Jason Statham is no stranger to movie franchises, starting with The Transporter movies and continuing with The Expendables series, which has a third installment in the works that is looking to add even more action movie stars. Statham's latest, the action thriller Parker, opens today, and could be yet another franchise for the British action star. After all, the character of Parker has been the subject of 24 novels from the late author Donald E. Westlake, which means that there could be plenty Parker movies if audiences respond positively.
A career criminal, Parker sticks to a moral code that means he doesn't steal from the poor or hurt innocent people but has no problem resorting to violence if someone deserves it (see both Lee Marvin and Mel Gibson's portrayal of the character in 1967's Point Blank and 1999's Payback, respectively, for more info). In Parker, the anti-hero is betrayed by his crew and left for dead, so he heads to Palm Beach, Florida, seeking revenge and taking their next heist for himself as well. The movie looks like a perfect opportunity for Statham, an actor who seems uniquely dedicated to making nothing but action movies. But how much do you know about Statham's career? If you've got eight hours, we can make you a Statham expert.
time for the "essential statham" >> Posted 01.25.13 by Ryan