Who doesn’t love Jason Statham? Few actors are as beloved by the masses as Statham, arguably the most dependable action man working today. In a career spanning nearly thirty years, Statham has earned his place as one of the leading faces of the action genre through sheer consistency. When you go see a Jason Statham movie, you know what you can expect: he’s tough, reliable, stern, and far more charismatic than he has any right to be. Sure, he seldom ventures out of his comfort zone, but when the zone is such a well-oiled machine, why bother?
With a filmography including at least sixty pictures, it’s quite probable that no one has seen all of them — not even Statham’s most loyal followers can claim that particular record. However, some movies in his impressive resume stand out more than others as absolute must-watches. This list will cover the five movies from Jason Statham’s career that you simply have to watch, even if you’re not particularly invested in his career or aren’t exactly a fan of his distinct brand of tough love. Even if you don’t love action, and even if you aren’t under Statham’s spell, you will undeniably find something to love, or at least appreciate, in these five modern bangers.
‘Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels’ (1998)
Guy Ritchie‘s directorial debut was also the film that launched Statham’s international career. Juggling action and comedy under a distinct neo-noir approach, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels follows a card sharp who enlists his friends to perform a heist of the small-time gang running their business in the apartment next door. It stars an ensemble cast, including Jason Flemyng, Vinnie Jones, Dexter Fletcher, and Statham, with Sting also making an appearance.
As his first foray into filmmaking, Ritchie opted for a small-scale yet no less impactful approach to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. In many ways, it’s a traditional gangster story that never quite breaks the mold; in others, it’s pure and unfiltered Guy Ritchie, kinetic and hectic in a way that feels vibrant and irresistible. It’s unpolished, but when the energy is so overwhelming, one can’t help but fall for its grimy appeal. Statham is magnetic from the opening scene, suave and fast-talking, embodying the character’s street savvy effortlessly. Now more than ever, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels feels alive and unique, arguably Ritchie’s greatest film still.
‘The Transporter’ (2002)
While Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Ritchie’s follow-up, Snatch, gave Statham a career, it was 2002’s The Transporter that made him a household name. Corey Yuen and Louis Leterrier‘s action film stars Statham as Frank Martin, a former Special Forces operator turned mercenary, who works as a transporter of delicate goods. However, one of his missions turns out to be far more dangerous than he expected, and he soon becomes involved with a human trafficking plot.
Like many other movies throughout Statham’s career, The Transporter doesn’t reinvent the genre, nor does it have a particularly intriguing plot. What it does have, however, is Jason Statham. The actor goes all-in, delivering a fiercely committed and incredibly physical performance that remains as impressive now as it was over twenty years ago. The Transporter is action at its purest form, hectic and unforgiving, benefiting from incredible choreography and a central performance that might as well be the living embodiment of the term “badass.” It launched a franchise, with two sequels starring Statham, each more successful than the one before. Today, The Transporter is often considered Statham’s best, and while the status is arguable, it’s by no means exaggerated.
‘Crank’ (2006)
Some action movies are perfect in their own deranged way: 2006’s Crank is the perfect example. Statham stars as Chev Chelios, a hit man trying to correct his path in Los Angeles. After botching an assignment, he wakes up to learn he’s been poisoned and will die unless he can keep a constant flow of adrenaline, forcing him to resort to increasingly dangerous actions while searching for the antidote. Amy Smart co-stars as Chev’s girlfriend, Eve.
With such a premise, one would expect an unhinged movie, and Crank is exactly that. A jolt of electrifying violence, excess, and borderline deviance, Crank is a genuine assault on the senses, a movie that will alienate many while being gleefully embraced by others. Such a movie could only work with an actor willing to lose himself in this twisted and unrestrained world; luckily, Statham is more than game, embracing the confrontative nature of the story with delighted lunacy. Crank is a wild ride of non-stop thrills, a modern landmark that inspired the over-the-top and highly stylized action landscape that would come less than a decade later, influencing many, from Edgar Wright to Gareth Evans.
‘Spy’ (2015)
Although she earned a richly deserved Oscar nomination for Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy‘s greatest performance arguably comes from the 2015 action comedy Spy. Directed by Paul Feig, the film follows Susa Cooper, a CIA analyst who goes back to the field when her partner is killed in action. Soon, she finds herself involved in a dangerous mission, while top agent Rick Ford (Statham), an overly confident but woefully incompetent tough guy, tries to handle things himself.
Spy shows Statham like you’ve never seen him before. Embracing the absurd and making fun of the action man persona he built his career on, Statham is a hoot in Spy as a ridiculous, hyper-masculine yet incredibly stupid agent who only makes things worse while trying to help. McCarthy is at the top of her game in a role that seamlessly blends physical and emotional humor, and her scenes with Statham are pure comedy gold. The actor abandons all ego and pretense in the role, and the result is a truly incredible comedic turn from an actor who one wouldn’t necessarily consider “funny” at first glance. Statham should do more comedies because he’s one of the main reasons why Spy is such a rewatchable gem.
‘The Beekeeper’ (2024)
One of Statham’s latest successes saw him teaming with David Ayer and starring opposite Josh Hutcherson, Minnie Driver, and Jeremy Irons. The Beekeeper follows Adam Clay, a retired government assassin living in rural Massachusetts. When his kind-hearted landlady, a retired school teacher, falls victim to a phishing scam that steals her life savings and commits suicide, Adam must seek revenge for her death with the help of a mysterious organization known as the Beekeepers.
Like many action movies since 2015, The Beekeeper is very obviously indebted to John Wick, and it knows it. In many ways, it is the peak of Statham’s action career, a film that rests entirely on his broad shoulders and depends on him for every single thing. The Beekeeper lives and dies with Jason Statham, and the actor takes the responsibility with admirable aplomb. The fact that the film takes the beekeeper gimmick so earnestly is also ridiculously fun, adding a layer of absurdity to a movie that takes itself just the right amount of serious. The Beekeeper is the perfect proof that, nearly thirty years into his career, Statham still has what it takes to be the leading face of the action genre.
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