‘Shelter’ Review: Jason Statham Bourne Anew

Jason Statham and action movies go together like a knife and a sheath. If you need someone to punch a bunch of bad guys in the face and look cool doing it, Statham is your man. On the surface, Shelter looks exactly like that with Jason Statham going around and dropping a bunch of bodies all over the place like some living plague. But there’s more to the film than just one action sequence after another, and that’s mostly in part to the addition of Bodhi Rae Breathnach as a young girl who needs protecting. Their connection is the emotional core of the film and helps elevate it to something more than just another mindless action thriller. There’s always been more to Statham than just his brawn, and with Shelter he’s able to utilize the full ability of his talents. Shelter might not bring anything new to the action genre, but director Ric Roman Waugh knows how to do action well, using his past experience as a stuntman to pull audiences directly in on the action for one entertaining ride.

Michael Mason (Jason Statham) lives alone in a broken lighthouse on an isolated island with his only contact with the outside world being supply deliveries from a local man and his niece Jessie (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) every few weeks. When heavy storms capsize their boat during one of their drop offs, Mason acts quickly to rescue Jessie although he’s too late to save her uncle. After leaving the island to get medical supplies, facial recognition software reveals Mason to be a former black ops assassin who was presumed dead. With his identity now compromised, he is hunted down by the very same government agency that created him. Mason won’t go down easy, though, and uses his deadly skill and connections to protect Jessie at any cost.

Shelter‘s general premise is nothing new. Michael Mason, Jason Bourne, John Wick, Jack Ryan; we’ve seen plenty of secret assassins who become hunted by their own agencies. Jason Statham fits that mold well. What sets his character apart is his connection with Jessie. She’s all alone after losing her uncle in the storm, and Mason feels somewhat guilty since he’s the reason why they’ve been doing the supply drops. He just wants her to be safe but also knows that she’ll never be safe with him. She, on the other hand, feels safest with him and doesn’t want to leave his side. The father/daughter chemistry between Jason Statham and Bodhi Rae Breathnach is visible, and they give the film some much needed heart. It adds an emotional weight to every action scene since Mason isn’t fighting to stay alive but to keep Jessie safe.

The action sequences are well done also. Shelter feels inspired by the Jason Bourne films with its down-in-the-dirt camera angles that put you right in the middle of the action with the characters. The fights and car chases are messy and chaotic, and you can feel the weight of every punch. There’s nothing fancy here either, just solid action. From gun fights to fist fights to sneaking sequences on the beach and in the nightclub, there’s a decent amount of variety too. The adrenaline never dips for too long before ramping back up. Statham does feel like a superhero here and can keep going no matter what injury befalls him, but that’s okay. There’s more satisfaction to him dishing out punches than taking them. He doesn’t hold back, either. There are a few moments in the film that are abruptly brutal. These moments forgo being cinematic in favor of gritty realism and can catch you off guard. Death comes quickly for some characters and then the story moves on.

Story-wise, Shelter is fine. As I previously mentioned, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. At the center of it all is a secret spy system that allows the government to essentially tap into all cameras at all times and track any person they want. It’s how they’re always right on Mason’s trail. There’s not much depth to the story, especially given how relevant this all could be since I don’t think we’re too far off from that technology being a reality (if it isn’t already). Bill Nighy plays the man behind the curtain pulling all the strings, and he’s fine in the role. He gives Jason Statham a target, and that’s all that matters. Afterall, you’re not going to see a Jason Statham action movie for some profound narrative on society. You’re going to see him single-handedly take down an entire army. And in that regards, Shelter delivers. It’s fun, popcorn bliss. Ric Roman Waugh has spent a career doing action, and Shelter is firmly right in that wheelhouse. It doesn’t try to do anything extravagant or be something it’s not. Jason Statham simply does what he does best; kick ass. What more could you ask for?

For more on Shelter, check out our exclusive sit down interview with director Ric Roman Waugh.