Apart from their action-packed plots and mind-blowing acts of heroism, movies like The Beekeeper are admired for their good vs evil tropes. That’s the premise of the 2024 action thriller written by Kurt Wimmer and directed by David Ayer. Released in January 2024 to mixed but mostly positive reviews, The Beekeeper follows Jason Statham’s Adam Clay. He embarks on a murderous spree after the only person who’s ever cared for him fell victim to a phishing scam enterprise.
The film tries to highlight how corruption and a failed system affect the dependent population. But what resonated with viewers revolves around the brutal fight scenes that followed Adam to the home of the US president in a savage quest for revenge. The Beekeeper ranks among 2024’s highest-grossing films as it has thus far pulled over $152.7 million at the box office. Its financial success and entertainment value have inspired calls for a sequel. Pending a decision, here are the best movies like The Beekeeper.
1. The Gray Man (2022)
Anthony and Joe Russo’s The Gray Man is an action fest that will resonate with fans of action thrillers like The Beekeeper. Although criticized for its stale story, the film based on Mark Greaney’s 2009 novel of the same title is acclaimed for its action sequences and ensemble cast. It stars Ryan Gosling as the lead alongside Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton, and Jessica Henwick. The film revolves around CIA’s top agent Sierra Six who finds himself fighting off renowned international assassins after uncovering damning secrets about the agency. The Gray Man received at least three nominations from the Taurus World Stunt Awards among other prestigious recognition.
2. SISU (2022)
SISU’s fast-paced plot and the ruthless murdering skills of its protagonist explain why it’s considered among the best movies like The Beekeeper. The 2022 Finnish-American action war film follows Jorma Tommila’s Aatami Korpi, a retired soldier as he embarks on a killing rampage against the German soldiers who took his gold and tried to murder him. The movie written and directed by Jalmari Helander was released to rave reviews. It has a 94% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an 88% audience score. SISU won the 51st Saturn Award for Best International Film among other esteemed awards.
3. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
A popular franchise consisting of four films, the John Wick movies are perhaps the most popular and explosive action thrillers ever made. Widely regarded as the best John Wick film, the fourth entry follows Keanu Reeves’ character as he delves into getting even with the High Table to earn his freedom. Although the storyline differs from The Beekeeper’s, their riveting fight scenes and captivating revenge plots elicit similar feelings of thrill and adrenaline rush from viewers. Pulling over $440 million at the worldwide box office, John Wick: Chapter 4 became the highest-grossing film in the franchise. The movie was nominated for numerous coveted awards, many of which it won.
4. The Equalizer 3 (2023)
The Equalizer films are known for their thrilling action sequences and are exciting like The Beekeeper. However, the third and final installment in the trilogy best captures the feel of the Statham-led action thriller. Apart from their adrenaline-fueled scenes, both films have similar themes. The Equalizer 3 saw Denzel Washington’s Robert McCall recover money stolen from an elderly couple’s pension fund. This storyline is akin to the events that inspired Adam Clay’s brutal crackdown on a phishing scam syndicate in The Beekeepers. Released to critical acclaim, The Equalizer 3 has a 6.8/10 IMDb rating and a 76% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
5. Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (2023)
Like The Beekeeper, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant tells a compelling story about action heroes facing and overcoming the most daunting obstacles to accomplish their goals. The film stars American actor Jake Gyllenhaal and Iraqi-born Danish actor Dar Salim. It tells the story of John Kinley, a master sergeant in the U.S. Army Special Forces.
After surviving a grueling hunt down by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, John returns to the terrain that almost claimed his life to rescue the man who saved him. The action drama bombed at the box office, grossing only $21 million against a budget of $55 million. However, it received positive reviews from critics and viewers. The film has a 7.5/10 IMDb rating with an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
6. Extraction 2 (2023)
Why Extraction 2 counts among the best movies like The Beekeeper isn’t far-fetched. The Netflix action thriller released in June 2023 delivers an intense action-packed plot alongside an impressive performance from the cast. Considered an improvement to the first Extraction movie, Extraction 2 follows Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake, Nik Khan (Golshifteh Farahani), and Yaz Khan (Adam Bessa).
The trio embarks on a face-death mission against the biggest crime syndicate in Georgia to rescue a mom and her kids. The Netflix film received several nominations for its stunts and action sequence. This includes Best Stunt Ensemble from the Discussing Film Critic Awards. Check out five action movies that made it to the Oscars.
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