‘The Beekeeper’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on April 23, 2024 by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

Jason Statham is one of the most successful action stars of the 21st century, even though he’s not exactly reinventing the wheel with his performances. In most cases, if you have seen one Jason Statham performance, you have seen them all. He’s a calm, cool and calculated killer with a sense of humor. There is an element of over-the-top fun that permeates his films. Even though the action is fast-paced, bloody and violent in “The Beekeeper,” the tone of the film is perfectly balanced in terms of action and self-awareness. The people making these films are fully aware of what the audience expects out of them, and they are more than happy to give it to them. They aren’t overly serious to where it’s dreary and dull, and they also aren’t so goofy you check out because it’s so silly.

The film opens up by introducing us to a retired schoolteacher named Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad), who rents out her barn to Adam Clay (Jason Statham), a beekeeper with a heart of gold. One day, she falls victim to an online scam and ends up losing not only her entire life savings but also two million dollars from a charity she was managing as well. After this life-changing mistake, she ends up committing suicide. This springs the beekeeper into action, as he believes in right and wrong. He also held a special place in his heart for Eloise, as she was the only one who looked after him and took care of him.

Along the way, Eloise’s daughter, Verona (Emmy Raver-Lampman), an FBI agent, starts to look into Adam Clay and his background. She doesn’t quite understand how a beekeeper can be so violent and hard to catch. It turns out he belongs to a group called The Beekeepers, and they all work together to make sure “the hive” is protected and safe from anyone who tries to disrupt the natural order of things in the world. Once he tracks down the scammers with help from the Beekeepers, he begins to make life a living hell for them. He wants to take everything from them in the same way they have taken everything from the elderly with their online scams.

I’m a huge fan of silly, over-the-top and fun action movies which are done with style, intensity and a sense of humor. “The Beekeeper” is one of the best action movies I’ve seen in a while. The pacing is perfect as the action comes fast and furious throughout the film’s 105-minute running time. It’s directed by veteran action director David Ayer, and he knows how to make these movies sizzle and pop on screen. The fight scenes are incredibly violent, in-your-face, and gory. They left me with my jaw on the floor. That is exactly what I’m looking for out of a Statham action film.

It also helps that the bad guys are so shady and underhanded, and the actors hit all of the right notes with their performances. Josh Hutcherson is smarmy, indifferent and filled with charisma and cockiness. He plays a spoiled and ruthless adult in his late twenties who has had everything handed to him, so he thinks he is above the law and can do whatever he wants. Jeremy Irons is the classic fixer. He’s brought in to fix things and be the voice of reason when things get too hot and heavy for Hutcherson’s character. The way he reads his lines in this movie is just perfect. He’s an elegant, dignified and smooth-talking problem solver. He looks forward to these challenges, but he also knows the risks which come with them.

When it was all said and done, I had a blast with this movie. It’s a trashy action film that wears its bloody heart on its sleeve. It knows exactly what it wants to accomplish and pulls no punches. Statham is perfectly cast here as the complicated hero who will stop at nothing to get revenge on the bad guys. Even when it seems impossible and the odds are stacked against him, he finds a way to overcome all of the obstacles thrown his way. It’s highly entertaining to see him have to wiggle his way out of tricky situations where he’s outnumbered and outmanned. The film also has some very violent and creative kills that go for the jugular and linger on the violence. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from “The Beekeeper,” but it’s a highly entertaining action film with blood, guts and humor.

* * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Beekeeper” is released on a single disc in 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It has a running time of 105 minutes and is rated R for strong violence throughout, pervasive language, some sexual references and drug use. It comes with a digital copy of the film as well.

Video Info: They did a fantastic job with this 4K release. I thought the HDR was very vivid, bright, and colorful. Even though “The Beekeeper” is a trashy action film, they still did a great job with this transfer. It pops with its color palette.

Audio Info: The Dolby Atmos soundtrack was the perfect choice for this action/thriller, as it allowed me to keep it on the same volume for the entire duration of the film. Action films need to have a strong soundtrack, but they can’t be so strong that they force you to turn down the volume throughout when the bullets and bodies start to fall. The soundtrack here is consistent from beginning to end, and it enhances the viewing experience.

Special Features:

None

Should you buy it?

