The Transporter (2002) User Reviews

Fun Movie

[Stephen-miles-ii · 7/10 · 1 July 2020]

It is light fare, but amusing and full of action.

A man is asked to 'transport' a package which soon ends up making a human mule. Then the fun begins. The actress is hot and Statham is just cool.

colorful action picture

[Buddy-51 · 27 October 2002]

`The Transporter' is pretty good for what it is - a sleek, slick, high-octane action thriller that couldn't possibly expect us to believe anything we are seeing on screen and, quite frankly, doesn't care that we don't. That attitude is probably all for the best in this case, since it allows the filmmakers to devise elaborate action and stunt sequences without having to pay the slightest heed to that fantasy killjoy known as `credibility.'

Jason Statham literally drips attitude as The Transporter, a stolid, nattily dressed former military man who spends his time delivering packages (no questions asked) all over the French Mediterranean for what turn out to be some pretty shady criminal clients. One day he discovers that the `package' he is to deliver happens to be a human being - a pretty young Chinese girl named Lai Kwan who has been dropped, bound and gagged, into the trunk of the sporty car on which he lavishes most, if not all, of the love and caring he has to offer. Yet, Frank turns out, despite his initial air of callous and self-serving indifference, to be a criminal-type with a heart of gold, and he is soon helping Ms. Kwan foil an attempt by her nefarious father to sell a crate load of Chinese immigrants into slavery. However, the plot is the least of the matter when it comes to a movie like `The Transporter.' This film is far more concerned with attitude and style than it is with its storyline, which exists merely as a vehicle on which to hang all the explosions, car chases and kickboxing fight scenes that have become the stock-in-trade for modern action pictures. The movie is well directed, well edited and quite beautifully photographed by cinematographer Pierre Morel, who gives the film's French Riviera setting a bright, sparkling sheen. In fact, Morel's camerawork here is some of the best I have seen in a film in a very long time.

In addition to Statham, who makes for a very `cool' action film hero, Francois Berleand turns in a wonderful performance as a shrewd, wisecracking police inspector who knows that Frank is up to something but who has enough faith in his own instincts to at least give the man the benefit of the doubt. Qi Shu is cute and charming as the uninvited and unwelcome `complication' that steps into Frank's smooth-running, well-ordered life.

`The Transporter' is the cinematic equivalent of junk fast food - not high in nutritional value, but quickly consumed and satisfying when you don't have the time or inclination for something more demanding. Like its cool-under-pressure protagonist, the film delivers the goods.

An excellent action movie!

[Rooster99 · 9/10 · 12 May 2003]

All action movies should strive to be this imaginative! OK, the plot was not particularly intriguing, but what action movie's actually is? But the plot was secondary to the action, it only served to make the bad guys bad and the good guys good. The rest was up to Jason Statham's considerable fighting talents.

There were some unbelievable yet jaw-dropping stunts, a terrific fight scene in oil, and some great car chase scenes. There were no smarmy one-liners making light of good action sequences as is too often the case in American-directed action flicks. The hero was cold, yet compassionate. He didn't kill unnecessarily, but when he had to, he was ruthless. There are many great action sequences, some so unbelievable you have to just shake your head and remember that action movies are not supposed to be based on reality. There is even a great shot of the hero jumping off a speeding semi while it races over a bridge onto the back of a bus going perpendicular to the truck under the bridge!! I mean, come on! It would never happen, but I have to give credit to the stunt coordinator who imagined the possibilities.

There is another hilarious scene where the hero chases down an airplane on foot, hijacks it, jumps out of the plane at great altitude in order to land on the back of a speeding transport with a conveniently located borrowed parachute! I am glad all crop dusters carry such indispensable equipment and that it is so easy to land on the back of a truck speeding down the highway at 130 KM/hour.

All in all, 90 minutes of sheer enjoyment. Even with the predictable ending, I have to highly recommend this movie. If you can suspend belief for a little while, you will be rewarded.

Jason Statham action star.

