Long before becoming The Transporter and being an action movie icon, Jason Statham made himself known to the world with a movie that surprised everyone and became a true cult movie.

Directed by none other than the great Guy Ritchie (it was his debut feature, so he was not yet THE Guy Ritchie of the present) and released in 1998, this particular film tells the story of an unfortunate group of friends who find themselves involved in a situation much more complex than you think.

In Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels , Bacon, Soap, Tom and Eddy are lifelong friends. Each one with a somewhat eccentric profile but who understand each other in their own way. One day, they decide to raise a large amount of money to participate in a card game organized by Harry, the neighborhood mobster. They fully trust Eddie’s ability, who was the one who convinced them to enter. What they did not count on is that Harry tricks them to win the game, aware of Eddie’s abilities.

The friends then find themselves £500,000 in debt and all their savings lost. As if that were not enough, Harry gives them two options: either they pay the money, or he stays with Eddie’s father’s place. And if they are late, he will cut off a finger for each day they are late.

But the 4 friends will find themselves with an option that is as surprising as it is risky: they accidentally listen to the plan of a group of thieves to keep some money, so all they have to do is get the money from them.

In the best Ritchie style, an exponent of British action and comedy cinema, this film will not save on bizarre situations, surprises and interesting aesthetic proposals to make this adventure a totally unforgettable moment.

Starring the aforementioned Jason Statham , Nick Moran, Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher and Steven Mackintosh, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels had a smaller budget, which was not an impediment for it to become one of the great revelations of the year. Although it is also true that its success occurred somewhat gradually, to the point that over the years it established itself as a cult film, especially due to the career of the director.

This film has recently arrived on Amazon Prime Video and is an absolutely unmissable and highly recommended option.