Jason Statham basically does one thing, and does that one thing really well, since his debut in 1998 as part of an ensemble of street criminals in Guy Ritchie's first feature film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Statham has carved out a successful niche as a tough, taciturn action man, most recently in "The Bee Keeper."

He has used his idiosyncratic persona to play ongoing roles in the long-running "Wild Speed" and "The Expendables" franchises, but Statham's best work is in smaller, solo films where he can better showcase his talent.

Even within the scope of his particular skill set, Statham has made films ranging from action comedies to gritty crime dramas that feature his signature menacing stare and cockney accent. Here are the five best of Statham's films available for streaming right now.

Writer/directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor really let Statham loose in this chaotic, over-the-top action film. He plays Chev Chelios, a hitman who is betrayed by his employer and injected with a slow-acting poison that eventually stops his heart. Chelios must keep the adrenaline pumping in order to save his life as he races all over Los Angeles in search of revenge and an antidote.

This allows Neveldine and Taylor to put Chelios in a series of ridiculous situations, from frantic public sex with girlfriend Eve (Amy Smart) to snorting cocaine from a dirty bathroom floor. Statham is open to whatever the filmmakers throw at him, and "Crank" is only possible because he is fully committed to all of the stylized absurdities. It is action movie mayhem in its purest form.

View on Peacock

After playing supporting roles in several films, Statham landed his breakout lead role as the title character in this fast-paced action thriller produced and co-written by French genre expert Luc Besson. Statham plays Frank Martin, a professional driver who specializes in illegal cargo transport with no questions asked. He breaks his own rule when he looks inside his latest shipment and discovers a kidnapped woman.

Almost killed by his client, Frank teams up with Lai (Su Qi), the woman he was hired to transport, to exact revenge and rescue a cargo container full of human trafficking victims. The plot is flimsy and almost nonexistent, but the action scenes, directed by Hong Kong martial arts veteran Corey Yuen, are inventive and fun. Statham carries the film lightly with his charisma and athleticism.

Watch on Starz (via Prime Video)

Speaking of heist movies with "Job" in the title, Statham has a supporting role in the zippy hit entertainment "The Italian Job," which is roughly based on an actual bank robbery in London in 1971 He is at the center of this more down-to-earth period piece, which is based roughly on an actual bank robbery in London in 1971. Terry Leather, played by Statham, is a small-time crook, but he is offered a story that seems too good to be true. His friend Martine (Saffron Burrows) tells him about an unprotected bank vault with hundreds of safety deposit boxes that are vulnerable to theft.

The reality is more complex, involving secret agents, government officials, and various underworld figures, all of whom have their own angle on the contents of those boxes. Statham plays Terry with steely determination and just the right amount of self-doubt in a film that focuses more on precise planning and interpersonal tension than violent action.

View on Peacock

Statham has had a long and fruitful working relationship with director Guy Ritchie, and this lively, lighthearted action film is a highlight of their work together. Statham plays the leader of a team of secret agents in pursuit of a stolen weapon. It's a flashy, energetic piece of nonsense reminiscent of James Bond and the Mission: Impossible movies.

Statham gets to play the lead in a blockbuster-style caper that outshines the actual blockbusters that relegate him to smaller roles. The film has hilarious one-liners and solid fight scenes, and the rest of the cast clearly has a good time.

Watch on Starz (via Prime Video)

Statham is known primarily as a grim, glowering action hero, but he is not without a sense of humor, and this Melissa McCarthy comedy gives him the opportunity to gleefully poke fun at his own image gives him the opportunity to gleefully poke fun at his own image. The film's use of the familiar Statham as McCarthy's clumsy CIA analyst counterpart provides plenty of natural comedic fodder, since the two are not only in the same room, but also in the same room, where they are both in the same room, and where they are both in the same place, in the same room.

After her partner's death, the inexperienced Susan Cooper, played by McCarthy, is forced to go into the field over the objections of her tough guy colleague Rick Ford (Statham). While the overconfident Ford mainly gets in her way, Susan eventually proves surprisingly adept at the art of espionage. Statham gets big laughs for her straightforward performance, giving added credibility to the "action" aspect of writer-director Paul Feig's highly entertaining action comedy.

Watch at Max