Jason Statham started out as a competitive diver for many years and then moved into modeling and music videos. After that, his resume filled up with a variety of acting credits as thieves, tough guys, and traitors, which made him a household name in action movies. Statham has had quite a few supporting roles in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Expendables 2, and The Italian Job, which get the honor of being mentioned, but unfortunately do not make the list of his biggest roles.

Statham has established himself as an action star to the likes of Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is able to steal the spotlight in big blockbuster franchises as well as low-budget films and even comedies that show off his lighter side. It also helps that he has an ongoing working relationship with Guy Ritchie, who has helped him land roles as the British tough guy in roles like The Transporter and Crank. Statham has been seen a lot lately with 2023 seeing him star in four films: Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, Fast X, The Meg 2, and Expendables 4. Now he is headlining the David Ayer action film, The Beekeeper. Here are the best Jason Statham movies, ranked.

Updated on January 11th, 2024: In honor of The Beekeeper opening this weekend, this article has been updated by Samuel Cormier with even more great Jason Statham movies and where each title is streaming.

10 The Mechanic (2011)

The elite assassin genre is one of Statham's fan's favorites. The Mechanic is a thriller remake of the 1972 film centered around an assassin-for-hire who makes his hits look like accidents. Driven by a desire for revenge for the murder of his former mentor, Arthur Bishop also has to deal with his son wanting to follow the same career as him.

What Makes It Great

This is a perfect film for Statham's talents, and when paired with the hotheaded trainee Ben Foster, he radiates the cool that the character needs. The plot twists in the movie were rather predictable, but with the loaded cast and exciting fight scenes, it was a fun ride and is one of the many films that made Statham great for the "January" movie like his recent release, The Beekeeper. The Mechanic is currently available to stream on Paramount+ and DirecTV.

Related: Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Review: Guy Ritchie & Jason Statham Reach Top Form

9 Crank (2006)

One of Statham's signature roles is assassin Chev Chelios in the high-octane movie Crank. After Chelios has been poisoned by a synthesized drug, he must keep his heart rate up in order to keep the poison at bay. This movie is an adrenaline-fueled ride as Chelios gets revenge on the gangsters who did this to him while also attempting to stay alive by any means. The movie is "Speed but in a person".

What Makes It Great

The plot of the movie is a wild ride to begin with and gets even more chaotic as the film goes on. Statham exudes charisma in this film, as he's not only intense but also hilarious, with each new exploit becoming crazier. Crank, combined with his role in the Transporter series, cemented Statham's abilities as an action star and his likability to audiences. Crank is currently available to stream on Peacock.

8 Safe (2012)

In Jason Statham's films, audiences don't see him interact with kids too much. However, the plot of Safe depends on the bond between him and a young girl named Mei. Luke Wright is on the verge of suicide until he sees a young girl being terrorized, and he attempts to save her from the Triad, Russian Mafia, and dirty New York City cops.

What Makes It Great

In Safe, Statham plays a character unlike any he has done before. Depressed and weak-willed at first, we see him transform into the action hero audiences know him as, but it is impressive just how well he manages to portray this transition. Entertainment Weekly describes Statham's performance as one of his most tender ones, in between him getting beat up. This chameleon role earns him the spot on this list. Safe is currently available to rent on Prime, Apple TV, and Vudu.

7 Cellular (2004)

While Statham is best known for playing tough guy action heroes, he also has the intensity that is great for villains, and he excels in Cellular. The movie follows a science teacher (Kim Basinger) who, after being kidnapped by home invaders, calls a stranger (Chris Evans) to save her. When he goes to the police to report the kidnapping, he soon discovers that the kidnappers are, in fact, LAPD officers led by Jason Statham's character.

What Makes It Great

Cellular is a movie that really could only be made of its moment, as it is very much a 2004 film with how cell phones are both a part of modern life but still relatively new. It is a throwback in not just that sense but seeing a young pre-Captain America Chris Evans. It also allows Statham to shine as a villain, a rare thing in his career but one he does excellently. He is intimidating, as his normal tough guy person who works in heroic roles here is turned on his head. Rent on AppleTV+

6 The Transporter 2 (2004)

The Transporter 2 reprises the concept of the first film, whereby Statham plays Frank Martin, a "transporter" who moves important merchandise. In this sequel, Martin works as a chauffeur for a famous politician's son. When the child gets kidnapped under his watch, he must investigate the crime and get the boy back, especially as he himself is being accused of the kidnapping.

