English actor Statham's breakout role came in Guy Ritchie's film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels which introduced Statham to audiences and showed that he has often under-utilized variety. Throughout the 2000s, Statham continued his career in action movies, becoming increasingly popular – though one 2008 movie remains perhaps the pinnacle.

By 2024, Jason Statham has long since established himself as a household name and a certified action star. He is now best known for his roles in the Transporter trilogy, The Expendables series, and the Fast & Furious franchise. However, Statham's thriller The Bank Job, directed by Roger Donaldson, is still one of his best performances and most interesting roles to date,.

Jason Statham Gives A Great Performance In The Bank Job

Statham Combines Believable Acting With Action

One of Jason Statham's biggest draws as an actor is that he can reliably deliver an entertaining and action-packed performance, and The Bank Job is no exception. The Bank Job follows Terry Leather and a team of robbers that he assembles to rob a London bank, not knowing the full story behind the job. The job becomes increasingly fraught as the team becomes entangled with other groups who are also after the contents of the safe deposit box that they stole.

The Bank Job is able to combine the action that Statham is known for with the tension and drama of a heist movie. Likewise, Statham's acting follows this dramatic queue. In contrast to some of Statham's other action films, which provide lots of memorable sequences with little clear plot, The Bank Job has a clear story that allows audiences to sit with the character of Terry Leather for a longer time and understand the context of the situation, and Statham's performance brings the character to life.

Jason Statham Movies Can Fall Down On Their Story, But The Bank Job Doesn't

The Bank Job Is An Entertaining And Well-Made Heist Thriller

Along with Jason Statham's performance in The Bank Job, the movie is a well-made heist-thriller all-around. Part of the reason why The Bank Job is so successful in creating drama and tension throughout the heist is because The Bank Job is based on a true story. The film is inspired by the events of the 1971 Baker Street Robbery in London, in which the robbers tunneled underground to reach the bank's vault. While The Bank Job alleges that the contents of the safe deposit box had connections to MI5 and the British royal family, it remains unclear exactly how much is fictionalized.

Though some of Jason Statham's movies fall down on their stories in favor of adding as many action sequences as possible, The Bank Job avoids this mistake thanks to its historical basis and its ability to balance action with a narrative arc.

The facts of this historical event, along with a number of events added for dramatic effect, combine to make The Bank Job a very entertaining watch. Though some of Jason Statham's movies fall down on their stories in favor of adding as many action sequences as possible, The Bank Job avoids this mistake thanks to its historical basis and its ability to balance action with a narrative arc.

Jason Statham Has Only Become A Much Bigger Movie Star Since The Bank Job

Statham Has Been In Some Of The Biggest Action Movies Of The 21st Century

Statham's performance as Terry Leather can be seen as an indication of what his future performances had in store and a reminder to rewatch his past successes. Over the 16 years since the release of The Bank Job, Statham's career has moved away from the British productions that he initially starred in, toward Hollywood blockbusters. This is evidenced by the fact that, prior to The Bank Job, Statham acted in only three films that ed the $100 million mark globally, but he has since starred in 15 more that sured that mark, including two that have exceeded $1 billion (via The Numbers).

The Bank Job came at an interesting point in Statham's career, as he had already been acting for over a decade and had been in multiple successful movies. However, his star continued to rise exponentially after this performance, and he has since been involved in some of the most profitable action films of the 21st century, particularly in the Fast & Furious franchise. While The Bank Job is not necessarily the definitive turning point of Jason Statham's career, an honor more likely bestowed on The Expendables, it is a reminder of some of his most impressive acting.

Source: The Numbers