Jason Statham's Action Thriller Still Beats Any Movie He Ever Made

Published Oct 20, 2026, 6:41 AM EDT

27 years after his big screen debut in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Jason Statham has battled many foes as an action star. He punched a giant shark in The Meg, pumped up the adrenaline in Crank, and went from villain to hero in the Fast and Furious franchise. This path to tough guy immortality began, however, with arguably his strongest action movie to date: The Transporter. A thrilling mixture of fight scenes, clever comebacks, and a compelling lead character, it’s no wonder he would go on to be recognized by legends of the genre.

Jason Statham Plays a Delivery Driver with a Strict Code

The Transporter stars Statham as Frank Martin, a former special operations soldier now working as a private driver and courier for the criminal underworld. He works by three rules: never change the deal, no names, and never open the package. However, when his latest job – delivering a woman for human traffickers – turns sour, he must use all of his skills to save their lives, and get some revenge.

Released in 2002, the film was the feature debut of Louis Leterrier (co-directed with Corey Yuen), who would go on to direct Marvel’s The Incredible Hulk, Clash of the Titans, and Now You See Me. It was written and produced by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), and proved a box office success. Statham returned for two more sequels in 2005 and 2008, while a TV spin-off and 2015 reboot would also be produced. It’s the first film, however, that began a legacy for the star.

‘The Transporter’ Showcases Jason Statham’s Athleticism, Presence, and Humor

Image via 20th Century Fox

Statham had already played a tough guy in his first few roles, most notably as the lead character in Guy Ritchie’s Snatch and working opposite Jet Li in The One. The Transporter, however, showed off his potential as an action star in every sense of the word. A former elite diver and expert martial artist, Statham’s ability to create well-choreographed, intricate fight scenes made Frank the ultimate one-man army, dispatching villains in elaborate ways, such as one unforgettable fight in a parking garage where he uses motor oil to gain the advantage over a group of adversaries. In addition to looking like he could win a fight, he gave Frank the intelligence to outthink his opponents.

Alongside his physicality was the presence of an action hero. His character is controlled, driven by a code, but still capable of explosive violence. Statham had a calm focus on screen that balanced those two extremes, showing how they could both exist in one man. He also had a dry comic delivery; his sarcastic comebacks towards villains and ability to use unusual objects in fights (such as wearing bike clips to balance himself during the oil fight) give him personality while still maintaining mystique.

‘The Transporter’ Made Jason Statham an ‘Expendable’

The success of The Transporter not only made Statham a star, it made him a star in a genre that, at that time, was mostly rooted in the past. The 2000s saw Hollywood begin to lean toward franchises rather than promoting a new film around a single star, something that had created a lack of natural successors to the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Statham stood out, with The Transporter leading to many other action hits that span several decades.

In 2010, Stallone recognized that quality by making Statham his partner-in-crime in The Expendables, a dream crossover of action stars from the past, that included Statham as the face of the present. The combination was such a success that it led to three more sequels of its own, with the British actor at the center of every story and fighting alongside legends such as Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, and Chuck Norris. Statham’s membership in this fraternity of tough guys stood on the foundations that The Transporter built.

Jason Statham would make some of the most successful movies of all time as part of the Fast and Furious series (which saw him reunite with Leterrier for the tenth and most recent installment). However, the simplicity and excitement of The Transporter set the tone for his high-flying career, and remains one of his most entertaining performances.