At times, it is best to walk into a film completely blind without knowing what it is about or having read any reviews. This is exactly what I did with “The Beekeeper,” and I’m happy about that because it allowed me to enjoy the film without having any preconceived notions about it. I enjoyed the ride it took me on, and I thoroughly enjoyed Statham’s performance and the unique and grotesque kills he unleashed on the bad guys. When it comes to the 4K disc, the picture and audio quality are top-notch here. The film itself doesn’t have any special features, which is OK, as I can’t imagine they would have added a ton to the film overall. Sometimes it is better to have an air of mystery surrounding your film. Overall, I’d say buy this movie when it drops in price, as you will get a great action/thriller at a great price. I don’t think it’s the kind of movie you need to run out and buy right away, though.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Creed III’ Movie and 4K UHD Review

Posted on May 23, 2023 by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

I saw “Creed III” in theaters when it came out in March, and I walked away very impressed by the directorial debut of Michael B. Jordan. Even though we were only three months into the new year, I felt it was an early candidate for one of the best films of 2023. I enjoyed his creative and inventive approach to filmmaking, the tremendous acting throughout the film, and the way it was paced just perfectly. Here we are, almost half-way through the year, and I feel even stronger about “Creed III.” It really surpassed any and all expectations I had for the film, and it also shows the “Rocky/Creed” franchise is in very good hands. Much like the “Scream” franchise did with “Scream 6,” it proved you can leave a key player or two from the franchise behind and not miss a beat if you have your heart in the right place, a good script, and you forge your own path while also remembering the pulse of the franchise.

I think by now it is common knowledge that Sylvester Stallone is not in “Creed III.” Stallone expressed his reasons why in interviews, and while I would have enjoyed him in this film, even if it was only in a minor role, I can’t say he was missed. I say this as a huge fan of Stallone and his contributions to the “Rocky/Creed” franchise. It says more about the fact that Jordan took the bull by the horns and really ran with it when it came to “Creed III.” He’s in front of and behind the camera here, and from what he showed me as a director, I can’t wait to see what he does with his next project. He has a keen visual sense and tremendous style without losing the heart and emotional weight of the film.

“Creed III” opens by showing us a young Adonis Creed hanging out with his friend from his group home, Damian Anderson. They are like brothers to one another, and Damian looks out for Adonis. Damian is on the rise as a young up and comer until he finds himself in prison for pulling out a gun while defending a young Adonis. Adonis ran away and never faced any jail time. Damian, on the other hand, spent almost two decades in prison and saw his chance go by the wayside. Adonis is ready for retirement after winning his final fight and leaving as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He’s now a family man with a beautiful house, wife, and young daughter.

Adonis is also running his own gym with the help of Little Duke (Wood Harris) and helping promote a fight for the world heavyweight champion Felix “El Guerrero” Chavez (José Benavidez Jr.) against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). On his way out of the gym one day, he runs into Damian (Jonathan Majors) who is out of prison and looking to make up for lost time. He wants to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world, as he was a top prospect and a Golden Gloves champion before he ended up in prison. Adonis agrees to let him hang around the gym and spar with Felix, but he feels uneasy about having him around and wonders what his true intentions are, especially after all these years.

As a matter of fact, Mary-Anne (Phylicia Rashad) is not too keen about Damian being around, as she remembers some of the trouble he and Adonis would get into as youngsters. Adonis is also dealing with parenthood as his hearing-impaired daughter Amara, played perfectly by Mila Davis-Kent, is having trouble expressing herself in school. When she is being bullied by another student, she resorts to violence instead of working things out in a more peaceful way. This is very troubling to her mother Bianca, played by the lovely Tessa Thompson. She is looking to raise their daughter to express her emotions in a more productive way instead of resorting to violence. For Bianca, she’s been adjusting to her career as a producer. While she enjoys it, she also misses performing and doing her own thing. However, she must also be protective of her hearing as she doesn’t want to cause further damage. She’s also noticing Adonis is pulling away from her and that something is bothering him. It’s clear he has unresolved guilt and anger from his past with Damian. Until he deals with those feelings, he will never be able to move forward in his life and will be stuck in the past.

I have to give major credit to the women of “Creed III” from Rashad to Thompson to Davis-Kent. They are attempting to help Adonis see the forest from the trees and learn that it’s okay for him to open up about his past and talk about his regrets and his pain. It’s not good for him to bottle it all up inside. The two main male characters played by Jordan and Majors are also terrific together on screen. Jordan is fantastic at expressing his emotions on his face and not overacting. That being said, he knows when to tap into an emotion, anger, and turmoil when the scene calls for it. His facials here are terrific, and he knows how to tap into whatever the screenplay needs out of him. Majors reminded me and others of a young Mike Tyson. He will do whatever it takes to win, and he is physically imposing and carries a tremendous presence on screen. When he’s on screen, you can’t take your eyes off him.

