The Best and Worst of Jason Statham (2019)

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Hobbs & Shaw” star Jason Statham.

Films starring Jason Statham that I've seen:
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 
Snatch
The Transporter
The Italian Job 
Cellular 
Transporter 2
Revolver
The Pink Panther
Crank
War
The Bank Job
Death Race
Transporter 3
Crank: High Voltage
The Expendables
The Mechanic 
Gnomeo & Juliet 
Killer Elite 
Safe
The Expendables 2 
Parker
Homefront 
The Expendables 3
Wild Card
Furious 7
Spy
Mechanic: Resurrection 
The Fate of the Furious
The Meg 

Best Performance: Crank (2006)
In the action genre, Statham deserves to be considered a legend. He's filled the magnetic, reliable hero/antihero mantle left open by the Schwarzenegger's, Stallone's and Van Damme's of the world for the past two decades, and has amassed a filmography that's just as, if not more impressive than any of those guys. Of all the valuable contributions he's made to this depraved little corner of the movie industry, his turn as lovable antihero Chev Chelios in Crank reigns supreme.This hitman who has been poisoned by a rival criminal syndicate and needs to keep his adrenaline levels up in order to stay alive serves as the perfect vessel for Statham's immense swagger, polished fight choreography and snarky wit.
    

Worst Performance: Revolver (2005)
Statham's connection with Guy Ritchie is truly beautiful. There's not too many actors that have thrived delivering Richie's aggressive, snappy quip-filled dialogue as much as Statham did in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. The filmmaker that planted the seeds for his eventual breakout in the industry did him dirty in their third and as of right now, final collaboration. A muddy, tonally-confused script that lacks much of the biting humor of their past collaborations severely limits the effectiveness of Statham's abundant wisecracking charisma, which in turn led to Revolver being Ritchie's worst crime movie by far.

Best Film: Snatch (2000)
Well before Ritchie became an in-demand blockbuster director, he was churning out brilliant, grimy British crime sagas like Snatch. Courtesy of its manic pacing, highly quotable dialogue and a universe solely occupied by big, colorful personalities, Snatch ends up being the most deliriously entertaining piece of hyperstylized hilarity Ritchie has ever created.

Worst Film: Gnomeo and Juliet (2011) 
This may come as a surprise given my notoriously unrefined tastes and the constant glowing praise I've thrown out in the previous paragraphs, Statham is one of my favorite actors. At least a half dozen of the movies listed above are all-timers to me and even a lot of his weaker action/blockbuster efforts (Wild Card, Mechanic: Resurrection, The Meg) have been made tolerable by his presence. All this being said, there was absolutely nothing he could do to save Gnomeo & Juliet. This Shakespeare-inspired jukebox musical was a wall-to-wall hellscape that may or may not have put me in a cringe-induced coma for 90 minutes.

Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “The Peanut Butter Falcon” star Dakota Johnson .