Jason Statham’s ‘Shelter’ combines action and emotion

Jason Statham is back in action in “Shelter”, but the British actor says his latest thriller is powered by his character’s emotional arc.

“I haven’t done anything like this. It feels very elevated in terms of the dramatic elements,” Statham said, premiering the movie in London on Tuesday.

Statham plays Michael Mason, a former elite operative hiding out on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides. Accompanied only by his dog, Mason spends his days drinking, drawing and playing chess. An orphaned girl, Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), regularly brings him supplies on a rowboat, but is told to avoid contact.

When a storm breaks out during one of her deliveries, Mason rescues Jesse, setting off events that lead his past enemies on his tracks and forcing Mason to take action to protect the youngster.

The film is about “an improbable pairing” finding purpose in each other, said Statham.

“It’s certainly a slow burn. That gradual crescendo helps audiences connect with the characters,” said director Ric Roman Waugh, known for Greenland and Angel Has Fallen.

“We’re unravelling a mystery in a way that creates empathy, creates [an] emotional bond, so that when you hit the action, you’re not just watching it, you’re participating, and you’re rooting for your heroes,” he said.

A former stuntman, Waugh wanted to place viewers “inside the action” and shoot on real locations.”What you get is a wild ride that is authentic and grounded and gets us away from the visual effects world where nothing feels real anymore,” he said. “Coming from the world of stunts, I’m trying to make you feel what I went through.”

Statham, 58, has a busy year ahead. His other 2026 releases include Mutiny and The Beekeeper 2, and he is about to reunite with filmmaker Guy Ritchie for their sixth feature collaboration, Viva La Madness.

“I’m very excited about that. My main man Guy Ritchie, he started my career almost 30 years ago, so I owe him a lot. He’s a mentor to me. He’s a very special person in my life, and I’ve got a lot of love for the man,” said Statham, noting that shooting would start in a week but revealing no further details about the project.

Shelter, which also stars Bill Nighy and Naomi Ackie, begins its global theatrical rollout on January 28.