Jason Statham holds a special place in the hearts of most action movie enthusiasts. You can argue that many of his films aren’t critically acclaimed, but who cares? His martial arts skills and gruff British accent work wonders. Alongside Gerard Butler and Liam Neeson, he also shares the title of the King of January action movies. Films like The Beekeeper, Den of Thieves, and Cold Pursuit aren’t high art by any means, but they are refreshing after all the prestige films and Christmas blockbusters released at the end of the previous year.
Shelter teams Statham up with fellow staple of entertaining action flicks, Ric Roman Waugh, and when I say entertaining, I mean it as a compliment (well, aside from Waugh’s other film that released this month). Waugh and Statham know their audience and usually understand exactly what they want from their movies: thrilling action scenes, plenty of guns, a few clever quips, and a mysterious backstory for the hero. Shelter delivers exactly that.
What Is ‘Shelter’ About?
Shelter begins with Statham’s Michael Mason, living a quiet and secluded life in a lighthouse on the coast of Scotland. He spends most of his days caring for his adorable dog that he never named, playing chess with himself, and drawing pictures of his pooch. That’s pretty much it. His fellow Royal Guard buddy often has his niece, Jessie (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), deliver goods to him. On one fateful day, a terrible storm kills the man and injures Jessie, leaving her under Mason’s care.
Jessie immediately distrusts Mason, sitting in corners, hiding a knife under her pillow, and silently observing every move he makes. She’s also highly concerned about how he knows about her family since she doesn’t know him. Mason is reluctant to care for Jessie, fearing that his past as a government assassin will catch up to him. Which, of course, this being a Statham movie, it does. Mason’s old employer, former MI6 Spymaster Steven Manafort (Bill Nighy), uses a shady surveillance system known as T.H.E.A. to hunt him down, causing him and the young girl to go on the run while the new MI6 chief (Naomi Ackie) watches in shock and fear from her control room.
The premise itself is fairly simple, occasionally borrowing heavily from The Bourne Identity and John Wick, but the simplicity is what makes it work. What else would you expect from a movie like this?
‘Shelter’ Is Another Good Excuse To Have Jason Statham Kick Ass
As generic as the story is in Shelter, the action scenes do more than enough to satisfy the itch. The film opens with a genuinely impressive set piece showing Statham diving into the ocean during a storm in an attempt to save Jessie and her doomed uncle. It’s not punch-kick Statham; it’s him returning to his roots as a professional diver, and despite getting older, he pulls it off quite well. The rest of the movie’s action largely consists of fistfights and gunplay you’d expect from Statham. There are some great kills, including when the MI6 agents first enter his home as he gets creative with how he takes a man out. The big showdown between Mason and an assassin played by Bryan Vigier also proves to be exciting, especially with how it concludes.
Nighy chews up the screen with his over-the-top villainous performance, even if he could have used more screen time. He’s your typical evil government stooge with little depth to him, but Nighy is fully aware of the kind of movie he’s in and is comfortable letting loose. Even as he delivers corny expositional dialogue, he makes those scenes more entertaining. Breathnach, who was recently seen playing the eldest Shakespeare daughter in the Oscar-nominated Hamnet, is the biggest surprise to come out of the film. The young girl in danger is a long-worn action movie trope that Statham has used in his other films, but Breathnach’s chemistry and bond with Statham is more heartfelt than you’d expect walking in. She’s given a personality that’s more than just the crying young girl in fear for her life.
Ackie, who has proven to be a consistently reliable performer in recent years, is given the short end of the stick in her role. If you remember Joan Allen‘s role in The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, you’ll know exactly what kind of character she portrays. Ackie isn’t bad; it’s just that she doesn’t have a Tony Gilroy-like writer to give her good dialogue. Instead, her character is largely forgettable and one-dimensional.
‘Shelter’ Isn’t the Next ‘Beekeeper’
Statham always has at least one or two new movies released each year. The Beekeeper was the kind of memorably outrageous vehicle that set expectations for all his future films. Similar to The Beekeeper, Shelter takes itself very seriously; unlike the 2024 hit, it doesn’t have nearly as much personality. There are few quips or big twists; it is largely your standard Statham film. It’s on par with The Mechanic, which isn’t a bad place to be.
Obviously, we don’t want all Statham movies to feel identical— even <em>A Working Man</em> had a personality that drew you into the film. Shelter lacks much of that flair. Where it lacks in boldness, it compensates with emotional depth, where you genuinely care for Mason and Jessie. You are not just waiting to see what crazy thing they get up to next—you want them to survive.
It is honestly surprising that Waugh and Statham had never collaborated until now since Shelter proves they make an excellent match. Shelter will provide Statham devotees exactly what they’re looking for. It isn’t particularly memorable nor will it launch a franchise, but did it ever need to? No, it didn’t. It’s another perfect excuse to munch on popcorn while cheering for Statham as he takes down some foes. What’s wrong with that?
Shelter arrives in theaters on January 30.
- The action is great, particularly the opening rescue set piece.
- Jason Statham is reliably badass as always while Bill Nighy is delightfully over-the-top.
- Bodhi Rae Breathnach’s chemistry with Statham gives the story a surprising amount of heart.
- The movie borrows almost too heavily from The Bourne Franchise and John Wick.
- Naomi Ackie’s subplot adds nothing substantial to the overall story.
