Shelter offers absolutely nothing new in terms of story, but compensates with taut dialogues. Mason in one scene is described as a precision instrument. He’s meticulous in everything that he does
Cast: Jason Statham, Bill Nighy, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, Bodhi Rae Breathnach
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Language: English
There’s a new movie in town called Shelter directed by Ric Roman Waugh. It stars the brooding and badass Jason Statham. The whites and the greys that have been used on him suggests he’s a man of a few words but lets his cerebral side do the talking. He’s the perfect blend of brain and brawn. He’s a former assassin. All former assassins live in isolation. God knows why! Maybe they are done killing and believing people. His quantum of isolation is extreme. At least in the case of Leon The Professional and Bichoo, they went rogue but were in the heart of the city and very much around. He’s now on a remote island with the waves as his only companion. And a dilapidated abode that adds more intensity to his solemn life.
A little girl comes as a new assignment and he has to protect her from certain enemies who are after her. The first action set-piece unfolds in the sea and there’s something very thrilling about the way it has been executed and filmed. Despite the harshest of challenges, the central character
Michael Mason, remains as intact and insouciant. But he does not wear these qualities on his sleeves. The baritone is so soft in certain scenes, you have to make an extra effort to listen to what he’s saying. The bar, however, is high. Shelter offers absolutely nothing new in terms of story, but compensates with taut dialogues. Mason in one scene is described as a precision instrument. He’s meticulous in everything that he does. And that’s exactly why some people do not want him alive.
But this is not just a survival thriller that skims the surface. It’s a film that also talks about power and politics. And it’s a movie whose moniker has more connotations than one.
The hero has sought shelter at an alien land done with the people who gave him a roof above his head. The girl who needs to be saved and rescued seeks shelter in this man. Together, they form a bond that ought to have been exploited with more empathy and emotional depth. Even the action towards the last hour is done and dusted in cinema. But then, it all comes down to the leading man who camouflages through the flaws.
Statham has a solid screen presence and stays in the character throughout. Even though we may have seen people like him many times before, there is something about him that makes him stand out. If you have followed his trajectory as an actor, he can always be relied to save the day. And you can trust him that he will be able to deliver, even if the fact that he is a part of can have its share of flaws. In one scene, a character says- We all have our shortcomings, Prime Minister.
Rating: 3 (out of stars)
Shelter releases in cinemas this Friday
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