Jason Statham is the action hero we need
The star of Fast X, among other action franchises, stands nearly alone as a consistent—and consistently satisfying—old school tough guy
Film Features Jason Statham
Dwayne Johnson once called himself “franchise Viagra,” based on the fact that he was cast as a substitute lead for the sequels to G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra and Journey To The Center Of The Earth, as well as appearing in Fast Five for a long-proposed onscreen fight with Vin Diesel. Yet it’s his costar in the Fast spinoff Hobbs And Shaw who actually merits that designation. In a post-star system, Jason Statham is one of the few who can start a franchise based solely on his appearance. Crank, The Transporter, and hell, The Mechanic are all movies sold on the notion of Statham kicking ass, and they all got sequels.
He’s also a legitimate added value element to other franchises: The Meg’s big draw is a shark, but Statham fighting it adds bonus appeal. Death Race was a remake of an early Sylvester Stallone dystopian action movie, with Statham a worthy successor; likewise, in 2013’s Parker, he followed in the footsteps of Mel Gibson and Lee Marvin, who previously played the same lead character based on the novels of Donald Westlake. The Expendables’ initial hook was an assemblage of cinematic action heroes old and new, but of the “new,” only Statham has continued to work steadily as an action hero in A-list projects. Terry Crews, Liam Hemsworth, Ronda Rousey, Randy Couture, and Stone Cold Steve Austin haven’t exactly vanished into obscurity, but we don’t see their names above the title on any posters in theater lobbies these days. Indeed, we’re more likely to see them in their previous niches, as special guest athletes (Austin/Couture/Rousey), in comedies and commercials (Crews), and as a second-most-famous brother (Hemsworth), while Statham continues to mostly show up on big screens, IMAX screens, 4DX screens … all of it.
As for the Fast And Furious franchise, Dwayne Johnson’s notable difficulties getting along with Vin Diesel have had him in and out at different times, while Statham has steadily plugged along since debuting in the series, first as a villain and then a hero. In Fast X, out this week, his storyline cliffhanger remains one of the most compelling of the series’ many convolutions—how will his Deckard Shaw be able to work together with Han (Sung Kang), the man he supposedly killed either four or seven movies ago? (Not counting Hobbs And Shaw.) Later this summer, in The Meg 2 and The Expendables 4, he continues to prove himself a crucial part of franchises that don’t theoretically depend on him for their premises to work.
A man’s man and Guy’s guy
It was not always thus for Statham. The consummate tough guy was once a male model, albeit one chosen for having average-joe looks, which is arguably the perfect preparation for being a cinematic take on a realistic tough guy. When he made his acting breakthrough in Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, director Guy Ritchie cast him not for his extensive martial arts training and competitive diving background, but for his experience running a stand at an open-air market. Statham in both movies plays a man better suited to talking than brawling, with the action spotlight going more to violent ex-footballer Vinnie Jones and Hollywood beefcake Brad Pitt playing Irish. His grounded reactions to the craziness around him made Statham more of an audience surrogate, and suggested he could have a lot more range than the guy who fights and steals things. Yet fighting and stealing onscreen have consistently paid his bills since then.
In the right hands, Statham seems like the sort of actor who could pull a Mel Gibson-like transition from action movies to dramas and rom-coms and everything else. But does he want that? And more importantly, do we? In the ’80s and ’90s, fans of mid-range budgeted films had no shortage of go-to action stars. You went to a movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, or Steven Seagal, or Sylvester Stallone, and barring the occasional high-concept where they added star value (think Timecop, Street Fighter, Demolition Man), or out-of-character comedy (Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!) you knew exactly what you were going to get. Statham may be the only top guy about whom we can say that now. Sure, Tom Cruise largely leans into action mode nowadays, but he’s handled a wide variety of roles and genres. And Liam Neeson is a reliable senior butt-kicker in about 50% of his output, but he clearly desires to be more than that.
For Statham’s future, look to the past
Someone like Stallone simply can’t physically do what Statham does now, but he offers a future roadmap for aging badasses, one previously traversed by the likes of Kirk Douglas and Lee Marvin. When being a hero becomes too much of a strain, be a boss. Show up as a beloved character actor in franchise movies. Indulge in the occasional bit of self-parody (we need Spy 2 already). And then, sooner or later, those up-and-coming filmmakers who loved you as a kid will write something cool and unexpected, like Quentin Tarantino did for Robert Forster, or David Lynch did for Robert Blake. Produce a legacy sequel to a beloved earlier film. Occasionally get awards nominations.
