Jason Stathamhas proven himself to be one of the most effective and prolific action stars of the modern era, with a wide array of iconic and thrilling action movies and franchises under his belt. Since Statham’s debut inLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, his electrifying screen presence has helped elevate a wide range of different action movies, with various styles and tones that amplify the actor’s action star talents. Statham’s talents and notoriety have only been amplified in the decades since his debut, leading to the modern day where he stands as one of the most iconic leading men in blockbuster action.
Whether it be the latest installment of a high-profile action franchise or a one-off film that makes the most of his striking screen presence, it’s hard to go wrong with a Statham action film in recent times. Even when the films themselves aren’t as particularly effective,Statham himself is always giving his all and acting as a highlight of the films he’s a part of, even elevating what would normally be subpar action films. While his string of action films shows no signs of stopping, the actor has already been a part of 8 distinct action films in the past 5 years.
8’Expend4bles' (2023)
Directed by Scott Waugh
While theExpendablesfranchise was once a wildly effective fantasy-fulfillment franchise of seeing all sorts of legendary action stars come together for one massive film, this appeal and originality have largely dwindled inExpend4bles. Even if the film didn’t feature a massively downgraded cast compared to previous entries, the overall approach to action and storytelling is considerably less interesting and compelling in this ineffective sequel. For a franchise that took a 9-year break in-between installments, it’s a shame thatthe film is mostly going through the motions without adding anything new to the table.
Statham himself is doing the best he can to elevate the material and tap into the same action-packed frenzy of the initial entries, yet the rest of the supporting cast is either phoning it in or not interesting to watch on-screen. While it isn’t the worst film inthe Expendables franchise, the film still consistently finds ways to disappoint and underwhelm at every possible opportunity. It’s no surprise thatit has become the biggest box-office disappointment of Statham’s entire career, as well as killing off the potential of any moreExpendablesfilms in the foreseeable future.
Expend4bles
7’Meg 2: The Trench' (2023)
Directed by Ben Wheatley
The originalThe Megwas already a largely goofy and unserious shark film that relied on big effects and over-the-top action to largely appeal to global audiences at the domestic box office. WhileThe Meg 2: The Trenchlargely does more of the same in terms of ridiculous giant shark filmmaking,the appeal and inherent fun of the concept simply isn’t as effective the second time around. It certainly doesn’t help matters that a large chunk of the film sees Statham and various other uninteresting humans traveling into the depths of an ocean trench, an elongated sequence that acts as a direct downgrade to the previous film.
The film takes a major turn in a positive direction after they return to the surface, and Statham has battles against the various giant sea creatures, yet audiences have to sit through over an hour of monotony before this point. When the film is at its best, it makes for the same sense of over-the-top, nonsensical filmmaking that made the first film such a worldwide hit, although this sequel is simply too cluttered and ineffective to be as iconic as the initial film.
Meg 2: The Trench
6’F9: The Fast Saga' (2021)
Directed by Justin Lin
It’s undeniable that one of Statham’s most successful and notable characters has been his recurring role as vicious assassin Deckard Shaw in theFast and the Furiousfranchise.His character is so largely iconiceven in terms of the franchise itself, to where, even despite his character only appearing in a mid-credits scene inF9, it stands out as one of the highlights of the film. After the character had seemingly split off for theHobbs and Shawspinoff franchise, it was up in the air as to when they would return to the primary franchise,with this mid-credits scene setting the stage for Statham’s glorious return.
The single scene that features Statham plays exceptionally well into the tendencies and attributes of both Shaw as a character and Statham as an actor. It sees the character working out by beating into a punching bag before revealing that there is a man inside the punching bag being tortured and punished by Shaw in the form of a workout. This is before Shaw gets a sudden encounter with Han, setting up his return to be a part of the family for the rest of the franchise.
F9: The Fast Saga
5’A Working Man' (2025)
Directed by David Ayer
One of the inherent appeals that Statham has as an action star is his ability to portray not only the most hardened and effective of assassins and soldiers, but also an everyman that the average person can connect to. This fundamental strength is most distinctly seen inA Working Man, where Statham portrays an honest blue-collar worker who has to tap into his past as a vicious Royal Marine Commando to save the daughter of his boss. In the process, he ends up uncovering and systematically destroying an entire underground human trafficking operation and the black market operatives responsible for upholding it.