What Makes It Great

The first film was a fun ride, but The Transporter 2 really finds its footing as putting Statham's character in the possession to protect a young child makes him a big hero. He drives around in the film that would make his Fast & Furious cast-mates jealous with his amazing precision, not to mention all the different types of European trash he takes out with all his beatings. The movie features the best action in the franchise, thanks to director Louis Leterrier, who would later go on to direct The Incredible Hulk and reunite with Statham in Fast X. Frank Martin is certainly Statham's most iconic character and The Transporter 2 is the best film with the character (aside from the small cameo in Collateral). Transporter 2 is currently available to stream on Starz.

5 Wrath of Man (2021)

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In the crime thriller Wrath of Man, H (Statham) is a security guard for an armored cash transportation company, who has very little information known about him. As an attempted robbery goes down on one of the trucks, H shows off his skills as a marksman and makes everyone on the crew wonder what he's doing working there.

What Makes It Great

The movie has some exciting scenes, especially the shootout at the end, showing Statham's level of intensity as he plays out H's moment of truth. As well, Wrath of Man has been particularly praised for its varied cinematography, intricate yet understandable plotlines, and finally, the measured acting that Statham displays in the more serious scenes of the film. Released on May 7, 2021, the movie was the unofficial start of the summer movie season for 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic, and there was something comforting about an old-school action movie with a movie star like Jason Statham there to welcome back moviegoers. Wrath of Man is currently available to stream on Paramount+.

4 Furious 7 (2015)

Fast & Furious 6 gave an end-credits scene showing the death of a beloved character and the introduction to Statham's character, Deckard Shaw. Furious 7 follows Shaw, who wants to get revenge on Toretto's crew after they put his little brother in the hospital, Owen Shaw from Fast and Furious 6. In contrast to other villains who have crews, Deckard Shaw is a one-man army who sometimes will appear out of nowhere to get the jump on the heroes where they are barely able to survive.

What Makes It Great

In his first fully-fledged appearance in the franchise, Statham has no issues stating his new character and carrying his own with the other talented actors in the movie. Fans of Statham have seen him play the villain before, but putting the element of doing this because of what happened to his brother lends a new depth to his character. Statham's character appears like an unstoppable killing machine and is so villainous the franchise has struggled to have him redeemed in later films. They had to retcon Han's deaths to make it more palpable that Dom and crew would allow Shaw to join them. While later films might have made him more of a hero, Furious 7 is his best film in the series as it lets him truly be a terrifying villain. Furious 7 is currently available to stream on Max and DirecTV.

3 Snatch (2000)

Snatch is about Britain's criminal landscape and features a large cast with overlapping stories. A fighter in a fixed underground boxing match is taken captive after being incapacitated in a fight. A crime lord blames the lost of his investment on two low-ranking crooks played by Statham and Stephen Graham.

What Makes It Great

Guy Ritchie uses a strong ensemble cast of British actors and Brad Pitt, who was one of Hollywood's biggest stars during this movie's release; but Statham holds this film together through this giant cast and gives the audience a way into the underground world of fighting and various plot-lines. Even though he does not play the main character, he still manages to snatch (pun intended) the limelight and would truly help make him a movie star. Snatch is currently available to rent on Prime, Apple TV, and Vudu.

Related: Jason Statham's Best Performances, Ranked

2 Spy (2015)

The same year Statham played one of his most deadly villains, he also got to play one of his funniest roles. The movie Spy has Statham playing a macho superspy who has to protect his inexperienced colleague as she tries her first mission as a field agent. The running joke of the film is that his character wants to use a Face/Off procedure to get a new face.

What Makes It Great

A Melissa McCarthy comedy would not typically be a film audiences would see Statham in, but the action movie star definitely has the comedic chops as he steals every scene he is in. It is rare for Statham to do comedies, but what works here is that the movie is in on the joke that Statham is such an intense actor he is really funny when he plays the straight man. The film also has a nice running joke that despite how great of a spy he claims to be, he also keeps screwing up. Statham really should do more comedies. Spy is currently available to stream on Max.

1 The Bank Job (2008)

In The Bank Job, Statham plays Terry Leather, a down-on-his-luck car salesman who gets approached by a mysterious woman, Martine, who offers him to rob a bank to solve his financial troubles. This story is based on the real-life robbery of a bank in London in 1971. The film is a heist movie with a London backdrop, and Statham plays a classy gentleman thief, both playing into and subverting his movie star image.

Why It Is The Best

Though not Statham's most well-known role, it is one where he gets to shine. The movie came along at an interesting time in his career. For years, he had fallen into starring in action movies that were not well-liked by critics, so his appearance here certainly shocked critics as many who had written him off as just an action hero could see he had some seriously underrated acting talent. While Statham would certainly not stay away from over the top action movies, The Bank Job is a nice gem in his filmography and his certainly his best movie. The Bank Job is currently available to rent on Prime, Apple TV, and Vudu.