We need and want someone in that position, to be the designated hellraiser without becoming too much of one in real life—like Gibson did. Keanu Reeves has his niche as a Zen-cool angel of death, but just as much of one in comedy and voice-over, along with an unshakeable reputation for being really nice in person. Statham, despite an apparent recent contract clause that says he can’t get beaten up too badly, feels like a guy who’s been through it. Try to envision him in your mind, and he’s probably scowling like he just took a punch. Picture Tom Cruise, and he’s more likely flashing his pearly whites in perma-smile. Statham’s handsome enough to be a movie star, but savvy enough to know his base doesn’t want him to preen like one.
Instead, he’s an actor born and bred to communicate badassitude. Sure, he could do a drama about losing the family farm, or a rom-com where he and, say, Minnie Driver keep missing each other’s calls. He’d be fine, but he’d also be one among many. The power of the punch compels him. And until someone younger comes along–the Internet keeps really, really hoping for Scott Adkins, but it’s not clear he’ll ever be the guy—we need a Statham out there to let us know exactly what we’re gonna get from him.
63 Comments
Brad Pitt wasn’t in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He was in Snatch, another Guy Ritchie film… also starring Jason Statham.
I prefer Scott Adkins but for some reason he isn’t allowed in theatrically released movies unless he is wearing a fat suit. What we really need is more Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais.
Scott has apparently pissed off enough people in hollywood that he can pretty much only operate in east asian mma movies.
Love Scott Adkins. He and Michael Jai White are criminally underappreciated.
I don’t want to argue the point too hard because I like both dudes (and Uwais and Taslim). But. I think people use the word “underappreciated” incorrectly sometimes. These guys are exactly as appreciated as they should be. Not everyone is a fan of martial arts action choreography but the people who ARE appreciate those guys exactly as much as they deserve. Like… I think the more accurate problem is that that STYLE of movie is underappreciated. Or that style of action within the action genre. Either way, anyone who digs fight films digs those guys.
I dig fight films and 100% dig those dudes, and Donnie Yen.
Iko Uwais is very hit or miss though. Not sure if he just hasn’t found the right director but his acting was not great in either the Netflix show he did or when he played the villain in that Bautista movie.
Agree on Adkins and Taslim but Uwais just isn’t a good actor.
Havent heard of a single one of them. Must be all woketards
The man just gives 110% to anything he’s in – case in point.
I’ll see you and raise you:
Of course, if you wanna see something really freaky…here he is……with hair.
Holy eff!
Whoa… The Shamen. Been a while.
I am so happy someone posted this.You can tell whoever edited the video together decided that Statham had given them the best footage out of everyone, including the band itself, because he’s approximately 70% of the video.
My sole criteria for judging movies, other people and myself is to ask: “How Statham is this?” If the answer is not “full frontal no-holds-barred pure distilled Statham”, then it’s not good enough.
yeah he was hysterical in Spy.
That’s an understatement. He stole the entire movie.
“This arm has been ripped off and reattached…with THIS fucking arm!”
“Well I make a habit out of doing things that people say I can’t do: Walk through fire, waterski blindfolded, take up piano at a late age.”
“And I know there’s a fucking face-off machine, you’re just keeping it secret from me!!!”
that’s a nice suit where’d you get it?Well I fucking made it didn’t I!
“While on fire. Not the car. I was on fire.”Even better is when he knocks himself out in the final fight and the first thing he says when he comes to is “did I get him?”
His post-knockout line and “You should’ve worn coarser pants!!!” kill me every time. I feel like he also makes everyone else in the movie – a bunch of very funny people – even funnier.
Apparently I’m in the minority, but I thought he was hilarious in Crank and Crank 2 as well. It’s almost like a Rick Ford backstory.
Those movies are absolutely ridiculous and I love them.
“Apparently I’m in the minority, but I thought he was hilarious in Crank and Crank 2 as well.”
Yeah, you sure are unique in liking the Crank movies.
I wasn’t much of a fan until I saw him in Spy. And the outtakes of him are great too.
Every time I watch Spy, I’m amazed that there hasn’t been a sequel.
He needs to do more comedy. I thought he was great in Spy, and the post-credits scene destroyed me. I was laughing for days.
“Jason Statham is the action hero we need”When you follow that with a list of mostly-unwatchable dreck that he’s been in.
Jason Statham SHOULD be a great action star, but he’s got the absolute worst taste in scripts.
Statham is really a one-of-a-kind screen presence, but where he comes up pretty short is his filmography – inconsistent to say the least. Some of his collabs with Ritchie and Crank are probably his high water marks, but the turkeys tip the scales in the other direction. I’d love to see him collaborate with Scott Adkins and Jesse V. Johnson on a lean, tough, nasty action-gangster flick…that could really be something.
And we haven’t (yet) heard that he’s a raping monster; so there’s that.
The opposite, actually. The talk back in the day was how he’s great with chicks (and dudes, when he was a party boy in the early 90s).
