Action stars never seem to go out of fashion, and Jason Statham is one of those actors who remains at the top of the world in this regard. The fan-favorite actor has delivered some of the most entertaining action movies ever since his start in Guy Ritchie‘s Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels all the way to their most recent collaboration, 2023’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. Before going into acting, Statham trained in many martial arts and was even a member of Britain’s national diving team.
Inspired by action legends such as Bruce Lee, Sylvester Stallone, and Clint Eastwood, Statham’s characters ooze the same laidback coolness that has become a staple for the actor. With his extensive training and natural attitude, Statham is the perfect action star and has delivered some of the most thrilling movies ever. These are Jason Statham’s most action-packed movies, exciting and explosive cinematic efforts that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
10 ‘The Bank Job’ (2008)
Directed by Roger Donaldson
Loosely based on actual events, The Bank Job follows a struggling car dealer in London who tries to make an honest living with his wife and kids. Despite his best efforts, his ex-girlfriend convinces him and a group of amateurs to pull off an impossible heist and score it big. However, the contents of the vault prove alarmingly valuable, with the crew gaining attention from the cops and gangsters, all looking to get their hands on the vault’s contents.
While The Bank Job isn’t Statham’s typical shoot/beat-em-up action movie with giant explosions and long combat scenes, it is still a riveting, action-packed movie with plenty of intrigue. The compelling plot is full of twists and turns, keeping fans entertained as they slowly build upon the action. With some car chases and tension to spare, The Bank Job has a bunch of subtle and not-so-subtle action, but it is still a thrilling, action-packed movie.
9 ‘The Meg’ (2018)
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
Pit Statham against a giant shark that was thought to be extinct, and it might just be a fair fight. The Meg follows Jonas Taylor, a rescue diver who must save a crew in a deep-sea submersible after an unknown creature attacks them. Much to his surprise, the beast is the gigantic Megalodon, a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark. The Meg is an action-packed thrill ride where Statham showcases his diving and combat skills.
It’s not hard to imagine that a fight to the death between a man and a humongous shark would be action-packed. The Meg is often goofy and over-the-top, but it is mostly self-aware, simply trying to give fans an entertaining cinematic experience. The giant CGI monster provides many intense and thrilling stunts, getting creative with the way Statham has to fight it. It only scores so low on the list because The Meg would benefit from being rated R instead of PG-13, which limits the amount of brutal action fans want.
8 ‘The Italian Job’ (2003)
Directed by F. Gary Gray
Based on the classic 1969 movie of the same name, which starred Michael Caine and Margaret Blye, The Italian Job is a thrilling heist remake. After a previous heist, one member turns on the rest, taking all the gold and killing one of them. Out for revenge, the rest of the gang gets together to take back what they stole and avenge their fallen team member by planning another elaborate job with a star-studded cast.
The genre is full of incredible efforts, including Ocean’s Eleven and Now You See Me, but The Italian Job may be the most action-packed heist movie in recent memory. With intense chase scenes, including the iconic Mini Cooper and helicopter sequence, this movie provides many explosive action sequences, especially for a heist film. The mayhem and chaos their antics spread only add to the great action, giving fans some of the best, high-octane moments in any 2000s movie.
WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+
7 ‘The Transporter’ (2002)
Directed by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen
Ex-special forces operative Frank Martin now lends his talents to the underworld, delivering packages as a mercenary, thriving in this world because he is not curious about what he delivers. However, after discovering he was smuggling a woman, Martin makes it his mission to rescue her. Unfortunately, this choice draws the attention of the authorities and the gang, resulting in an action-packed, high-intensity movie.
The Transporter delivers tight and personal combat instead of large-scale chase scenes or a CGI monster fight. This approach helps the film breathe and showcase Statham’s talent in martial arts. Through the strength of his punches and the intensity of his kicks, Statham proves a movie doesn’t need to be R-rated in order to be hardcore; indeed, The Transporter is among the most badass PG-13 movies of the 2000s. It was so successful that it spawned two sequels, each as powerful and action-packed as the original.
6 ‘Furious 7’ (2015)
Directed by: James Wan
Earning his spot as one of the greatest characters in one of the most profitable franchises, Deckard Shaw in Furious 7 is one of Statham’s best performances. Shaw vows to take revenge on the main cast after they put his brother into a coma. However, for them to escape Shaw’s reign of terror, they need to rescue a programmer who may have just what they need to win this fight.
