I saw The Beekeeper

Director David (Suicide Squad/Bright/Fury) Ayer and writer Kurt (Expend4bles/Equilibrium/Sphere) Wimmer deliver the gritty, 1980s/1990s action-themed goods in 2024's The Beekeeper, and it succeeds by striking a satisfying, eye-for-an-eye sting. 

The formula works because it's identifiable, with injustice hitting hard, but not as hard as righteousness, which in this case comes in merciless punches, gunfire and explosions.  

Jason Statham is the titular, principled principal, Adam Clay, who was once part of a secret, operative group called the Beekeepers. For underlying measure, Clay is also an actual beekeeper: that is, an expert regarding hierarchical-hive remediation, which applies to humans as much as bees. When his charitable neighbor, Mrs. Eloise Parker, portrayed by Phylicia Rashad, commits suicide after losing her life's savings in a phishing scam, Clay won't let the matter stand. He heads straight to the high-tech source to mend the problem, which is tied to his Beekeeper roots and a coverup that could (and should) impact the entire nation.  

The story's villains, whether big or small, are slick and heartless, with Jeremy Irons' Wallace Westwyld often stealing the show as a puppetized CEO. He's the perfect personification of nervous deceit, but his association with Josh (Five Nights at Freddy's) Hutcherson's cocaine-sniffing, data-breeching Derek Danforth, only makes him worse for abetting the callous shenanigans.

Because of his many behind-the-scenes manipulations, one could argue that Danforth is the prime antagonist, even if a bumbling one. He's also the son of the elected-by-fraud President, played by Jemma Redgrave, and appeased (directly or indirectly) by David Witts' snotty Mickey Garnett; Michael Epp's special-operative Ennis; Minnie Driver's corrupt bureaucrat, Janet Harward; and Taylor James' brawny mercenary, Lazarus. 

The baddies are countered by Emmy Raver-Lampman's F.B.I. Agent Verona Parker, who happens to be Mrs. Parker's justice-seeking daughter, as well as her contentious partner, Bobby Naderi's Agent Matt Wiley, among other fine, co-performers and characters, who plunge fast and deep into the involuted espionage. 

Though Clay gains inadvertent support during his quest, it still proves daunting, which makes rooting for him quite easy, in particular in those crafty moments when the entrenched opposition appears impregnable. But perseverance is the key here, and Clay has inexhaustible oodles of it. Indeed, a man who never resigns is one who inspires, flaunting what all commoners believe they possess: that valorous penchant to right wrongs.

Too many people these days are left crushed and/or bullied with no recourse but to accept their depleted, financial fates. The Beekeeper presents a high-octane warning that runs contrary to that norm. Sure, the movie is a sheer, vengeance fantasy, but considering the pervading status quo, wherein hardworking folks get squashed time and again, The Beekeeper swarms forth as consummate escapism. In other words, by the time the credits roll, one's gonna feel pretty damn good, even if aware that real-life criminals continue to live, breathe and govern.

I saw Five Nights at Freddy's

I've held but a passing familiarity with the Five Nights at Freddy's video-game franchise, but knew enough to get the pre-gist of Universal/Blumhouse's titular release, directed by Emma Tammi, who cowrote with Seth Cuddback and Scott Cawthorn (the game's co-creator).  

The skillful trio makes certain that this fast-clipped, jump-scare adaptation sways little from its namesake, which is known for placing its avatar lead against mechanical monsters at Freddy Fazabear's Pizzeria. (The fearsome caricatures attack much like the vengeful androids of Westworld 1973).  

As with the video challenge, Josh (The Hunger Games) Hutcherson's edgy and dejected security guard, Mike Schmidt (ah, not the Phillies' former third baseman😒) is hired to patrol a closed, 1980s, novelty eatery from dusk till dawn (five times over) and faces the brunt of the walking/talking animatronic props. They snap to life little by little each night, yearning for murder because, well, they contain the souls of slain children (with one near to Schmidt's guilt-wracked heart), who've festered enough within their anthropomorphic shells to give them warped, symbiotic cravings. (Take my word for it, the creepy cause isn't as important as the eerie effect.)

In addition to Hutcherson's beleaguered Schmidt, there's his intuitive sister, Piper (Unstable) Rubio's Abby; Elizabeth (Once Upon a Time) Lail's Officer Vanessa Monroe, who knows a thing or two about the menacing mechanisms; Michael (Scream/Scooby-Doo) Lillard's Steve Ragland, Schmidt's "brutally honest" career counselor who harbors a consequential secret; Mary Stuart (Benny & Joon) Masterson's spiteful-to-the-custody-core Aunt Jan; and comprising the antagonistic automatons, Kevin Foster's Freddy the Bear/Fazbear; Jay Kinder-Martin's Bonnie the Bunny;  Roger Manning's Foxy the Fox; Jess Weiss' Chica the Chick (with her candle-topped, cupcake mascot), all of whom are fascinating yet nightmarish for their uncanny-valley bestiality. 

Like this year's cutie-pie-gone-wrong fable, M3gan, the debate over A.I.'s usefulness makes Freddy's content relevant, even if what's featured is old-school (and possessed). However, if the truth be known, this cheer-over-sadism idea was implemented in Danishka Esterhazy's 2019's horror retooling of The Banana Splits. Even so, that revamped, Hanna-Barbera premise (much like Rhys Frake Waterfield's Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey) seems to have taken inspiration from the Freddy's game.  

Freddy's isn't, as one can deduce, uncommon in its flipside terror (whether as a game or movie), but then, Tom Holland/Don Mancini's Child's Play wasn't perceived as innovative when released 1988 (an admitted rehash of Richard Matheson's Zuni Doll segment from Trilogy of Terror). Despite this, the Chucky venture received praise for its chilling execution. Freddy's holds the same tried-and-true gleaning, turning cuteness on its head through a successful, slasher succession. 

Freddy's now occupies theaters, but for Peacock subscribers, it's been queued to view. No matter where or how one experiences it, Freddy's is a sufficient, sci-fi/supernatural outing that should give most viewers just the right dose of temporary tingles this Halloween.