that added to the silliness had a blast at this felt like a 90s segal movie.

[Poya]

Originally Posted by kopitarrulez

I kind of liked that added to the silliness had a blast at this felt like a 90s segal movie.

Dude, this is the most Steven Seagal of all of Statham's films. Ex-ops soldier? Check. Overpowered? Check. People saying how awesome he is in every scene? Check.

[hanshotfirst1138]

God, I wished he’d work with Corey Yuen Kwai again. It’s hard for other directors to match up to that level of action once you’ve worked with a Hong Kong legend like him.

[kopitarrulez]

Originally Posted by Poya

Dude, this is the most Steven Seagal of all of Statham's films. Ex-ops soldier? Check. Overpowered? Check. People saying how awesome he is in every scene? Check.

Right hahaha

[Nitroes]

4K Blu-ray https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=21782626

I bet Jason would kick Seagal's voluminous ass so much he'd need to update his photo for his Russian passport.

[Star Lord]

Apart from Guy Ritchie films, Statham was really good in the underrated Killer Elite.

[50strat54]

Originally Posted by Star Lord

Apart from Guy Ritchie films, Statham was really good in the underrated Killer Elite.

I loved Parker and Homefront.

Best performance in a long time by Jennifer Lopez in Parker. Hustlers was not all that but she was great in Parker.

[deto]

Saw the trailer last night and knew I had to watch this in the theater. Not a big Statham fan, but this looks so outrageous I need to see this.

[Gretiem]

Can't wait to see it

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by Fif22

More like they never are, unless it's:

• an FF movie, a series where he's not the lead and which was huge long before he joined; or
• a Meg movie, which has many other selling points, notably being Summer shark movies, based on novels, and in the 2nd movie also having Wu Jing, one of the biggest film stars in China, which accounts for about 1/3 of the movie revenues. Or is someone arguing that Statham was the main reason Meg 2 made almost 400M at the BO in the same year his other two movies made less than 50M...

Actually, most of his movies make money, since everything that's not a big franchise film (and thus, not a "Jason Statham" film, usually costs $35 mil or so, and almost every one pulls in $100+. Go back 6-7 years and not just 1 year, and your argument gleefully dies.

[thepotentone]

Reviewed with 3 stars.

That all but seals it for me.

I know that I'll enjoy it now!