Jason Statham is no stranger to working with some seriously talented people, but perhaps the most impressive cast he’s ever featured in bizarrely came in his worst-ever movie. With a track record in action franchises like The Fast and the Furious and The Expendables, Statham has arguably forged his reputation by augmenting ensembles. And yet, while these movies have become some of Statham’s best-known releases, one oft-forgotten film still reigns supreme as the pinnacle of Jason Statham’s screen collaborations.
It speaks to Statham’s strengths as a performer that he is capable of shining both as a solo lead and a supporting player in a sprawling cast. Even his early career – before he became an action superstar – was defined by performances in projects like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch: both movies that rely on extensive personnel and surprise cameos to succeed. And yet, even with this history, no Jason Statham movie can boast the same level of acting talent as his abominably-reviewed and hilariously incompetent 2007 fantasy-action flick, In the Name of the King.
In The Name Of The King Has An Incredible Cast
The Movie Is Full Of Famous Faces
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Statham has undoubtedly worked with a more varied talent pool than many other actors. In The Italian Job, for instance, he featured alongside Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, and Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron. Statham’s various Guy Ritchie collaborations saw him partner with Brad Pitt, Vinnie Jones, Benicio del Toro, and Stephen Graham, to name just a few, while The Expendables series pitted him alongside action royalty like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis. However, when it comes to the caliber of personnel, combined with the incongruity of the setting, no movie can beat In the Name of the King.
Alongside Statham, the movie boasts screen legends Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, Ron Perlman, Jonathan Rhys Davies, and Matthew Lillard.
Despite being a total disaster, In the Name of the King has a staggeringly impressive ensemble cast. Alongside Statham, the movie boasts screen legends Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, Ron Perlman, Jonathan Rhys Davies, and Matthew Lillard. Alongside these main players are supporting turns from Golden Globe nominee Leelee Sobieski, Terminator 3’s Kristanna Loken, Meet Joe Black star Claire Forlani, and many other recognizable faces like Brian White and Mike Dupod. While Statham has made many ensemble movies, In the Name of the King still counts as one of, if not the most stacked casts he’s ever been a part of.
Why In The Name Of The King’s Cast Is So Good
It’s Not Immediately Clear Why They Were Involved
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Part of what makes In the Name of the King’s cast so intriguing is the fact that the film itself was such a failure. Directed by the infamous German auteur Uwe Boll, there was not a lot about the project that indicated it would be anything other than a critical and box office flop. Judging by some of the dialog that made it into the final cut, it seems unlikely that the script contained anything particularly persuasive.
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While there is no definitive explanation for the cast’s involvement – contemporary interviews promoting the movie are almost impossible to find – the simplest explanation seems to be financial. Unlike many Uwe Boll projects, which often attempt wildly ambitious stories on a limited budget, In the Name of the King was made for a comparatively massive $60 million. Given the limitations of the movie’s special effects, it seems reasonable to suggest that a sizable proportion of this went into securing the movie’s cast – although many members would likely reject the idea that their motivations were purely pecuniary.
In The Name Of The King’s Cast Couldn’t Save The Movie
The Film’s Problems Went Far Beyond Personnel
Even though In the Name of the King’s cast list is impressive, the fact is that any number of Oscar-winners and screen legends would have been powerless to fix the film’s biggest flaws. The movie currently holds a derisory 4% critical score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes – lower than every other Jason Statham movie. Even before addressing problems with some performances, critics cited a nonsensical story, laughably poor dialog, shonky special effects, and incoherent editing – leading to the worst reviews of Jason Statham’s career.
As is the case with many of Jason Statham’s other bad movies, In the Name of the King has largely faded into obscurity. However, it is nonetheless remarkable that a film that displayed such uniform incompetence managed to attract such a talented array of performers. While there is little else to recommend the movie, there is something astonishing about seeing so many bona fide screen legends try to salvage a production so inept.