From director Ric Roman Waugh (Snitch, Angel has Fallen, Greenland) and screenwriter Ward Parry comes the seemingly annual Jason Statham vehicle where he kicks a bunch of butt, takes names, and defends or avenges someone who seemingly needs his help. It’s a formula that Statham excels at and the process is typically the same, but different atmosphere’s and environments and creates a new adventure – it’s the typical popcorn flick, so where does Shelter land in the plethora of Jason Statham kicking butt and taking names with some generic bad guy/reason for his doing, well let’s find out.
The movie focuses on Mason (Jason Statham) a former special forces top guy, who is now living on a remote island that inhabits nobody except him and his dog. However, he soon discovers he’s no longer alone on the island when he meets Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), an orphaned child who lost the only family she had left in a boating accident. Due to his giving heart and taking her in and returning the mainland so she can get assistance and be placed with someone more suitable, this sets up a series of events that gets Mason spotted and has everyone out to find and take him out. However, despite the new head of M16’s best efforts (Naomi Ackie) Jesse and Mason manage to make it to London, but it’s not only M16 whose after Mason, it’s a rogue agent who’s cleverly played by Bill Nighy. While there is nothing inherently new and exciting about the plot of Shelter – the adrenaline is pumping, the action is predictable yet entertaining, and Statham is Statham-ing so what more could one really want or expect?
Jason Statham has made a career of just being an adrenaline filled action junky, and he’s constantly starring in vehicles that are constantly about some form of ex military man defending someone who needs help and running for his life. This is an art, an art that Statham has become the DaVinci of, he’s constantly on point and entertaining and Shelter is no different here. He is taking names and kicking all sorts of bad guys around, with the help of Naomi Ackie and Bill Nighy supporting Statham here, despite them being underutilized provide some added intensity and needed balance for the hot headed and adrenaline-fueled Statham. Unfortunately, more collision amongst the three would’ve benefited the audience to see something more than taking out of endless drones. As well Bodhi Rae Breathnach is a healthy addition to the cast bringing a little more humanity to the British strong style of taking no names that Statham excels at.
Shelter is exactly what the movie wants to be, it’s a popcorn flick that excels at being a popcorn flick. There is nothing deeper than the movie says in its execution, and the adrenaline action ride that Statham has been come to be known for continues to deliver. Ackie and Nighy and are slightly underutilized while Breathnach works as the catalyst for the chaos that launches Statham into the pandemonium. Shelter is a popcorn and a half a refill type of movie, with some licorice chocolate and a large soda – sit back and enjoy the chaos that unfolds.
