As a huge Jason Statham fan, I was somewhat disappointed by the balance between drama and action in his latest vehicle, SHELTER. It’s slower and darker than most of his body(-slamming) of work. Here he’s a recluse living solo with his dog on a small island off the dreary Scottish coast, with only a small shack and decommissioned lighthouse. His only dealing with other humans is a boat that brings supplies once a week. Jessie (Bodie Rae Breathnach), the girl who delivers them, is supposed to just drop the box and leave without even seeing him. Her one attempt at conversation is curtly rebuffed.
That solitude falls apart when a sudden storm swamps Jessie’s boat, forcing him to rescue the girl and treat her injuries. He really doesn’t want to leave the island, but eventually must to get medical supplies. That’s when he’s picked up by ever-vigilant government agents who monitor the ubiquitous security cameras throughout what’s left of the Empire. He’s on Her/His Majesty’s terrorist watch list, so the heavy-duty pursuit begins. A retired spy network mucky-muck (Bill Nighy) has his own surveillance system (which even monitors the government’s), and his own agenda. We soon learn that Jason isn’t really a terrorist, but has been framed, which is why he’s been in hiding for a decade, or so. Not much of a surprise there. It’s Jason-freakin’-Statham! We already knew there ain’t no way he’s gonna be the bad guy!
So one faction deploys all their assets to arrest him, and one sends meaner minions to kill him. And Jessie, while they’re at it, since she’s seen too much of this top-secret stuff. The rest is a chase with almost enough action to satisfy Jason’s fans. His backstory is that he’s got super-lethal skills akin to his eponymous character in THE BEEKEEPER, allowing him to contend with vastly superior forces, while having to protect Jessie along the way.
Two problems. One is that most of the fights occur in dark settings, obscuring the action. The main reason for any butts plopping down on those theater seats is to watch Jason go all Statham-y on hordes of baddies in vivid detail. Shame on director Roman Waugh for undercutting his most valuable asset. The dude’s helmed enough action flicks to know better. The second is that Jessie’s character is written (also by Waugh) as annoyingly whiny, imposing too much dialog and too many moody silences on what couldda shouldda been a faster-paced adventure, as THE BEEKEEPER and A WORKING MAN were within the last two years. This plays out as if it were written for someone like Liam Neeson, who typically has more quiet, thoughtful stretches between his action scenes.
So, if Stathamians (Stathamites?) lower their adrenaline expectations, they can still find this worth the time. If not, then hope for BEEKEEPER 2: THE RETURN OF THE HIVE, or some other project that better serves The Master.
SHELTER opens in theaters on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026.
RATING: 2 out of 4 stars
