Action icon Jason Statham is back in theaters this week with The Beekeeper. And despite what the name suggests, it is not about the proper care of nature’s most valuable insects. It’s a Statham flick, so, of course, his character, Adam Clay, is a former espionage operative who is just trying to find some peace in his retirement. However, Clay becomes incensed when scam artists drive his friend and neighbor, Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad), to commit suicide. And you can bet that Clay will be coming out of retirement and handing out some harsh payback for that.
Where else can you find our elder statesmen action heroes as they defend the elderly and other innocents? As it happens, this scenario comes up a lot. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the three action movies like The Beekeeper that you should watch.]
The Equalizer 3 (2023)
A decade ago, Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) could have taken out almost anyone in a fight. However, McCall has clearly lost a step in The Equalizer 3, especially after he catches a bullet in the back during his most recent mission. This time, McCall’s survival comes down to two strangers: an Italian policeman named Gio Bonucci (Eugenio Mastrandrea) and a veteran doctor, Enzo Arisio (Remo Girone).
Because Gio and Enzo were so discreet with McCall’s care, he’s able to relax and recuperate in their small town on the coast of Italy. McCall loves it so much that he actually considers settling down there. That’s when he notices the little things, like the way an Italian crime syndicate is forcing his new friends to live in fear for their lives. And McCall can only watch for so long before being spurred back into action one last time.
Red (2010)
Red unites several aging action stars for a movie that actually makes light of their advanced years. They may be old, but they can still kill the people who deserve it. The problem that ex-CIA agent Frank Moses (Die Hard‘s Bruce Willis) has is that the agency is trying to wipe him out for something he knew when he was still actively employed. To get to the bottom of this mystery, Frank looks up a few of his former associates, including Joe (Morgan Freeman), Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), and an ex-assassin named Victoria Winslow (Helen Mirren).
Frank also kidnapped his would-be love interest, Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker), because he knew that she would be targeted because of her association with him. Much to Frank’s surprise, Sarah turns out to really enjoy the action in his life, even when both of them are in danger.
Wrath of Man (2021)
Sometimes the best thing to watch after a Jason Statham movie is another Jason Statham movie! But there’s more than meets the eye in Guy Ritchie‘s Wrath of Man. Statham plays Patrick “H” Hill, an over-the-hill armored car guard who isn’t taken seriously by his co-workers. At least that was the case before Hill handles a robbery attempt like a professional and guns down their attackers with precision.
The mystery of Hill’s identity and what he really wants unfolds during the course of the film, even as his co-workers become more and more suspicious about him. But after the first robbery is thwarted, no one is laughing about Hill now.
