The icon who inspired Jason Statham’s career
In a world full of constant political upheaval, geopolitical instability, and social insecurity, there is one thing you can always count on: the film career of Jason Statham. If you sit down to watch anything with the ‘Stath’ in it, you know exactly what you’re in for. He’s going to play a character with a gruff English accent (regardless of where the film is set) who embarks on a heroic journey that involves lots of shooting, punching, and cringe-inducing one-liners.
Whether he’s a transporter, an expendable, a mechanic, or any of the other near-identical characters he’s made his name with, Statham rarely ever deviates from the formula. In an era where it feels like every actor is trying to break out of a typecast, the man’s commitment to making silly action romps is refreshingly honest. He knows his limits and he’s happy to stick to them, probably because they’ve made him a boatload of cash.
Based on that assessment, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of Statham’s favourite performers also has a very specific remit. Speaking to Rotten Tomatoes about his five favourite films, the star revealed his love for the classic martial arts flick Enter the Dragon. Explaining his passion for the movie, Statham revealed the impact its leading man had on him as a younger lad.
“If we want to talk about the movies that have made an impact in what I do in the action realm—Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon,” he said. “I’ve watched that countless times. That is a standalone pioneer in action movies, and anyone that was inspired by Bruce Lee…I’m sure everyone that has ever done an action movie has just drooled over how full of talent Bruce Lee was, and how unique he was.”
Enter the Dragon from 1973 is widely regarded as one of the greatest martial arts films ever made. It stars Lee as a master fighter employed by the British secret service to infiltrate a tournament on a remote island. He is joined by suave silver fox Roper, played by John Saxon, and blaxploitation rip-off Williams, played by Jim Kelly, is his fight against an evil crime lord, resulting in some truly ridiculous combat sequences that are as hilarious as they are breathtaking. Sadly, this would be the final film Lee completed, as he died one month before its release at the tragically young age of 32.
It’s easy to see why Statham was so smitten by Lee when he was young. The Englishman grew up practising martial arts, just like his idol, as well as following his love of football and diving. These pursuits resulted in an unlikely transition into the movies, but he was able to make use of his various skills to establish himself as a bona fide man of action. As for Lee, while he was also entirely legit, he had a slightly easier route to the top. His father had been an opera star in China and opened many doors for his son when he was still just a child.
They might have taken different paths to get there, but both Statham and Lee now find themselves icons of the action movie world. If they could just work out a deal where the former remakes Enter the Dragon playing the latter’s character, then the circle would be complete.
