Summary
Jason Stathamhas made a name for himself as one of today’s biggest action stars and has played countless incredibly strong characters. With a tough-guy reputation and a passion for intense action sequences, Statham’s most notable characters have pushed the boundaries of human resilience and often passed the threshold into a pure superhuman. This has always included incredible spectacles to witness. Whether Statham’s playing an everyday person or a ruthless killing machine, he has consistently brought his A-game to all his action hero roles.
Thebest Statham action moviestypically consist of intense hand-to-hand combat, thrilling chase scenes, and over-the-top violent confrontations. While this meantmany of Statham’s best heroes utilized brute force to achieve their aims, this was not the only kind of strength, as other heroes relied on intellect, stealth, and weapon skills to save the day. Statham has proved himself a major action star, and looking back on his best heroes, he’s played some truly strong characters.
15Detective Sergeant Tom Brant
Blitz (2011)
Jason Statham played the no-nonsense cop Tom Brant in the enjoyable crime thrillerBlitz. Brant was not afraid to break the rules and showcase his violent side in his pursuit of the deranged cop killing serial killer Barry “Blitz” Weiss, played by Aidan Gillen, in a particularly menacing performance. While this made for some exciting entertainment, even if the story was a little bit by the numbers, the truth was thatBrant lacked the superhuman feats of strength that categorized Staham’s strongest charactersand, at his core, was just a regular guy.
Blitz
Cast
Blitz is a crime thriller set in London, following hard-edged detective Tom Brant, portrayed by Jason Statham. Brant is on a mission to track down and capture a serial cop killer known as Blitz, who is targeting police officers across the city. Directed by Elliott Lester, the film explores the relentless pursuit to bring the murderer to justice amidst the backdrop of urban tension and brutality.
14Joseph Smith
Hummingbird (2013)
Hummingbirdcapitalized on Jason Statham’s tough-guy reputation as he played the haunted, alcoholic ex-special forces soldier Joseph Smith. With a tendency toward violent behavior, Joseph infiltrated the world of organized crime and exacted his vengeance on a murderous city boy who had been beating and killing prostitutes. Once again,Statham’s character had a lot of sinister energyand was not shy of getting into a fight, yet he still remained in the realms of reality in terms of his strength and could easily be defeated by other Statham movie characters.
Hummingbird
Hummingbird is a 2013 action drama starring Jason Statham as Joey Jones, an ex-special forces soldier navigating London’s gritty underworld. Directed by Steven Knight, the film follows Joey’s transformative journey from a homeless veteran to a vigilante hero after assuming a new identity and grappling with his tumultuous past and the criminal elements surrounding him.
13Nick Wild
Wild Card (2015)
Wild Cardhad all the elements of a classic Jason Statham action movie, yet it still managed to flop at the box office and grossed just $6.7 million against its $30 million budget (viaBox Office Mojo.) Statham played Nick Wild, a troubled Las Vegas bodyguard with lethal skills who got in hot water with the mob due to his gambling addiction. WhileNick has serious combat skillsand had no problem taking out a litany of henchmen and criminals, Wild still paled in comparison to other, far more impressive Statham action heroes.
12Phil Broker
Homefront (2013)
A father who will do anything in his power to protect his daughter should never be underestimated, and this was proven by Jason Statham’s performance as Phil Broker inHomefront.Directed by Gary Fleder and written by Sylvester Stallone,Homefrontdidn’t break any new ground regarding action thrillers, yet Statham still proved the fortitude of his ex-DEA character. As a sinister meth lord put Broker’s daughter in the firing line, Statham unleashed hell and left a horde of beaten bodies in his wake.
Homefront
Homefront follows former DEA agent Phil Broker, who, after a tragic mission, retires to a quiet town with his daughter. As he faces off against a local drug lord, his past troubles resurface, leading to a high-stakes confrontation as he aims to protect his family.
11Danny Bryce
Killer Elite (2011)
The action thrillerKiller Elitewas a star-studded heart racer that featured not just Jason Statham but also other legendary performers such as Clive Owen and Robert De Niro. As the former mercenary Danny Bryce, Statham found himself in a killer-for-hire situation as he sought to protect his mentor and take out three former SAS troopers. InKiller Elite,Statham showcased skills that were more in line with his most outrageous characters, as his incredible feats of strength saw him leaping from buildings, jumping through glass windows, and easily surviving massive explosions.
