On screen, Jason Statham is the quintessential antihero. Offering gritty performances in some of today's most popular franchises, Statham somehow manages to win over audiences despite his penchant for violence, guns, and questionable characters. Whether he's portraying someone who is robbing a bank, transporting illegal packages, or shooting at a supercar that's flying through a skyscraper, Statham commands your attention wherever he goes.

The prolific actor has been starring in action flicks since the late 1990s when he was first cast in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (which also happens to be one of his highest rated films). Since then, Statham has found himself at the heart of numerous franchises, including The Transporter, Fast & Furious, and The Expendables. He's often typecast as a hard-nosed soldier — a role that fits him well, thanks to his extensive martial arts training and athletic prowess. And while he's only received seven award nominations for his work, there's no doubt he's become a fan favorite for his brooding personas and impressive stunt work.

Among those nominations you'll find a Critics Choice Award for Best Actor in a Comedy, which gave a nod to his role as a secret agent in Spy. There's also a variety of nominations for his work in the Fast & Furious series — a series that is heavily featured on Statham's list of best-reviewed films. In fact, four movies from the Fast & Furious franchise managed to race their way into his top 10 list, including the spin-off Hobbs & Shaw.

Up next for the actor is Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre, coming in 2022.

Here, Metacritic highlights the best movies Statham has acted in, ranked by Metascore.

Spy

Metascore: 75
Best for: Fans of crime-comedy flicks
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 119 minutes

Statham and Jude Law might star in Spy as secret agents, but the film really revolves around Melissa McCarthy — an office-dwelling agent who helps remotely from the safety of her desk. Her latest remote mission goes awry, however, and she's tasked with heading into the field and solving the mystery on her own. What follows is a bizarre (and often hilarious) crime-comedy that pulled in generally favorable reviews from critics. It might not be as hard-edged as most Statham films, but there's a lot to love about this quirky comedy.

"An uproarious blast of globe-trotting action-comedy delirium that doesn't spoof the espionage-thriller genre so much as drop a series of banana peels in its path." — Justin Chang, Variety

Collateral

Metascore: 71
Best for: Fans of star-studded blockbusters
Where to watch:

, Google Play, HBO Max, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 120 minutes

After several years as a cab driver, Max (Jamie Foxx) finally encounters a memorable client in Vincent (Tom Cruise) — a hitman with a sketchy past. What starts out as just another night on the road for Max turns into a lucrative contract with Vincent, although it quickly spirals into a road trip filled with gunfire and violence. Foxx and Cruise take up most of the screen time, although several big names such as Jada Pinkett Smith and Mark Ruffalo pop up as auxiliary characters throughout the film (starring as Annie and Fanning, respectively). Statham, meanwhile, is credited with a brief cameo as the "Airport Man," although he's largely considered to be portraying Frank Martin from The Transporter.

"Most of the time we are with Cruise and Foxx, and their interplay is never less than galvanizing." — Peter Rainer, Vulture

The Bank Job

Metascore: 69
Best for: Fans of a good old-fashioned heist film
Where to watch:

, Google Play, , iTunes, Pluto TV, Vudu
Runtime: 111 minutes

The Bank Job earned a generally favorable Metascore, largely due to its unique script — which treats viewers to every step in the bank-robbing process. Terry Leather (Jason Statham) plays a car salesman who's trying to leave his criminal past behind him, but former colleague Martine (Saffron Burrows) has different plans for him and once again recruits Terry to help with a foolproof heist. Director Roger Donaldson goes to painstaking lengths to flesh out every detail, and it all pays off with a few big twists and unexpected encounters.

"A heist movie in the classic tradition — it details every aspect of the caper, from its genesis to its aftermath." — James Berardinelli, ReelViews

The Italian Job

Metascore: 68
Best for: Fans of Mini Cooper car chases
Where to watch:

, Google Play, , iTunes,
Runtime: 111 minutes

Filmed throughout Italy, Canada, and Los Angeles, The Italian Job is never at a loss for picturesque backdrops. The sweeping panoramas are reason alone to watch the film, but throw in some of the best car chases in recent memory, and The Italian Job becomes a must-watch for Statham fans. Here he plays Handsome Rob, an expert getaway driver that's assisting Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) pull off a massive $35 million heist and take down an old foe in the process. Much of the story is standard fare for a caper film, but the Mini Cooper car chases are more than worth the price of admission, making this a worthy remake of a 1969 classic.