Huzzah!
*waggles eyebrows suggestively*
Yeah, but the jewellery he used to give them was dodgy. Yeah, that’s exactly how Ritchie found him: doing what he was doing when we first see him flogging chains on the street.
He seems to be having fun with it.
His movies are sometimes too stupid for me. Crank was stupid. The Transporter was stupid. Meg was stupid. Wallace and Shaw was stupid. In many cases, not even entertainingly stupid, just stupid or boringly stupid (The Meg was boring as all hell, as was Wallace and Shaw. Actually, I just realized I misremembered the name, and imagine Wallace and Shaw would be way better than Hobbes and Shaw.)But he’s always good in them. The movie might be stupid, but he sells the stupidity without being stupid himself. A fine line. Which means, when given a better script, he can knock it out of the park. But he’s usually given stupid things edited so quickly as to hope you don’t notice how stupid they are (except The Meg, which wasn’t even energetically edited.)
He’s hard to dislike, even if I couldn’t be paid to watch some of his movies again. I mean, watching Hobbes and Shaw, it was hard to imagine it wouldn’t have been better without The Rock, as Statham was more entertaining and likely wasn’t responsible for the awful script the way The Rock almost definitely was.
The Meg was okay, but the trailer for the new one looks batshit. I’m optimistic.
The new one is directed by Ben Wheatley!
… Were you… Were you confusing his movie title with the actor who played Vizzini in Princess Bride?Cuz that’s pretty funny.ETA: Dammit, now I kinda want to see a buddy action comedy featuring Wallace Shawn and Jason Statham.
Right?! That’s clearly so much better than The Rock!
Waiting for the BroMy Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Andre 3000
Hobbes and Shaw was just as stupid/fun as any Fast & Furious movie. . . but that macho posturing shit on the plane was maximum cringe. It was like listening to two 12 year olds trying to trash talk each other in a CoD lobby.
Hey man, I like you. But “Kirk Douglas in Champion, Lee Marvin in Point Blank”? No.No… Statham is our modern Bronson. A no nonsense, charming when he needs to be, every man… who can very clearly kick the living shit out of you (and take a solid punch to the jaw). I mean fuck you already mentioned THE MECHANIC.
“Jason Statham is the action hero we need.” Who is the “we” that has a “need” for an “old school tough guy”? I would offer that “we” have a “need” for action heroes who aren’t from the “old school tough guy” mold. Who looks around at where we are in society today and decides we need more big stories that sanction and celebrate straight white guys killing people?
.
Pitt wasn’t playing Irish. Or English. He was just…Pikey.I like plenty of Statham’s work but Snatch is his most entertaining movie front to back.
“Quick, Tommy, before ‘Ze Germans’ get here.”
Great example. The man’s got impeccable timing and delivery.
I imagine timing is key to being a world ranked diver.
“What do I know about diamonds? Don’t they come from Antwerp?”
I agree with you, although I have a soft spot for The Transporter 2.Probably the hot lunatic bad girl with dual uzis…
Not a damn thing with lusting after hot lunatic bad girls.
It’s why Season 3 of Buffy is my favorite.Five by five, B.
I don’t think Statham has been in any great movies, but he’s been in so many good ones.
I beg to differ, he was in Collateral. He was a standout as “Airport Man”. Yeah, I did have to comb his IMDB page to find something.
Yup. E.g. I rather liked Killer Elite, but it’s hardly a masterpiece. It’s just entertaining, one of those movies where if you happen to have the right movie channel, you’ll catch part of it and end up watching the whole thing
Statham is earnest and world-weary in it, and still pulls off all the action bits with his usual skill and style.
I really like Statham, but I would love to see him in more serious roles. Loved him in Snatch, Lock Stock, The Bank Job and a few others, but the Transporter movies and most of his roles are just not my kind of movies.
The new Guy Ritchie movie, Operation Fortune, in which he’s the main character, is absolutely great. Aubry Plaza steals the show, as does Hugh Grant, and it’s clear that he’s just cool letting them be great. Even though it has what is absolutely the WORST finishing move* in what is otherwise a pretty decent movie for fight choreography, I would cheerfully watch it again. *he does like a full spin move, very slowly, and hits the bad guy with a laptop. It looks like either a totally ‘80’s move, a joke, or both simultaneously. The rest of the movie is pretty tongue in cheek, though, so sort of hard to tell if it’s meant that way.
All I know is that I had to go with the bald guy with the British accent when playing Saints’ Row. Robin Atkin Downes does a pretty good tough guy … when doing a duet with Pierce Washington in the piece below:
He’s actually a total piece of shit in real life. But please go on – don’t want to get in the way of the hack writers at this now trash website not hitting their mandated word count for the day.