Killer Elite
Killer Elite is a 2011 action thriller directed by Gary McKendry, starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen, and Robert De Niro. The film is based on the book The Feather Men by Sir Ranulph Fiennes and follows a retired special operations agent who is called back into service to save his mentor from kidnappers. The mission pits him against a covert group of assassins and a rival operative.
10Orson Fortune
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023)
The action comedyOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerreutilized Jason Statham’s often underexploited comedic talent, and it was a treat to watch him play opposite stars like Aubrey Plaza and Hugh Grant. Statham played Orson Fortune, a spy orchestrating a plot to retrieve a stolen high-tech device before an arms dealer sold it to the highest bidder. With plenty of combat and shooting, there’s a sneaking feeling that the true limits of Orson Fortune’s skills were never fully seen, as he consistently surprised viewers with his strength and resilience.
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre follows special agent Orson Fortune and his team as they enlist a famous Hollywood actor for an undercover mission. Together, they must prevent the sale of a deadly new weapons technology that threatens global stability. Released in 2023, the film is directed by Guy Ritchie.
9Patrick Hill
Wrath of Man (2021)
Jason Statham made his acting debut in Guy Ritchie’sLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and it’s been so thrilling to watchStatham and Ritchiereunite over the years. The pair’s 2021 collaborationWrath of Mansignaled the arrival of yet another unstoppable Statham action hero as he played Patrick Hill, simply known as ‘H,’ thwarting a robbery and facing off against criminals.Wrath of Manwas a fun, action-packed spectacle with an impressively resilient protagonist, but as a film, it failed to live up to either Ritchie or Statham’s best work.
Wrath of Man
Wrath of Man is a 2021 action thriller directed by Guy Ritchie, featuring Jason Statham as a mysterious security guard. The plot unfolds as he demonstrates exceptional skill during a heist, prompting questions about his past and true intentions while he pursues a personal vendetta.
8Arthur Bishop
The Mechanic (2011)
InThe Mechanic,Jason Statham played the professional hitman Arthur Bishop, who specialized in making his killings look like accidents. With a serious level of skill, the strength of Bishop’s character was not in brute force alone, as he had to use cunning and clever tactics to make his jobs look more like unfortunate mishaps or suicides rather than outright murder. This tendency to leave no trace and make his escape without being detected set Bishop apart from other run-and-gun-style action heroes that Statham often played.
The Mechanic
The Mechanic follows Arthur Bishop, an elite assassin known for his precise methods and emotional detachment. After his mentor Harry McKenna is killed, Bishop forms a deadly partnership with Harry’s son, who seeks vengeance and mastery of the assassin’s trade.
7Frank Martin
The Transporter (2002)
In the first installment of the long-running franchise,The Transporter, Jason Statham plays the highly skilled driver Frank Martin, who follows three strict rules: Never change the deal, no names, and never open the package. Once Frank broke his rules, all hell was unleashed, and he found himself in the midst of a human trafficking plot. With precision, efficiency, and the ability to handle high-pressure situations,Frank had the calm composure and brute strength needed to head one of Statham’s most notable franchises.
The Transporter
The Transporter is an action film directed by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen. The movie stars Jason Statham as Frank Martin, a highly skilled driver who specializes in transporting packages without questions. His carefully maintained code of conduct is jeopardized when he breaks one of his rules, leading to a dangerous series of events. Featuring high-octane sequences and elaborate car chases, the film explores themes of loyalty and professional ethics.
6Jonas Taylor
The Meg (2018)
As Jonas Taylor inThe Megfranchise, Jason Statham played one of his most fascinating and fearless characters. As a deep-sea diver specializing in rescue missions,Jonas had no issue putting himself in perilous situationsand turned out to be the perfect man to face against a megalodon, a giant prehistoric shark species previously believed to be extinct. While Jonas had all the physical characteristics of a typical Statham action hero, his knowledge and appreciation for marine biology meant his intellect was also one of his greatest strengths.
The Meg
The sci-fi action movie The Meg follows a group of scientists who encounter a living Megalodon while exploring the Mariana Trench. The cast includes Jason Statham as Jonas Taylor, Li Bingbing as Suyin, and Rainn Wilson as Jack Morris.