"The chase scenes in The Italian Job are the most exciting ones I can remember seeing in a movie in a long time." — Stephanie Zacharek, Salon

Furious 7

Metascore: 67
Best for: Fans of high-octane action films, especially Fast & Furious 6
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 137 minutes

Statham plays a large role in the iconic Fast & Furious franchise, Deckard Shaw, starting with the sixth film in the franchise. This one is the seventh and the best-reviewed out of all of the ones he has been in (thus far). Furious 7 sees Deckard chasing down Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) after Dominic's crew put Deckard's brother in the hospital. Directed by James Wan, there's no shortage of stylized shots and over-the-top action. Fans of the long-running series will find much to love here, but even newcomers can enjoy the unbelievable stunts and remarkable chemistry between the star-studded cast.

"The director, James Wan, sends cars repeatedly airborne and seems himself to marvel at the results." — Richard Brody, The New Yorker

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Metascore: 66
Best for: Fans of thriller comedies
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 107 minutes

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is one of the oldest movies on this list (released in 1998), but the British film is widely considered to be an excellent thriller-comedy. Pulling in a generally favorable Metascore, the movie sees Eddy (Nick Moran) suckering his friends into pooling money for a high-stakes poker game against mobster Hatchet Harry (P.H. Moriarty). Of course, Eddy ends up losing all his cash and owing the mobster $500,000, but Harry gives him a week to come up with the funds. What follows is a hilarious (and tense) adventure where Eddy and his pals try to piece together half a million dollars by any means necessary. Statham plays Bacon, one of Eddy's friends who puts money into the game, loses, and ends up on the hook with Eddy.

"A dynamite bundle from British writer-director Guy Ritchie. Even when the accents are as indecipherable as the plot, Ritchie keeps the action percolating and the humor on high." — Marc Savlov, The Austin Chronicle

Fast & Furious 6

Metascore: 61
Best for: Fans of Fast Five
Where to watch:

, Google Play, HBO Max, iTunes,
Runtime: 130 minutes

Dom and his crew have broken thousands of laws by this time in the series, but federal agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) needs some help with his latest task — and in exchange for Dom's help, he's willing to pardon all their past crimes. Dom reluctantly agrees, and the group sets out to neutralize a band of deadly mercenaries. Like previous entries, this one is filled with explosions, supercars, and a whole lot of talk about family. Statham appears in a post-credits scene, setting the stage for his arrival in Furious 7.

"Against all odds, the billion-dollar Fast & Furious franchise is actually picking up momentum, with FF6 clocking in as the fastest, funniest and most outlandish chapter yet." — Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

Cellular

Metascore: 60
Best for: Fans of high-stakes thrillers
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Tubi, Vudu
Runtime: 94 minutes

College student Ryan (Chris Evans) is simply going about his day when he suddenly gets a call from a woman he's never met named Jessica (Kim Basinger), claiming she's been kidnapped. She doesn't know where she is, but Ryan is her only hope of getting out alive and saving her family. Statham steps into the shoes of Ethan — the man behind Jessica's kidnapping — who begins going after her family and increases the stakes for Ryan's rescue mission. What seems like a simple movie at the outset quickly becomes something more intriguing, and it'll keep you guessing until the credits roll.

"Very slick, very compelling and not nearly as predictable as it sounds." — William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

Metascore: 60
Best for: Fans of The Fate of the Furious
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 137 minutes

It took 18 years, but the Fast & Furious series eventually managed to get a spin-off. Diesel and Statham's respective eponymous Hobbs and Shaw are the center of the action, and the tension between the law-abiding federal agent and the loner outlaw drives much of the story. The two are tasked with chasing down Brixton Lore (Idris Elba), a super soldier with past ties to Shaw, and one of the most capable adversaries we've seen in the series. It's missing some familiar faces, but fans of fast-paced action and explosive car chases will find to love about Hobbs & Shaw.

"Hobbs & Shaw is witty and mischievous, full of surprise and invention, and a total blast." — Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

F9: The Fast Saga

Metascore: 58
Best for: People who like cars
Where to watch:

, Google Play, HBO Max, iTunes,
Runtime: 143 minutes

Another entry, another Fast & Furious film. And while it never quite manages to reach the highs of early installments based on its Metascore, we do get to meet Dom's brother — an assassin with a penchant for fast cars and world domination named Jakob (John Cena). Dom is brought news of Jakob's latest evil plan and is forced to leave retirement, once again stepping into the driver's seat and helping his family out of a jam. The plot is just as bizarre as you'd expect, although the set pieces are larger than ever and the explosions never seem to let up.

"Is it a ridiculous movie? Of course, that's the point. Yet it's still kind of fun, and it all but insists that you enjoy watching it." — Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic