Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels — he discovered Statham’s potential as an actor. At the time, Statham was known as a diver and a model.

Ritchie felt that Statham’s history of working at market stalls would make him perfect for Statham has conquered franchises like The Expendables and Fast & Furious, he’s continued to collaborate with Ritchie — but they still haven’t topped that first movie.

Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels Is Still Jason Statham & Guy Ritchie's Best Collaboration, Despite 4 More Recent Attempts

They've Made Other Great Movies, But None As Great As Lock, Stock

After the success of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Statham and Ritchie promptly reunited for 2000’s Snatch, another sprawling ensemble crime caper that acts as a sort of spiritual sequel to Lock, Stock. In 2005, they made a straightforward action thriller, Revolver, that was widely panned by critics. Following a lengthy hiatus, the pair recently reteamed for the 2021 actioner Wrath of Man and the 2023 spy comedy Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. Some of these movies were great, but none of them were as great as Lock, Stock.

Lock, Stock has a frenetic pace and energy that Snatch didn’t quite manage to recapture. While Revolver is more action-packed, it’s not as exciting as Lock, Stock. Wrath of Man is a solid action movie, but it’s not as tightly edited as Lock, Stock. And Operation Fortune, while it’s a lot of fun, is a total mess. After 26 years of working together, Statham and Ritchie still haven’t made a better movie than Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.

Why Jason Statham & Guy Ritchie Work So Well Together

Ritchie Understands Statham's Appeal As A Movie Star

Ritchie is one of the filmmakers that Statham keeps coming back to, because he understands Statham’s strengths as an actor and his appeal as a movie star better than most other directors. Ritchie has always recognized Statham’s wry comedic abilities, which other directors have often ignored, and given him hilarious material to work with. Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels established Statham’s on-screen persona — an authentic tough guy with a biting sense of humor — perfectly.