Top 12 Jason Statham Movie Highlights

Daniel Day-Lewis is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated actors in cinematic history, boasting three Academy Awards. Yet, in a playful twist, he's still three Oscars shy of matching the zero held by his fellow English actor, Jason Statham. But let's be real—has Day-Lewis ever choked a man with casino chips, knocked someone out with a coin, killed a man with a spoon, or punched someone in the fist with his own head? Jason Statham managed all these feats in the same film. There's simply no comparison.

Statham has emerged as one of the 21st century's most reliable action stars. That's why it's thrilling to celebrate his latest release, A Working Man. To honor this occasion, let's dive into our top picks from Jason Statham's action-packed and often hilarious filmography. After all, until the Academy starts handing out awards for feats like walking through fire, water-skiing blindfolded, or mastering the piano later in life, it's the least we can do.

The Best Jason Statham Movie Moments

13 Images12. Homefront

Ever get the sense that Jason Statham's action heroes could take down three guys with their hands tied behind their backs? You're not wrong. In Homefront, Statham does just that, annihilating three adversaries while his hands are restrained. What better way to kick off our list than with this display of sheer prowess?

11. The Beekeeper

If there's one thing that irked fans about The Beekeeper, it's Statham's unexpected leniency towards some scam call center employees, allowing them to escape before he detonates the building just because they apologized. We don't tune into Jason Statham movies to see the villains spared! Thankfully, he partially redeems himself by pursuing the call center manager, strapping him to a truck, and sending it off a bridge, dragging the scoundrel behind. They say bumblebees aren't efficient flyers, but they certainly fare better than a plummeting 1967 Ford F-100.

Returning to the film mentioned in our introduction, Wild Card, which unfortunately didn't make waves at the box office despite being helmed by the visionary behind Con Air and featuring Stanley Tucci with hair. It also includes some of Statham's finest fight scenes. In the climactic battle, Statham dispatches five armed thugs using only a spoon and a butter knife, emerging unscathed. Jason Statham: truly the master of knifey-spoony combat.

9. Death Race

Paul W.S. Anderson's track record with video game adaptations may not have earned him accolades, but he deserves recognition for the slightly campy 2008 film, Death Race. This movie showcased a commitment to practical effects and vehicular chaos that rivals Mad Max: Fury Road, but predated it by seven years. Statham's strategic alliance with his rival to outsmart the Juggernaut stands out as the film's highlight. The score: Practical effects - one million, CGI - zero.

8. The Meg

No list of Jason Statham's iconic moments would be complete without his battle against a megalodon in The Meg. Statham not only slices the giant shark from end to end but also surfs its leaping body, plunging a spear into its eye. As the beast falls back into the water, it's devoured by its smaller kin. Whether prehistoric or modern, if it bleeds, Statham can kill it.

7. The Transporter

Securing the seventh spot is one of Statham's most iconic roles: Frank Martin in The Transporter. The 2002 original is a showcase of Hong Kong-style action choreographed by Corey Yuen. With so many memorable fights—the container fight, the axe fight, the bus fight—it's tough to choose. But the oil fight takes the cake, where Frank uses oil to slip past his foes before unleashing a series of devastating spinning heel kicks with bicycle pedals.

6. The Fate of the Furious

Deckard Shaw's transition from villain to hero in the Fast and Furious saga was initially controversial, but with Fast 9 revealing he didn't actually kill Han in Tokyo Drift, we can now appreciate his past heroics guilt-free. One standout moment is the Hard Boiled-inspired airborne rescue of Dom and Elena's baby in The Fate of the Furious. Statham's action-packed journey in the Fast saga, beginning with his post-credits scene in Fast & Furious 6, culminates in this blend of gun-fu and humor.

5. The Expendables

Joining the ranks of Hollywood's toughest in Sylvester Stallone's Expendables franchise, Jason Statham's Lee Christmas has had numerous chances to shine. From kicking Scott Adkins into a helicopter to firing a flare from a flying boat, his moments are legendary. Yet, his most memorable scene is the swift and brutal basketball court beatdown he delivers to his girlfriend's abusive ex and his cronies. Christmas may visit once a year, but when he does, he delivers a swift 16-second thrashing to six men. Think of him as Santa, but with a knife list instead of a nice list.

4. Spy

In the uproariously funny Spy, Jason Statham steals the show as Rick Ford, the unkillable secret agent who's immune to 179 poisons and makes his own suits. His comedic timing shines throughout, but the highlight is when he regales Melissa McCarthy with tales of his legendary resilience: "I drove a car off a freeway, on top of a train, while I was on fire. Not the car. I was on fire."

3. Transporter 2

Who could forget the iconic barrel roll from Transporter 2? Frank Martin calmly flips his two-ton Audi to dislodge a bomb, with the nonchalance of someone brushing off a speck of dust. It's a testament to his cool under pressure—physics be damned.

2. Crank: High Voltage

After surviving a fall from a helicopter, Chev Chelios faces a new challenge—his heart has been stolen by Chinese gangsters in Crank 2. Amidst this chaos, he hallucinates a battle at a power station as a giant, kaiju version of himself, wearing a mask of his own face. Yes, this surreal scene really happened in a Jason Statham movie.

1. Snatch

Topping our list is Snatch, where Jason Statham, in only his second film role after Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, not only held his own but delivered some of the film's most memorable lines amidst stars like Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro. Picking a favorite quote is tough, but Turkish's quip about Tommy's gun stands out: "What is a gun doing in your trousers?" "For protection." "Protection from what? Zee Germans?" It's a safer bet than any of Brick Top's suggestions, for sure.