Despite the bombastic action and death-defying stunts, Furious 7 is a real tearjerker, tastefully sending off the late Paul Walker. As one of the best movies in the Fast and the Furious franchise, Furious 7masterfully balances the over-the-top action with emotional moments. This time, as a villain, Statham is incredibly badass, going toe-to-toe with Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his famous family. Statham’s portrayal of Shaw was so popular that he eventually received a spin-off plus a place of honor among Toretto’s ever-expanding clan.
5 ‘The Mechanic’ (2011)
Directed by Simon West
The Mechanic follows yet another stoic and gruff character from Statham. This time, it is Arthur Bishop, a hitman who recently takes on an apprentice, Steve McKenna (Ben Foster). Seeking to avenge McKenna’s father’s death, the two go on their revenge tour, with Bishop showcasing his elite talents and McKenna picking up the trade as he goes along.
The duo has solid chemistry, but most importantly, they create an intense and unrelenting action flick full of Statham’s signature personality and fighting prowess. Chock-full of explosions, shoot-outs and impressive stunts, The Mechanic is one of Statham’s best action movies, living up to everything the actor promises. While it has some formulaic parts, the action never dulls, giving fans yet another entertaining romp.
Watch on SlingTV
4 ‘Death Race’ (2008)
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
Set in a dystopian world with racing tournaments to the death, Death Race is a remake of the 1975 film Death Race 2000. This film has little in common with the original, simply using some inspiration. Death Race follows Statham as Jensen Ames in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. If he wants his freedom, his only choice is to compete in the Death Race.
Trying to recapture the magic from the Mad Max franchise, Death Race fails to give fans the same level of quality. Despite the film not being great, Death Race certainly does not lack action. The high-octane fun the film provides more than makes up for the poor narrative, ultimately resulting in one of Statham’s most rewatchable films. The absurdity helps add incredible action in a movie that’s best to watch by shutting your brain off and enjoying the chaotic spectacle.
3 ‘Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw’ (2019)
Directed by David Leitch
Fans couldn’t get enough of Shaw in Furious 7, which resulted in Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw, a spin-off focusing on two of the franchise’s most popular supporting players. With the emergence of Brixton Lorr (Idris Elba), a cyber-enhanced, genius super soldier who gets ahold of a deadly pathogen, the unlikely duo of Shaw and Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) is the only thing in Lorr’s way of wiping out half of the world.
Hobbs and Shaw is just what the Fast and the Furious franchise needed. The movie offers a refreshing story while still offering fans the best of what the series is known for. With fantastic character dynamics and surprisingly good comedy helping make the movie so good, it doesn’t get in the way of the outstanding action. Full of wild stunts, heart-pumping fights, and large-scale action, Hobbs and Shaw is one of the most action-packed movies in the franchise and is in dire need of a sequel.
2 ‘Crank’ (2006)
Directed by Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine
Perhaps Statham’s best performance, Crank follows Chev Chelios, a hitman who wants out of the game and lets his last target slip away. However, after waking up the next day, Chelios gets a call saying he’s been poisoned and the only way to remain alive is to keep his adrenaline pumping. While on his frantic journey to keep his heart rate up, Chelios must simultaneously search for an antidote and seek revenge on whoever did this to him.
Inspired by the classic noir film D.O.A., Crank uses similar plot devices but melds them into a chaotic adventure film. With action so intense, fans will have the same accelerated heart rate as Statham. This action-packed movie does a spectacular job of keeping audiences on the edge as they experience one of the wildest and most intense storylines in modern cinema. Crank never takes its foot off the gas, constantly upping the stakes with its dark comedy and action sequences.
1 ‘The Expendables 2’ (2012)
Directed by Simon West
With a new job, The Expendables reunite, this time searching for a valuable item aboard a crashed plane in Albania. However, after the sudden death of one of their members, the rest of the gang is hellbent on revenge as they destroy anything in their wake. This rampage is cut short after they encounter the one thing that might be able to stop the star-studded cast overflowing with testosterone: weapons-grade plutonium.
Putting Statham, Chuck Norris, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Dolph Lundgren in a single movie is a recipe for an action-packed film, considering they jam-packed this movie with action stars. Each actor gets their highlights, giving fans a movie jumbled with too much action for its own good. While The Expendables 2 isn’t anything spectacular, it is the best Expendables movie and the most action-packed Statham movie, just because of how much everyone does on the screen. If there is a limit, The Expandables 2 doesn’t know it.