Jason Statham: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

5 Awesome Performances...

5. Luke Wright - Safe (2012)

Safe didn't get enough attention or credit when it was released. Statham led the movie as Luke Wright, an ex-cop who lost his wife and is living in a hell perpetuated by the mob as they kill everyone that comes into contact with him. Wright finds new meaning in life when he comes across a young girl named Mei (Catherine Chan) who is a master of numbers. Dirty cops, the triad and the mob all want a piece of her, but Luke just won't have it.

The opening section of Safe is pretty powerful if you give yourself over to it: Wright comes home to find his wife murdered and her killers lying in wait for him. For those who accuse Statham of being a one-note actor, the counter-proof is here - he subtly and wholly convincingly conveys the horror and the pressure of the situation without over-flamboyance or hyperbole, and the success of the character is built on that grounding moment.

Safe also required Statham to play a more guarded character, who took no pleasure in the pain he inflicted. He was a reluctant hero and Statham brought this across nicely as well. He played a man that didn't want to fight, who was forced to make the step in order to protect not only himself, but also the little girl.