The Transporter

Starring: Jason Statham, Qi Shu, Matt Shulze, Francois Berleand, Ric Young
Directed by: Louis Leterrier, Corey Yuen
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Thriller
2002

Times Seen:
Tim: 3

Summary: Frank Martin (Jason Statham) is one of the best transporters in the business. When he breaks his own rule and opens a package, his employer tries to murder him. Now, he seeks revenge.

Review:

Tim: I'll admit I am surprised by how much I liked The Transporter. It did enough to separate itself from the myriad other actions movies that continually roll out of Hollywood. If I am being completely honest, I was sold in the trailer when the guy goes to answer the door, looks through the peephole, and you see Jason Statham flying through the air, kicking the door down. That is especially cool. Luckily, the coolness of the trailer is backed up by the movie, which is just far cooler than the majority of action flicks. I really enjoyed this film.

I love the character of Frank Marshall. He felt so different from the majority of action heroes. He has a very structured, ordered, organized life. He has simple rules that he never, ever breaks. He wants to live a quiet life, but he also happens to be an exceptional driver and that job often takes him on the wrong side of the law. When he breaks one of his own rules, his structured, ordered life is upturned and he goes all out seeking vengeance. I just really, really liked this character and found him different and refreshing. Statham might not be the greatest actor in the world, but he's an incredible fighter on screen and does have a certain amount of British charisma. I enjoyed his performance and it's one of the chief reasons this movie is so good.

The other big benefit is that there's some incredible action sequences throughout the film. Besides the door-knocking-down moment, you have a pretty impressive fight sequence once Statham gets in the house. There's a completely original fight scene where Statham is covered in motor oil. The scene on the highway with the semi was a bit much, but it's still an impressive fight sequence. These scenes were significantly better than the usual action scenes and helped elevate this film towards the upper levels of the genre.

The supporting cast is a bit weak. I thought Qi Shu was a pretty bad actress and I didn't believe anything she did. Matt Schulze was slimy but ultimately a bit too forgettable as a villain. I will say that I loved the performance of Francois Berleand. He brought class and realism to the film and he steals nearly every scene he's in. I haven't recognized him from any previous films, but I was very, very impressed with his performance. He's one of the best parts of the movie.

Look, The Transporter might not be a great movie, but it's a really, really fun action movie. It's clearly better than many similar films. It delivers a unique, entertaining experience and offers some great action sequences. I had a ton of fun watching this movie and it's one I would highly recommend.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Snatch; Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels