Jason Statham is one hell of a tough guy, but what are his best movies ever? Since his career launched with two Guy Ritchie movies in the late 1990s, he has made a name for himself as a hardboiled character in many iconic action movies. He is reprising his role as Deckard Shaw in the new movie, Fast X, which is the tenth main installment in the Fast & Furious franchise.
His career is going strong, as he previously appeared in Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre this year and will later be appearing in Meg 2: The Trench. With that in mind, here’s a list of some of the best Jason Statham action movies from his career.
Crank (2006)
One of the most over-the-top movies in his career, Crank stars Statham as Chev Chelios, whose heart has been injected with a drug that will kill him if he does not keep his adrenaline high. The movie follows Chelios as he must commit insane, violent acts to keep his adrenaline going. Imagine the 1994 movie Speed, but instead of a bus, you get Jason Statham. This is a non-stop riot, giving absurd scenes and ideas at every turn. It’s the type of film that stays at 100 the entire time and never comes down, which is why it kicks off our list of the best Jason Statham action movies.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
The buddy cop subgenre of action films is not as prevalent as it was in the ’80s and ’90s. However, every once in a while, we get a throwback like Hobbs & Shaw. This Fast & Furious spin-off takes the characters played by Statham and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and teams them up to fight Brixton (Idris Elba), a genetically enhanced soldier. This is a quintessential mismatch of two famed action heroes sharing the screen and kicking ass together while trading insults and banter. It may be a long way from the roots of Fast & Furious, but this is a gleefully ridiculous action comedy where every law of physics is thrown out the window.
The Expendables 2 (2012)
Statham appears in all three of The Expendables films and will be co-starring in the fourth movie later this year. However, his best outing as Lee Christmas is the second one, which is the best overall film. Although the movie is notable for bringing Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis together to fight Jean-Claude Van Damme’s villain (named Vilain), the movie is more than just fan service for fans of old action movies. Statham gets many moments to shine as part of this action ensemble, such as his battle with martial artist Scott Adkins and his one-liner, “I now pronounce you man and knife.” It’s no wonder he is set to take over the series after Stallone’s departure.
The Meg (2018)
Although Statham is known for his pure action films, this is a movie that contains elements of horror, science fiction, and comedy as well. When you can’t make a shark movie as good as Jaws or as ridiculous as Sharknado, you cast Jason Statham in the lead and make the shark a whole lot bigger. There is a sequel coming out later this year, but before then, it’s crucial to watch this very fun movie about Jonas Taylor saving a crew from a 75-foot prehistoric shark called the Megalodon.
Spy (2015)
This one may not be the one you would expect, as Statham is not the star of the show here. However, he is the scene-stealer in this Melissa McCarthy action-comedy vehicle, where he plays Rick Ford, a badass spy who sometimes feels like a parody of his other roles. This is easily the funniest role he has had in a film, as he plays a character who takes his job so seriously that it becomes comical. There is a scene where Ford lists every badass feat he has accomplished, and each thing he says gets more absurd than the last. Although McCarthy is the headliner, Statham makes every scene he’s in much better in this wonderfully hilarious film, which completes our list of the best Jason Statham action movies.
