Jason Statham is a legend in the world of action movies. The Hollywood star first began acting in the 1990s, and is often credited as being responsible for the large resurgence of action thrillers throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
On top of that, Statham is a bonafide box office success. In total, movies in which he’s appeared in have grossed over $8.5 billion, making him one of the most bankable stars in the business. His next film, Mutiny, is set to premiere on August 21. It once again features Statham in an action-heavy role, as a former Royal Marine-turned-bodyguard who is framed for a crime he didn’t commit, and stows away on a container ship while looking to prove his innocence.
In honor of his latest action movie coming out, we’re taking a look at some of Statham’s best action films. Everything from some of his earliest work to some of his funniest is here.
Best Jason Statham action movies ranked
5) The Italian Job
One of Statham’s earliest roles is coincidentally one of his biggest. The 2003 heist movie The Italian Job is inspired by the original 1969 British film of the same name. It features a star-studded cast that includes Charlize Theron, Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Seth Green, Mos Def, Franky G, and Donald Sutherland. The movie follows a motley crew of thieves who plan to steal gold from a former associate.
Much like most of Statham’s movies, The Italian Job was praised for its action sequences. On top of that, the movie also benefited from being a heist movie centered on a group. Thanks to the success of movies like Ocean’s Eleven, the movie was extremely popular, and also may or may not have contributed directly to the huge popularity that the Mini Cooper car got, as the cars were used extensively in the film.
4) The Beekeeper
One of Statham’s newer films, The Beekeeper’s premise sounds absolutely outrageous on paper. The movie follows a retired government assassin who is now a beekeeper living a quiet life. However, after his elderly landlady falls victim to a phishing scam that leaves her broke and subsequently makes her time her own life, he decides to go after the people running the phishing scam.
If that sounds ridiculous, the movie itself doesn’t really do anything to dissuade you. It’s every bit as wild as you’d think, and features some extremely “action movie” moments and one-liners. However, that’s what Statham is known for, and he delivers it all perfectly here. The Beekeeper features some awesome action sequences, and Statham partnering up with David Ayer resulted in one of the slickest movies from either.
3) Crank
If not for movies like Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Crank is the movie that arguably put Statham on the map in the 2000s. Released in 2006, Crank is action at its purest. The movie follows the story of hitman Chev Chelios, who has been injected with a toxin that will kill him in an hour unless he can keep his adrenaline up. It’s almost shocking (no pun intended) that no action movie had come up with this premise before, as it’s too perfect.
What follows in Crank is escalating scenes of chaos, with Statham’s Chelios going to any extreme to try and keep his adrenaline and heart rate up. This includes snorting drugs, dangling out of helicopters in mid-air, public intercourse, shocking himself with a defibrillator, and much more. There really is not much of any story to pay attention to here, and is much better viewed by just leaning into the absurdity of it all.
2) The Transporter
Another movie that made Statham a household name in the world of action, The Transporter remains a classic to this day. The premise is simple: Statham plays Frank Martin, a former special operations soldier who is now a driver for illicit jobs in France. He follows a strict set of rules for his job, but is thrown into chaos after finding himself put in the middle of a trafficking plot.
For Statham, this was actually one of his first roles as a standalone action star. As such, it was a major test, and one that he aced spectacularly. Statham rises to the occasion here and delivers some absolutely awesome fight scenes, while also perfectly playing the role of a gruff, mysterious driver who isn’t afraid to get into a fight if need be.
1) Spy
This one will be a surprising choice to many on this list, but if you haven’t seen Spy, I would implore you to do so. Less a pure action movie and much more an action comedy, Spy follows the story of an unorthodox secret agent, Susan Cooper (played by Melissa McCarthy), who is trying to track down a stolen nuclear device. Statham plays the role of CIA member Rick Ford, a no-nonsense parody of James Bond. The movie doesn’t feature a ton of amazing action scenes, but doesn’t need to to be great.
What makes Spy so excellent is Statham’s comedy chops. Everyone knows him as an action legend, but in Spy he finally gets to flex some of his comedy muscles. Statham spends the entire movie angry that McCarthy’s Cooper is on the case, and it results in some hilarious moments. In one standout scene, Ford begs to use a “Face/Off machine” he swears the CIA has. Throughout the movie he and Cooper begin to bond, playing off each other excellently.
