Instead Statham has kind of stuck to the films that he knows his fanbase like. Films like Crank, The Meg, A Working Man and even going into the The Fast and Furious franchise – films with basic storylines that know how to deliver good action sequences even things. Now Statham keeps that trend going with his latest film – Shelter.
In Shelter Statham plays Mason – a mysterious man who has shut himself off from society by living on a remote island in an old lighthouse keeper’s hut. Every now and then he is brought supplies by a man (Michael Shaeffer – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and his daughter Jessie (Bodhi Rae Breathnach – Hamnet).
Jessie tries to reach out an befriend Mason – but he is not having any of it – he has his dog and his hermit lifestyle and he is happy with that.
But that all changes one day when Jessie and her father try to make a delivery during a storm. Their boat is destroyed and Mason is forced to rescue Jessie. After seeing how bad her injuries are he is forced to make a trip to the mainland to get medical supplies. During that time Mason’s image is caught on a social media post and that is where the action really starts.
Using an illegal surveillance system he has been told should not be in use, Mannafort (Bill Nighy – Love Actually), the former head of MI-5, traces Mason and instantly sends a ‘kill team’ after him. That attracts the attention of the current head of MI-5, Roberta (Naomi Ackie – Mickey 17), and suddenly the audience are left with two questions. Who is Mason and why does Mannafort want him dead?
Walking cliches
While Shelter is an enjoyable action film to watch like so many films in the genre these days it never really goes to the next level or try anything different. Screenwriter, Ward Parry (The Shattering), keeps this safe and makes this the kind of film of Statham’s fanbase love. An entertaining action flick where Statham plays a fairly relatable character.
Where the film works is that Parry along with director Ric Roman Waugh (Greenland) are smart enough to know that keep the audience interested they need to raise the suspense by not making this a movies about a man on the run but more about a man doing what he can to protect an innocent girl. No matter what Mason has done in the past nobody wants to see Jessie suffer for it as well.
When it comes to the acting performances in this film, Jason Statham does his normal ‘thing.’ He has the acting ability to get through the more character-driven, dramatic scenes and of course can punch and shoot his way through any action sequence.
Here he is well supported by Bodhi Rae Breathnach who delivers a performance well beyond her age. Billy Nighy, Naomie Ackie and Daniel Mays (The Bank Job), who plays Mason’s good friend Booth, all put good performances as well but they are hampered by the fact that their characters are walking cliches. These three are also badly under-used throughout the film.
In fact, that is the probably the biggest weakness of this film – anyone other than Mason and Jessie have very little characterisation at all. Even the hitman and henchmen sent after Mason just seems to be fodder for Statham to kick and punch throughout the film.
If you are in the mood for an easy to watch action film that will simply just entertain you for ninety minutes then Shelter is well worth a look. It may not reach any massive heights but the action is serviceable and the film will be loved by those who love Statham movies like The Transporter and The Beekeeper.
Shelter is currently screening in Phuket and is rated 15+
3/5 Stars
David Griffiths has been working as a film journalist for over 25 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. He currently hosts a film podcast called The Popcorn Conspiracy. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes accredited reviewer and is an alternate judge for the Golden Globes Awards. You can follow him at Facebook: SubcultureEntertainmentAus.