Statham’s distinct style of vengeful anger and calculated destruction complements the directing style ofDavid Ayerperfectly,creating a vicious and aggressive display of destruction and vengeance. The movie plays out similarly to aJohn Wick-style revenge thriller, with Statham slowly but surely getting closer to the man responsible for kidnapping the young girl and destroying everyone in his path. While it certainly makes for an entertaining watch, it doesn’t do much differently from the Statham thrillers of the past.
A Working Man
4’Fast X' (2023)
Directed by Louis Leterrier
Following up on the mid-credits scene ofF9, Statham’s role as Deckard Shaw has a much more prominent role inFast X, and while the film itself may or may not be as effective as F9, Statham’s prominent inclusion is a distinct edge that the film has. The film mostly follows a similar plot to previous films in the franchise, with Dom Toretto and the rest of the family having to come together to take down a vicious new villain who threatens to destroy everything they’ve been working for. Statham’s role as Shaw doesn’t appear until partway through the film, when Dom’s team turn to him for help in taking down thesurprisingly great villain, Dante (Jason Momoa).
Statham continues to provide the same blend of wrathful anger and blunt charm that has made the character of Shaw a fan-favorite ever since his introduction inFurious 7. The film itself mostly falls in line with other modern Fast and the Furious standards, with Statham himself feeling more like a piece of a massive supporting cast of characters as opposed to an individual fleshed-out character in the film. Still, when the film is working its magic,it’s hard to deny the inherent fun that the franchise provides, with Statham playing a major part in that.
3’Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre' (2023)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
While Statham’s cold demeanor and gritty characters make him a great choice for many grounded and ruthless thrillers, it can also be effective for an action comedy, with one of Statham’s best recent action comedies beingOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. One of many collaborations between Statham and directorGuy Ritchie, the film fundamentally understands how toutilize Statham’s inherent strengths to make for a perfect blend of witty comedy and enthralling action sequences.
The film sees Statham as a world-renowned secret agent who, alongside a team of high-class operatives, recruit a massive Hollywood star in order to help them on an undercover mission to stop the sale of a deadly superweapon. While Statham himself is always a great source of action and comedy, it’s the excellent supporting cast, including the likes ofAubrey Plaza,Josh Hartnett, andHugh Grant, that helps elevate the film to be a wildly fun time. Each of them has great on-screen chemistry and dynamic with Statham’s character, bringing out the best in him as an action superstar.
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre
2’The Beekeeper' (2024)
One of the only films in recent memory that not only understands the inherent ridiculousness of its premise but uses it to further amplify the comedy and entertainment value,The Beekeeperis easily a defining chapter in Statham’s modern career. The film sees Statham as a Beekeeper, both a caretaker for a collection of bees and a former operative for a powerful organization of assassins known as Beekeepers. When a close friend ends up being persecuted by scammers, it sends him on a path of vengeance to destroy the entire system and everyone responsible for her scamming, eventually reaching unimaginable heights of power.
While the film follows a structure similar to other revenge thrillers, it’s all in the execution that makesThe Beekeepersuchan exceptionally well-made action comedy. The film finds top-of-the-line comedy through Statham’s constant usage of bee puns, the vicious and gruesome ways that he enacts his revenge upon terrible people, and the massively raised stakes that reach hilariously absurd levels.It’s distinctly different from every other action film that Statham has done, utilizing both his gritty, cold demeanor and his ability for chaotic, over-the-top action to make for an exceptionally entertaining time.
The Beekeeper
1’Wrath of Man' (2021)
Considering the fact that Guy Ritchie and Statham’s earliest collaborations were what helped place Statham on the map as a commanding force in action filmmaking, it would make sense that a modern collaboration between the two would be one of Statham’s best works to date.Wrath of Mannot only amplifies and perfects the inherent formula that Statham has built his entire career upon, but it also gloriously blends it with Ritchie’s own evolved filmmaking to make forsome of the grittest and most adrenaline-pumping action imaginable.
Wrath of Manis the exact type of cold and calculated revenge thriller that Statham has been building his entire career around, executed to near-perfection and finding ways to feel fresh and original with a tried and true premise. When people consider the type of action movie that Statham has played a part in throughout his entire career,Wrath of Manis the exact type of gritty, electrifying experience that has made him such a defining modern action star. As long as Statham continues to play a part in films likeWrath of Man, he will continue to be one of the most prominent and successful action stars of the modern era.
