Jason Statham’s best movies highlight his career from a little-known British actor to one of thebiggest action movie stars in Hollywood. Following stints as a professional diver and a model, Statham’s acting career began with his firstcollaboration with Guy Ritchie. From there, Statham’s compelling screen persona was undeniable, sending him on a path to stardom.
Statham has carved out a place for himself with his crowd-pleasing action movies, including recent hits likeA Working ManandThe Beekeeper.He also occasionally shows other sides of his talents with less action-oriented roles and even some winning comedies.There is a mixture of everything among the best movies of Statham’s career so far.
10The Expendables 2 (2012)
As Lee Christmas
Jason Statham’s status as one of the great modern action movie stars was cemented when he was invited to join the genre’s most iconic name inThe Expendablesfranchise. However, it was the second movie in the series that really delivers on its promise of an old-school action-packed ride.
The Expendables 2sees Statham returning alongside the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgrenin a sequel that sees them taking on an arms dealer (Jean-Claude Van Damme) who killed a member of their team. Statham is back as Lee Christmas, the second-in-command to Stallone’s Barney Ross.
The Expendables 2
The Expendables 2 reunites some of the most famous action stars in movie history in an explosive mission to stop Jean Claude Van Damme’s terrorist leader Jean Vilain. This time, Sylvester Stallone’s Barney Ross is accompanied not only by teammates such as Jason Statham’s Lee Christmas, Dolph Lundgren’s Gunner Jensen, and Terry Crews' Hale Caesar, but also by old friends like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Trench Mauser, Bruce Willis' Mr. Church, and Chuck Norris' Booker.
The sequel has a bigger scope as well as a bigger cast. It is especially fun to see Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger get expanded roles and actually get in on the action this time around. It makes for a great throwback action movie for fans of the genre’s great movies of the 1980s.
9The Beekeeper (2024)
As Adam Clay
Despite the fact that Jason Statham has been sticking quite closely to his action movie formula for two decades now, fans are not tiring of it, asThe Beekeeperproved. This standout entry inStatham’s “professionals” collection of moviessees him playing a quiet beekeeper who returns to his more violent life to get revenge for his friend.
The Beekeeper
The Beekeeper follows a man’s quest for vengeance that escalates to a national level when he is revealed as a former operative of a covert organization known as Beekeepers. The story intertwines personal motives with broader implications, highlighting the intricate web of secrecy and power within the organization.
The premise is simply a setup to see Statham bringing his own sense of brutal justice to the bad guys who sorely have it coming.Statham’s performance as this determined and relentless operative is key to the movie working, as it’s unclear if we should be rooting for this guy as much as it is to see him work. The fight scenes are hard-hitting and thrilling, while the world the movie builds is an intriguing one that will be revisited in the upcoming sequel.
8Furious 7 (2015)
As Deckard Shaw
After being introduced in the fun post-credit scene fromFast and the Furious 6, fans were eager to see Jason Statham step up as the franchise’s next villain.Furious 7sees Dominic Toretto and his family targeted by the relentless and dangerous operative Deckard Shaw, after the heroes nearly killed Shaw’s brother.
The sequel continued to amp up the ridiculousness of the stunts, beginning to reach a stage where they were getting too silly to take seriously. However,there is still a lot of fun action in the movie, with Statham adding a lot. He has an especially entertaining fight with Dwayne Johnson.
Furious 7
Furious 7, released in 2015, follows Dominic Toretto and his team as they face a new threat from Deckard Shaw, who seeks vengeance for his comatose brother. This installment blends action and emotion, with the crew tackling challenges across thrilling landscapes while maintaining their bond and pursuit of justice.
As much as Statham is a welcome addition totheFast and Furiousfranchise,Furious 7is most remembered for being the movie that had to bid farewell to Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner, following the actor’s tragic death. The difficult moment was handled wonderfully, making for the most emotional moment of the franchise.
7The Transporter (2002)
As Frank Martin
While he was already establishing himself as a tough-guy actor by this point,The Transporteristhe movie that launched Jason Statham’s career as an action movie star. WhiletheTransporterfranchiseincluded sequels, TV shows, and remakes, the original movie remains the best.
It kicks off a terrifically entertaining action ride, with car chases, shootouts, and some of the best fight scenes in Statham’s career.
Statham plays a getaway driver with a strict set of rules who becomes targeted by the dangerous people who hired him when he breaks one of his own rules. It kicks off a terrifically entertaining action ride, with car chases, shootouts, and some of thebest fight scenes in Statham’s career.
The Transporter
The Transporter is an action film directed by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen. The movie stars Jason Statham as Frank Martin, a highly skilled driver who specializes in transporting packages without questions. His carefully maintained code of conduct is jeopardized when he breaks one of his rules, leading to a dangerous series of events. Featuring high-octane sequences and elaborate car chases, the film explores themes of loyalty and professional ethics.
There is an added thrill to the action in that Statham is the one doing a lot of the stunts.He brings his steely coolness to the character, while also making for a hard-hitting action star. It’s not surprising that fans wanted to see Statham in more roles like this.
