Shelter Review
This year was almost the year of Jason Statham, but unfortunately, The Beekeeper 2 got delayed until Jan 2027. Donโt worry though because Shelter is right here, and although it almost feels like every other Jason Statham film that youโve probably watched before, it does offer something slightly different that we havenโt gotten in a while from his action movies: emotion and a genuinely good central performance.
Shelter follows Michael Mason (Statham), who lives on a remote island by the sea by himself. When he saves the life of a young girl, he finds himself setting off a chain reaction that has him on the run and returning to a life that he thought he had left long ago.
Itโs worth stating that this isnโt your typical fast-paced action movie, and if thatโs what youโre looking for, itโs best to just outright avoid it. Itโs not A Working Man (thankfully), and it isnโt The Beekeeper, but thatโs not to say that you wonโt find similarities between all three movies. What I can appreciate about the film is that it starts off slow, establishing the setting and routine of the characters that we follow.
Itโs just Michael and his dog on this island, and while heโs disconnected from the outside world, he has an old friend and his friendโs niece, Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), who come by to drop off food and certain items. A storm brews, and when Jesse gets stuck on the island, she tries to make her way back to her uncle but unfortunately gets tossed overboard. Michael comes to her rescue but unfortunately isnโt able to save his friend and her uncle in time.
This sets everything in motion as Michael begins to build a relationship with Jesse. We start to see a side to him that wasnโt originally shown at first, and this new side causes him to go into town to get new clothes for Jesse, which gets him caught on cameras, which leads him to catch the attention of people heโs been trying to hide from since he left the service of the Black Kites, a secretive organisation.
Outside of Bodhi Rae Breathnach, the supporting cast isn’t given much room to shine. We get the talented Naomi Ackie and iconic Bill Nighy, but in all honesty, they feel wasted in a movie that puts all its time and attention into Statham and Breathnach.
The relationship between Michael and Jesse is what allows the film to feel different from Stathamโs other actioners. Itโs not like A Working Man, where his character has a daughter and he doesnโt want to lose custody of her; there was no real sense of a relationship there or emotional connection with the film, but Statham and Breathnach’s chemistry in this movie really helps to create this father/daughter dynamic despite them not having any relations. The latter is the heart of this film, and without her performance, itโs likely that this film would lose the one true thing that makes it slightly unique.
The action is where this movie truly stands out. Statham might be playing the same character for the 100th time, but Shelter easily has one of the best action set pieces out of his films and the choreography to match it. There are fight scenes that will absolutely blow your mind with how fluidly Jason moves in the scenes as heโs taking people out, like itโs second nature for him (and at this point, it might as well be). The hand-to-hand combat is just phenomenal: the sequence with Statham neutralising the police is honestly worth the price of admission.
Shelter tries its hardest to stand apart from your bog-standard Jason Statham action film, but truth be told, itโs just exactly that by the end of the day. The action is entertaining but youโll be left disappointed that the same amount of skill and craftsmanship isnโt provided in the filmโs story and overall writing. Statham might give us one of his best performances yet, but itโs Bodhi Rae Breathnach thatโs truly a star in the making.
โ โ 1/2
In cinemas from January 30th / Jason Statham, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Naomi Ackie, Bill Nighy / Director: Ric Roman Waugh / Black Bear / 15
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