The English actor Jason Statham has become a staple in tough guy action movies of late. This buff, very HD friendly Englishman actually insists on doing all of his stunts and fight scenes himself without any support. Statham was born in Sydenham, London to a lounge singer and dancer. As a child he played sports, namely football; however, he did have a passion for diving and was a member of Britain’s National Diving Squad for twelve years. Perhaps, his athletic prowess and love of sports has contributed to the action roles he has subsequently taken on during his acting career. Here is a list of some of Statham’s greatest hits; you can catch most of these flicks in HD of course, on satellite TV.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels: This movie marks both Statham’s break out role and that of his director, Guy Ritchie as well. Both were relatively unknown at the time-in fact Statham was working as a model for the French Connection, when he was introduced to Ritchie who cast him to play the role of Bacon. The movie was a critical hit and you can often catch in on any movie channel on satellite TV.
Snatch: This movie marked Jason Statham’s second collaboration with director Guy Richie. In it, Statham plays a boxing promoter called Turkish, who finds himself in the grip of a crazy gangster named Brick Top. The movie also stars Brad Pitt as an incomprehensible Irish boxer, Benicio Del Toro as Frankie Four Fingers and Dennis Farina. The movie is similar in style to Smoking Barrels, with its swift pace and ironic twists.
The One: This 2001 movie places Statham in the shoes of cop from the future. He stars alongside Jet Li. While the film didn’t garner any awards, it is an entertaining martial arts affair, worthy of watching in HD for the action scenes.
The Transporter Films: These movies made Statham even more popular than he already was. Director Luc Besson picked the English actor himself to star in these action vehicles as Frank Martin, a criminal transporter. Martin used to be in the military, but has sense retired and put his skills to more financially sound jobs. This hugely lucrative series of movies is definitely packed with thrills and lots of high definition action.
The Italian Job: Statham was still relatively unknown when he took part in this movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. In the movie, he plays an expert driver called Handsome Rob. The driving theme seems to be recurrent in Statham’s oevre.
Revolver: This movie was actually Statham’s third collaboration with Guy Ritchie. This time he played another gangster tough guy. Although the film didn’t get rave reviews, in fact in was barely shown in the States, it was a little more pensive than Statham’s other films.
Crank: In this high octane film, Statham plays a criminal hitman who has to keep his adrenaline constantly flowing in order to stay alive. This fast paced film is a great kinetic visual experience. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. Watch in HD for best effect.