6Crank (2006)
As Chev Chelios
TheCrankmovies make upJason Statham’s most overlooked franchise, but certainly his wildest. Statham plays a hitman who has been poisoned with a drug that will kill him if his heartbeat slows too much. As he seeks revenge, he has to keep finding ways to get his heart pumping, including sex, violence, and drugs.
Crank
Chev Chelios, a hitman, is injected with a lethal poison that threatens to stop his heart if he doesn’t keep his adrenaline levels high. To stay alive, Chev embarks on a relentless and chaotic rampage through the city, engaging in extreme stunts and violent confrontations to maintain his heart rate. As he hunts down those responsible for his imminent death, Chev’s quest for survival becomes a nonstop thrill ride, filled with explosive action and desperate measures.
The inventive premise sets the groundwork for an action movie that is no-holds-barred and relentless in its ridiculousness. It also gives Statham a terrific lead role that is different from his usual. Though he gets to play his usual tough guy role, he also shows signs of his more hidden comedic talents.Part of the reasonCrankworks so well is that Statham plays the entire thing with a straight face, never giving in to the absurdity of what is happening around him.
5The Italian Job (2003)
As Handsome Rob
Before joining theFast and Furiousfranchise, Jason Statham was in an even better movie about globe-trotting and likable thieves. The Italian Job stars Mark Wahlberg as the leader of a crew of thieves who are betrayed by their greedy teammate (Edward Norton). Years later, they track him down and plan their revenge with a heist.
The cast brings a lot of charm to the movie, with Charlize Theron, Seth Green, and Mos Def among the band of noble robbers. Statham rounds out the team as the charismatic Handsome Rob, once again allowingStatham to be the coolest guy in the movie.
WhileThe Italian Jobdoesn’t hold a candle to the classic British crime caper it remakes, viewed as a new movie, it is a whole lot of fun. It keeps a breezy, light tone while infusing it with plenty of entertaining action.
4The Bank Job (2008)
As Terry Leather
The Bank Jobis a bit of a departure from Jason Statham’s fare, which is perhaps why it is also one ofStatham’s most underrated projects.The Bank Jobis a riveting true-cime movie about one of the most audacious heists in British history.The Bank JobstarsStatham as Terry, a former criminal struggling to go straight.
Terry ends up leading a group of criminals in robbing the safety deposit boxes of a prominent London bank. However, with some valuable items inside those boxes, including some material sensitive to the Royal Family, Terry and his friends make powerful enemies.
It is a slick throwback crime thriller that makes the aftermath of the heist and all the intrigue surrounding it even more exciting than the crime itself.Statham gives a reserved performance as the layered lead of the story. Terry is neither hero nor villain, but a complicated everyman who is easy for us to cheer for.
3Spy (2015)
As Rick Ford
Jason Statham is certainly an actor who understands the kind of roles the audience likes him in and sticks quite closely to that formula. However,Spyproved how willing and effective he was by poking fun at that action hero persona. The comedystars Melissa McCarthyas a desk worker at a spy agency who must go into the field.
Spyhas a 94% rating onRotten Tomatoes.
McCarthy mixes comedy and action wonderfully in the lead role, but in a surprise to many,it is Statham who steals the show with the movie’s funniest performance. As Rick Ford, Statham plays a secret agent who acts like all the tough-guy Statham characters, but is actually a bumbling fool who just makes things worse.
The movie is filled with funny performances from the likes of Rose Byrne and Peter Serafinowicz, and a clever script plays wonderfully on the tropes of the spy genre. However, there is no denying that it comes alive a little more whenever Statham is on screen.
2Snatch (2000)
As Turkish
While Jason Statham was a regular of Guy Ritchie’s universe,Snatchsaw him fitting into a larger ensemble and still standing out among the likes of Brad Pitt and Benicio del Toro. The crime movie follows various colorful characters as they overlap and intertwine in London’s criminal underbelly, surrounding a valuable diamond.
Snatchexcels with its expansive ensemble, but Statham is the closest thing to a lead character as Turkish, a small-time boxing promoter who finds himself in hot water with a vicious gangster. Statham gets to play his typical cool and calm customer, but it is also fun seeing him as a bit of an underdog.Snatchsees Guy Ritchie perfecting his crime comedy approachwith a distinct voice and fun characters. It is fast-paced and fun, with a gritty edge that makes it even more entertaining.
1Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
As Bacon
It is rare that anactor’s debut movie is as good as Jason Statham’swithLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Not only that, but the movie also launched the friendship and collaborative relationship Statham has with director Guy Ritchie. The movie follows four friends who plan to rob their drug dealer neighbors in order to pay a gambling debt.
Even without any previous acting experience, Statham has a charismatic and compelling screen presence right from the beginning.
Statham’s role as Bacon, the smoothest of the group of friends, was created specifically for him by Ritchie. Even without any previous acting experience, Statham has a charismatic and compelling screen presence right from the beginning. He stands out in the fun cast that includes other frequent Ritchie collaborators.
The movie is a fun and wild ride that helped establish Ritchie’s style. There is plenty of humor mixed into the world of dangerous and immoral people. There are also hugely entertaining characters who shape this exciting world that is fun to spend time in.
