MOVIE REVIEW: ‘The Transporter’ delivers — unrestricted — Grade B
Finally, an action movie that was more than over-priced Hollywood explosions and dim-witted one-liners.
So was this movie great? Yes and no. It was a great action movie. But it was a so-so movie without the action. Although, that is the case with every action movie ever made. Some, like this one, are just better than others (need I remind you about “The Tuxedo?”).
With that said, I really did enjoy myself. This was not a thinking movie. It was not a movie made to drive home some great point of moral right and wrong. This was escapist entertainment at its best. And it did its job.
There are a few people to thank for this. Director Corey Yuen, an experienced martial arts choreographer and director, crafted one of the finest collections of spot-on action sequences in the past several years. He blended Asian film-making with European sensibility and wit and made it look like a marriage that was meant to be. Throw in a touch of good old American fighting and action, and you have one hell of a good film.
Luc Besson, co-producer and co-screenwriter, adds the Euro-touch this film needed to set it apart from other action flicks. Robert Kamen adds his own touch to the screenplay. He is one of the writers who worked on the “Lethal Weapon” franchise, so it is bound to be a decent script, as far as the testosterone-driven elements go anyway.
There were some problems with the story line. Some of it is very unrealistic – people falling in love and all that stuff. But it’s not the film’s fault; it is an action movie, after all.
Jason Statham, who plays Frank Martin (the transporter), adds a flare that has been missing from the action world. He is strong enough to pull off the fighting and has enough style to almost be Bond-like, a nice combination for a hero. He makes “Triple X” look like he was playing around.
This film had it all: great fighting, amazing stunts and the best car chase on film. And what a fun touch to place it all in beautiful France. The editing, both film and sound, was also impeccable. This was just the best action film to hit the screens in a long time. But who can top a fight sequence filmed in an oil slick?
“The Transporter” was interesting with a bit of intrigue thrown in to punch it up. It was well-filmed, classy, stylish and enjoyable.
And what did I learn from this movie (for those needing a moral)? 1 – Stick to the rules. 2 – No names. 3 – No peeking (if I had learned this as a kid, Christmas would have been more fun).
“The Transporter” delivers – unrestricted.
Justin Berry is working on his second bachelor’s degree in theater performance. He can be reached at justinsb26@hotmail.com.