2002 was a big year for Jason Statham. It was the year in which The Transporter was first released and it was the year in which Statham’s notoriety began to rise. Before that time he had co-starred in many big films, but it was his portrayal as the confident and suave Frank Martin that led to his current day action star status. Those three original films were conceived on a simple premise: a man with James Bond’s personality transports packages for mysterious clients up until something goes wrong in the process. The films aren’t very heavy on story but instead focus on insane car chases and brutal fight scenes. Fast forward seven years later and a reboot entitled The Transporter Refueled is created by replacing Statham with a new actor named Ed Skrein. Also, the only major difference with the new version of the character is that he doesn’t ever use a gun.
The film starts off in France with Frank (Ed Skrein) and his newly retired father (Ray Stevenson) bonding over dinner until Frank gets a call from a mysterious woman. She tells him that she needs to transport some packages and wants him to do it for her. He agrees and meets her at the specified location. When he finds out that the packages are actually women, Frank reluctantly takes on the task until he is persuaded otherwise. From that point on, Frank and the women are intertwined in a dangerous game of deception involving several wealthy European kingpins.
While the story leaves a lot to be desired, the main reason to see this film is for the action set piece moments. The Statham films relied a lot on CGI and over-exaggerated stunt sequences in order to hype up the action. This iteration however feels a little more grounded in reality while still staying true to the over-the-top nature of the franchise. Frank still drives his Audi in insane ways and fights off numerous thugs with style but it doesn’t seem as cartoonish as it could be. One big highlight in the film is a fight scene involving a tight hallway and lots of drawers. It isn’t terribly long but it is very memorable and something that I haven’t seen done before. Another aspect of the film that I really enjoyed was Ray Stevenson’s performance. He sort of takes the place of Inspector Traconi from the Statham films but here he plays a fun, major character all the way through.
Other than Frank and his father, all of the characters and their dialogue are pretty cringe worthy. They are so bad in fact that numerous times throughout the film many of the characters literally say something that is easily obvious to the audience. In addition, at the beginning of the film a transition scene that shows how characters looked in the past in comparison to how they look now treats the audience as if they are completely inept at recognizing faces. With all that said, the good does outweigh the bad and the film knows what it is and strives for that in the end. So if you want to see some high-octane action that relies more on practical effects instead of CGI, The Transporter Refueled is a fun and easy watch.
The Transporter Refueled:[usr 3]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eeoKyTHn5Kg]
About The Transporter Refueled
Synopsis: A mysterious man that transports unknown items for clients gets more than he’s bargained for when a group of women involve him in their revenge-fueled scheme.
Director: Camille Delamarre
Writers: Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Luc Besson
Stars: Ed Skrein, Ray Stevenson, Loan Chabanol, Radivoje Bukvic
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 96 min
Just call me “Turbo” because it sums me up in a single word. I’m originally from Visalia, California but currently reside in Mesa, Arizona. I’m a movie and video game fanatic with a BA in Film and Media Production from ASU. I try to see every movie that I can (new and old) as well as play the latest video game releases. My goal in life would be to create a feature length film which viewers absolutely love. However, until then I love to entertain people with my 100+ voice impersonations as well as fill them in with the latest movie/ gaming news on Twitter. Facebook.com/turbizl, Twitter: @turbizl
