Shelter
review by Bobby Blakey
Director Ric Roman Waugh knows his way around action with films like Snitch, Angel Has Fallen and Greenland. Now he is teaming up with action icon Jason Statham for their latest film Shelter costarring Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Naomi Ackie and Bill Nighy. Could this latest Statham actioner bring something new to the genre, or will it fail to kick enough ass for fans?
Shelter follows a reclusive man on a remote coastal island, who rescues a young girl from a deadly storm, drawing them both into danger. Forced out of isolation, he must confront his turbulent past while protecting her, sending them on a tense journey of survival and redemption.
Being a fan of both Statham and Waugh, I was eager to see what they cooked up together. With Statham there is typically a straightforward formula that fans are hoping for and this film delivers all that but also gets a little deeper into the character development to make it more impactful without getting too lost in it.
When you add a kid to the action a lot of times it either gets too silly or the kid is so annoying it takes you out of the action and story of it all. This time around the story, although a usual action trope we have seen a thousand times, uses the young girl for something more than just a victim to protect but to pull humanity out of Statham’s character. She doesn’t make a bunch of stupid mistakes or act annoying at all in fact she meshes well with the surroundings emotionally and physically.
Statham is the usual stoic bad ass we all love, but there is a pain in his eyes that lets you know there is more to him than just another throw away action guy. I wish they had delved into it a bit deeper and gave us some of the implied
stories that could exist out there between these two, but not knowing is also powerful in its own right. While the film moves at a mundane purposeful pace initially it uses its time wisely to get us invested in these two before kicking into action.
As expected, Statham brings the pain like only can. Filled with plenty of car chases, gun fights, fight sequences and creative kills it fills the expected need for the fans. There wasn’t nearly as much action throughout as I had expected but uses each sequence and the time for it wisely and successfully to keep the high-octane sequences on point enjoyable to watch.
One of the things that I always love about Statham’s films is that they all feel like the vintage action from the 80s and 90s that we just don’t get enough of anymore. Thankfully he firmly carries them on his shoulders and Ric Roman Waugh is the perfect director to team up with to keep it alive and kicking as it should be.
Decide for yourself and check out Shelter in theaters now from Black Bear.