Safe (2012) (26/50 movies)

Let me start by saying that I think the AV Club, to me, might be the best pop culture website. Or at least my favorite one. It's the first place I go for any review whether it be movies or music, they're writing, whether I always agree or not, is always interesting and thoughtful.  Why am I bringing them up here? In a a rare miss, in their review for the new Jason Statham vehicle, Safe, they keep going on about how Jason Statham can, and I am paraphrasing, sell a punch but can't sell his vulnerability. Here's the thing: going into a Jason Statham movie who is looking for his acting? I mean he does the bare minimum anyway, but here, again he is the proverbial "Man PUSHED TOO FAR", an unstoppable killing machine taking apart corrupt cops,  and Chinese and Russian mobs, in Manhattan, all so he can protect a kid who, like him, is alone in the world. And really, that's all you need, it's not art, for sure, but when Statham gets into ass kicking mode there are really are few better. And, unlike the AV Club, I enjoyed his one-liners, particularly the one before takes a part a roomful of Russian mobsters. Sure there is a macguffin here, the ones that are always there: why is there always a briefcase full of secrets and/or a disk with ALL the information that will bring down EVERYONE? (Here to up the ante there is both). But seeing as it is a Jason Statham movie: does he do a good job doling out righteous street justice? Answer: yes. Movie successful and fun to watch. There is also a whole sequence of him getting on and off the subway where the man never once uses the door.

I just have to link to this, because it remains probably my favorite thing written about Jason Statham. It pretty much sums up the Jason Statham phenomenon perfectly. Patton Oswalt's Gay-tham for Statham

-Kevin