For a film which is nearly two hours long, there is rarely a dull moment. There is something dramatic which occurs in the film (no spoilers) that seemed to get glossed over and moved on from very quickly. It seemed rather unnecessary, and that is my only gripe with the film. As with any “Rocky” or “Creed” movie, the best scenes are not in the ring. The best scenes are the characters talking to one another, figuring out their inner conflict, and dealing with the past and the present. Yes, it’s a boxing movie, but the boxing ring serves as a therapeutic canvas for them to work out their pain. That being said, the boxing scenes are beautifully shot and are the best kind I’ve seen in a boxing film in a long time. Jordan makes some really interesting choices as a director, and they worked out perfectly for him.

“Creed III” is a feel-good film with a big heart behind it. It has a great soundtrack with some real bangers on it. It also has some fantastic acting from everyone in the cast. There isn’t a bad performance to be found here. The stakes also seem very high throughout. There is an urgency here. For a first-time director, this is a very, very impressive debut. I can see them carrying on the “Creed” franchise with Jordan working both behind-the-scenes and in front of the camera. He really hit a home run here, and I loved this movie from start to finish.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “Creed III” is released on a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It is rated PG-13 for intense sports action, violence and some strong language. It has a running time of 116 minutes. The 4K combo pack also comes with a digital code for the film.

Video Info: I loved the way this film looked in 4K. Warner Brothers has become one of the top studios for 4K releases, and they do not disappoint here with “Creed III.” I’m always happy when a film gets the Dolby Vision treatment, and this film is spectacular looking. We get a detailed, clean, and smooth look with dark darks to set the mood for the emotional trauma Creed is dealing with inside of him. This film really, really pops on 4K. Dolby Vision and Warner Brothers are always a match made in heaven. I truly was impressed by this 4K transfer and how it lends itself to the film.

Audio Info: More good news—we also get a Dolby Atmos track! For a film like this with great music and intense boxing action, you have to have a good Atmos track. The Atmos track makes the film sound absolutely perfect. Warner Brothers really did the right thing by “Creed III,” and I’m very thankful for that.

Special Features:

Michael B. Jordan: In the Ring/Behind the Camera – Featurette

There’s No Enemy Like the Past: Donnie and Dame – Featurette

Deleted Scenes

Should You Buy It?

If you saw it in theaters like I did, I’m happy to report it holds up very, very well on a second viewing. It’s one of the reasons why I love to watch a movie in the theater and then at home. It’s two totally different viewing experiences, and you pick up on certain things you might have missed initially. It was actually better on a second viewing. I highly recommend you pick this film up on its release date on 4K. It is truly the best way to watch this great film. With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, Warner Brothers really did a magnificent job of putting this film together for a great home-viewing experience. The supplements are a little light, and I would have liked a commentary with director/actor Michael B. Jordan, but still, this is a day-one purchase. I’m not sure how the rest of the year will play out, but this film is still one of the best of 2023, in my opinion. I loved the powerful performances, incredible emotion, ingenious boxing sequences, and how much fun this movie was. I highly recommend “Creed III” as a movie to proudly own on 4K. You won’t be disappointed.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Creed II’ Movie and Blu-ray Review (Written by Tony Farinella)

Posted on March 3, 2019 by The Ultimate Rabbit

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When “Rocky Balboa” was released in 2006, many wondered how a sixth “Rocky” film would perform when the last one prior to that was released in 1990. Sylvester Stallone himself was not all too pleased with how “Rocky V” ended, and he wanted to do right by Rocky Balboa. Needless to say, he did so as he was the writer and the director behind it. Because of the good will he had built up from the sixth installment, fans were excited for “Creed,” which was released in 2015 and directed by Ryan Coogler.

Coogler was coming off the success of “Fruitvale Station,” and it was set to star Michael B. Jordan, also from the aforementioned film. It was in good hands, as they were wise to hand the franchise over to Jordan while still keeping Stallone around. The film was organic, funny, entertaining, and powerful at the same time. When it was time for “Creed II,” they handed it over to Steven Caple Jr. I’m happy to report he did a terrific job with “Creed II,” and the writers also had a fresh idea to bring to the table: bring back Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and introduce his son Viktor (Florian Munteanu). After all, everyone remembers how things ended up in “Rocky IV” between Drago and Apollo Creed.

