Movie Review: ‘Shelter (Second Review)’

Tweet
Shelter is a slightly above-average Jason Statham movie with plenty of action, visually appealing fight choreography, great actors, beautiful scenery and music, and a plausible storyline that embraces Statham’s potential heartwarming side. Although I cannot say it kept me on the edge of my seat, I did think it was a fun movie and would mildly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of Statham’s previous work.

The movie begins with Statham’s character, a recluse eventually revealed to be former government operative Michael Mason, living alone on an island with only a dog and a weekly supply drop from a girl named Jessie and her uncle. During one of their supply runs, Jesse’s uncle apparently didn’t check the weather forecasts, gets caught in a bad storm, and gets stuck on a sinking ship leaving Jessie in the care of Mason. The rest of the movie is mostly Mason trying to protect and care for Jessie as his past catches up to him in the form of trained assassins that he must fend off.

The plot could have benefited from more development and maybe a trim of a character or two, but it was alright as it is. The pacing of the story is well balanced blending action and drama, going back and forth between fight/action scenes, “how are they getting out of this” escapes, political espionage, and the developing bond between Mason and Jesse as they hurtle toward a seemingly inevitable conclusion.

The main cast is great. Jason Statham is about as good as usual. Relative newcomer Bodhi Rae Breathnach (Hamnet, So Awkward Academy) is the heart of the film getting Statham’s Mason out of his shell and almost turning him into a father figure. On the other hand, Jesse also inadvertently puts him back into the crosshairs of his former boss. Speaking of which, Bill Nighy is always fun, even as a villain.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. In addition to the action and drama, there is plenty of beautiful scenery and the music was a treat for my ears. I would recommend seeing this film, although I would not necessarily say it needs to be seen in a theater; this one could wait for Blu-Ray or streaming.