THE STORY – A recluse on a remote Scottish island rescues a girl from the sea, unleashing a perilous sequence of events that culminate in an attack on his home, compelling him to face his turbulent history.
THE CAST – Jason Statham, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Bill Nighy, Naomi Ackie & Daniel Mays
THE TEAM – Ric Roman Waugh (Director) & Ward Parry (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 107 Minutes
No matter what, there will always seem to be a marketplace for films that showcase an aging action star muddying through a generic plot, meant to highlight their ability to lead a picture in this genre. It’s not a particularly new concept, as elderly figures have been producing such movies for decades. Yet, it seemed to have been perfected when Liam Neeson waltzed in with “Taken” and launched a thousand derivative entries of diminishing returns. That has allowed the cinematic landscape to be populated with even more individuals who carry this mantle, and there is no doubt that Jason Statham has been one of them. Like Neeson, the quality of the projects he’s worked on has varied greatly over the years. Still, a persistent theme has been that, even when entertaining, the final effort is mostly disposable. It’s hard to think of any better adjective to describe “Shelter,” a painfully dull exercise that can barely muster any excitement for what should be a passably entertaining venture.
The protagonist that Statham inhabits this time is Mason, a mysterious man who lives a solitary life on a secluded Scottish island. He keeps to himself, with the only human interaction he gets being from the supply drop-offs. Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) is the young girl who finds this lonely man intriguing and is desperate to know more about him. When a storm capsizes her uncle’s boat, Mason quickly rescues her from drowning and takes her in so she can recuperate. It’s here that events are set in motion that reveal his true identity: that of a former operative of MI6 who was tasked with deadly assassinations. He’s been blacklisted by the agency and hunted ever since he obeyed the direct orders of the commanding officer, Manafort (Bill Nighy). Now, the pair are on the run, trying to survive the sophisticated surveillance system that’s tracking them and another hardened assassin, Workman (Bryan Vigier), hot on their trail. Mason’s goal is not only to keep young Jesse out of danger, but also to bring justice to those who have committed so much wrongdoing before their reach grows further.
Statham has carved out a lane for himself as a dependable stalwart in this kind of genre exercise. However, the quality of the projects he’s attached himself to has never ranked particularly high. There’s a durability to them that suits his usual toughened screen presence, though there is an attempt for a somewhat softer side he can imbue within this character. As a dramatic role, it still doesn’t offer much for him to do, and his strengths still fall back on his impressive physicality during the combat sequences. He’s yet another stoic anchor that is merely serviceable at best, without any of the wry sense of humor found in the “Crank” films, or even the great send-up of his personality that was “Spy.” He’s tasked to carry this film alongside Breathnach, who unfortunately really struggles in her performance. The lack of chemistry between the two is not helpful, nor are her attempts to mine the more emotionally charged material, which fall painfully flat. It’s a great shame that a distinguished actor like Nighy is utterly wasted in a role that mostly requires him to deliver stilted dialogue into a phone, and the same goes for Naomi Ackie as another intelligence officer who does the same, only with computer screens and even more mind-numbing dialogue. It’s especially disappointing to see her given a role of such insignificance, especially after her amazing turn in “Sorry, Baby” just last year. Vigier doesn’t have much of a character to inhabit. Still, as a professional stuntman, his talents are mostly used in action sequences, and for that solitary goal, he is successfully employed.
Director Ric Roman Waugh has already established himself as a helmsman of this type of action fare, with several previous collaborations with Gerard Butler. This film not only marks his second endeavor in a single calendar year, the first being “Greenland 2: Migration,” but it’s coming out within the same month. Points are earned for dedicated efficiency but not for engaging execution. What should be a joyous and thrilling ride instead comes across as utterly dull and monotonous. The grey palette of the cinematography and the lazy, droning score communicate a lack of effort in the filmmaking. The dour tone is unbearably tedious in the first act, when Ward Parry’s script tries to set up the plot through clunky exposition and stale character interactions. Things pick up a little once the action gets going, but most of the set pieces lack the exuberant joy that would create a more engrossing atmosphere. There is more of a perfunctory intent, as if a more intense beat of action is introduced simply out of obligation rather than any gleeful sense of fun. Even the poorer Statham movies have at least known how to celebrate their violence with a sickening grin that makes them somewhat enjoyable. The only time one gets that sense is in hand-to-hand combat, where the choreography sells the intensity of the moment. These few scenes are the only bit of true enthusiasm that’s perceived from an otherwise tiresome performance.
In a way, there’s a familiarity to “Shelter” that can be looked at as somewhat comforting. The forgettable and relatively inexpensive action vehicles starring an established older actor have their place to be cherished. Jason Statham has participated in many such works in the past and found some modest success there. However, those previous cases were decidedly much more captivating enterprises than anything found here. A handful of compelling sequences of physical action cannot save a narrative weighed down by a mundane plot, pedestrian characters, and an intolerably sluggish filmmaking style. Not every entry in this particular corner of cinema has to be of top-tier quality. Still, they should also be able to deliver more riveting material than what is served here in such an uninspired manner.