When the film gets started, everything seems to be going well for Adonis Creed. He wins the World Heavyweight Championship, proposes to his girlfriend, Bianca (Tessa Thompson), and he also has a baby on the way. His world, however, gets turned upside down when Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago, challenges him. This is the same Ivan Drago who killed his father back in 1985. Rocky tries to tell him to stay away from the fight and that he is fighting for the wrong reasons.

Adonis’ pride, however gets in the way and he ends up taking on the fight, regardless, and without Rocky his corner. His life only becomes more complicated and painful from that point forward. Now, he needs to figure out what to do in order to get his career, his health, and his life back on track. It won’t be easy for Adonis, but everything in his life has always been a fight. Rocky just wants him to figure out what he’s fighting for and also realize he has other people counting on him as well.

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There is a lot to like about “Creed II.” I’m not going to say if it is better or worse than 2015’s “Creed.” It is just as good. It is just different, and it is dealing with different themes and different messages. Jordan gives a knockout (I know, easy pun) performance here. All of his emotions are in his face, and it’s a performance with a lot of nuance and complexity attached to it. As an audience member, you understand what he’s doing and why, even if you don’t always agree with him.

His relationship with Tessa Thompson’s Bianca also brings a big heart to the film. These two have tremendous chemistry together and it is a joy to watch them on screen. Stallone has said he is walking away from the franchise after this movie, and it seems like the right move. Make no mistake about it, Stallone’s the backbone of this franchise and he makes the most of every scene he’s in even though he doesn’t get a lot of screen time. He does a lot with a little. I imagine this was intentionally done, as he was one of the writers on the project.

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The film deals with the complexity of a father/son relationship and how men are trying to carve out their own image and legacy. There is a lot of meat in this script, as Adonis is becoming a father himself. Phylicia Rashad is back here once again, and she brings such fierce intensity and knowledge to her role as Mary Anne Creed. There is not a bad performance in the film. It’s heartwarming, intense, and very, very entertaining.

With that said, it is not a perfect film. I would argue it is about twenty minutes too long. As with most boxing movies, the boxing itself and the training montages are not all that interesting compared to the relationships in the film. What transpires throughout the film will not surprise anyone, but when it’s done with such warmth and commitment from the actors, it helps elevate the material into something really, really special. While I don’t think we need a “Creed III,” I can’t say I would necessarily mind one if the right people are involved in the project.

*** * * ½ out of * * * ***

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Blu-Ray Info: “Creed II” is released on a two-disc Blu-ray combo pack, which also includes a digital copy, from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film is rated PG-13 for sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality. It has a running time of 130 minutes. It is presented in 1080p High Definition with an aspect ratio of 16×9, 2.4:1. The audio formats are Dolby Atmos-TrueHD: English, DTS MA: English 5.1, English Descriptive Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital: Français 5.1, and Español 5.1. Subtitles are included in English, French, and Spanish.

Special Features:

Fathers and Sons (07:16): This special feature talks about how “Creed II” touches on the father/son dynamic and what a big role it plays in the film and also in life. Interviews with the cast and crew are featured as well as some famous boxers including Sugar Ray Leonard. They even talk about the Shakespearean aspects of the story.

Casting Viktor Drago (05:43): This special feature is all about the casting of Florian Munteanu who comes from a boxing background. Stallone wanted him in the film and saw something special in him. Munteanu talks about how grateful he is to be in the film as he is familiar with all of the “Rocky” films. He trained for seven months and really committed to the role, which impressed his fellow actors and the director as well.

The Women of “Creed II” (05:51): Sugar Ray Leonard appears once again, and he gives credit to the women that are alongside the boxers through all of the training and the punishment in the ring. Director Steven Caple Jr. didn’t just want Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad to be in the background of the film. He wanted them to get their due. It’s a big reason why the film is as effective as it is because each and every character serves a significant purpose.

The “Rocky” Legacy (15:01): This is hosted by Dolph Lundgren, and it discusses the impact the “Rocky” franchise has had not only on boxing movies, but also on the sport itself. They also tie it together with “Rocky IV” and “Creed II.” The cast and crew of “Creed II” talk about the music, the boxing scenes, and why the franchise has lasted as long as it has going all the way back to 1976.

Deleted Scenes (09:46): One notable deleted scene worth mentioning is one where Rocky performs a eulogy for Spider Rico, the first fighter he ever fought in the “Rocky” films. It’s a powerful scene and one which should have been in the film despite my issues with its length. The other three deleted scenes include Rocky training young kids to box, Adonis and Bianca talking about his legacy, and the aftermath of the fight between Adonis and Viktor.