Safe

An ex special operative takes on a dangerous rescue that starts when a 12 year old Chinese girl is abducted. He intervenes and pulls the girl from her captors, hoping to bring her to safety, but the act sparks a larger pull of attention. Word travels that a sprawling web of criminal power stretches through the city, tying together the Triads, the Russian mob, and corrupt men in city hall and the police force. As the pair move through dim alleys, crowded streets, and backroom deals, the former agent fights to stay ahead of ruthless pursuers who want the girl for themselves at all. The situation quickens into a high stakes showdown where loyalties are tested and every move counts.

Boaz Yakin directs Safe, applying a lean action driven style to a script inspired by urban crime thrillers. Jason Statham leads as Luke Wright, joined by Catherine Chan and James Hong in supporting roles, with the film released in 2012.

Safe grossed about 40.3 million worldwide against a 30 million budget, marking a modest but solid performer for an action thriller, especially given the crowded field of crime dramas released that year and the niche appeal of Jason Statham's style.

Safe did not spark a broad cultural phenomenon, yet it sits with Statham's urban thrillers that mix gritty action with street level crime. The film captures a kinetic New York vibe and a tempo that fans remember as typical mid 2010s genre fare, with practical fight choreography that feels grounded.

Critics applauded the brisk pace and tight action sequences, though some felt the plot skimmed its opportunities for deeper themes. The movie examines loyalty and moral ambiguity amid a city where corruption touches police, politics, and organized crime, forcing a lone defender to act when duty collides with survival itself.