On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 52/166 |
David Mumpower |
Delivers exactly what it promises with Jason Statham continuing to hit a perfect note as an action hero. |
| 66/85 |
Kim Hollis |
It wasn't terrible. But it was also cringe-worthy at times. |
Frank Martin handles special deliveries for a living. His professional success is predicated upon always obeying three simple rules.
Rule #1: Never change the deal
Rule #2: No names.
Rule #3: Never look in the package.
In 2002, Martin discovered that all rules are made to be broken, even his own. Once he opened a package, he was never the same again. The “package” turned out to be a beautiful woman named Lai, and The Transporter found himself helping her escape from her captors. In the process, a new form of slick action sequences was created, and they all had one thing in common: style over substance. Highlights included a thug answering the door falling victim to a Keyhole Cam-beating and a group of mercenaries being punked out by a man armed only with bicycle brakes. Director Corey Yuen and co-director Louis Leterrier didn’t win over many critics with their unusual flair. He did, however, convince Fox that Frank Martin, The Transporter, could be a franchise. Sequel-itis! Catch it!
The key to the success of the first film is its star, Jason Statham. The actor, best known for his work in the Guy Ritchie film, Lock, Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels, and 2003’s summer hit, The Italian Job, is an unlikely Hollywood star. He offers an unusual look as well as believability as a legit tough guy. And the thick British accent has proven rather popular with the ladies as well. Statham is well aware of the problems the first film had, so his comments about The Transporter 2 are both surprising and encouraging. He acknowledges in an interview with IGN that the original was imperfect, but that the new script addresses those flaws. The sequel will be set in the United States with a goal of more weight being placed on the storyline while still maintaining the incredible action sequences viewers of the first film would expect. (David Mumpower/BOP)