[Captain_Couth · 8/10 · 27 August 2005]

The Transporter (2002) was a fun action film that was directed by Jet Li's fight director Corey Yuen and it starred Jason Statham. Jason stars as Frank Martin. He's a hired gin who does driving jobs for a hefty fee. For his services he'll use his superb driving skills to get his paying customers out of a jam. He asks no questions and needs precise instruction in order to perfectly time his getaways. His number one rule is to never ask questions. One day he takes a gig from a sleazy and shady man named Betancourt (Matt Schulze). Instead of delivering the goods, he breaks his number one rule and peeks inside the package...

A fun action film filled with bone breaking action and wild stunts. People have unfairly slammed this movie for being unrealistic. What do you expect? The action scenes are performed to flamboyant ans stylized you have to suspend belief. It's one of those movies that doesn't throw in realism all of a sudden to make the movie more interesting. Jason Statham is pretty cool as well as the Transporter and he seems legit, not another tough guy phony. HE looks like he can knock the tar out of you in a real fight. Co-stars Shu Qi (she learned to speak English phonetically for her role in this movie).

Highly recommended.

Statham & Style Elevate The Action

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 18 June 2006]

I still rate this pretty high even if the last 10 minutes got totally out of hand and went crazy, action-wise. By "out-of-hand," I mainly refer to the usual excessive action and bad guys-keep-missing-good guys-even-from-short range-type mentality. Actually, a lot of the film is that but it's such a fun movie that I didn't care.

Jason Statham is very cool in the lead and it's he that makes this a decent film. I also enjoyed Shu Qi, a very pretty woman; the witty dialog of Francois Berleand and some stylish, tongue-in-cheek directing by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen. Another director whose films are known for their hip styles also co- wrote this: Luc Besson.

Some of the action scenes are outrageous. To Statham's credit, he did most of the action scenes himself. I guess he's a tough guy in real life, too. He's pretty amazing.

A no-brainer-but lots of fun movie.

I Wish lai Would Disrobe

[jamiemoviess · 26 November 2020]

She sure looks like she has a sweet hard body and would be a kitten.

The film is full of action and the French countryside is a fun watch.

Great cult classic for men ....

[vitomacdoc · 9/10 · 4 September 2006]

The first time I watched this movie, I was hooked, I think it is a sleeper cult classic.

This movie has all the makings of a great testosterone flick. It starts with a wild car chase in France, introduces some memorable phrases, adds an attractive woman and antagonist with a very bad hair piece. There is also the required explosions and fight scenes, but they are not over-the-top.

The plot is not spectacular, but hey, it's a guy movie. Jason Statham makes a great tough guy, loved him in The Italian Job as well.

I recommend inviting your friends over, grabbing some Orangina, and watching this great movie.

Smooth Fun!

[suspiria10 · 21 April 2003]

Jason Statham plays the Transporter, an ex-military man who will move anything that needs to be moved...no questions asked. He has three simple rules. But when he breaks his cardinal rule, no peeking, he opens a varitable pandora's box that he might not survive. Statham plays one cool character. I could see him as a serious action hero type. The project was spearheaded by Luc (The Professional) Besson and directed by Cory Yuen. The film has high energy and is a load of fun. The fighting scenes are cool and the beginning and ending sequences are a blast. Forget the Fast and the Furious use The Transporter 8/10

A few bumps mar an otherwise decent outing in "The Transporter"

[dee.reid · 7/10 · 31 August 2005]

There's no question that Luc Besson is one of Europe's biggest action producers. I mean with the cult classics "La Femme Nikita" (1991) and "The Professional" (1994) behind him, he's basically been given the green-light for every big action picture he comes across. One of his latest and most ambitious projects was "The Transporter," released in 2002.

I have to admit this is one flick I approached with a very open mind - very open. I mean, I like Jason Statham. I think he's a pretty cool guy and at first, even I questioned his casting as Frank Martin in "The Transporter." But the problem is, and I'm assuming this is the result of the quickly edited action scenes (which were toned down to make the film "PG-13"), he's not being given the room to really be the best he can be.

As the lead character, he's a transporter. He can get you, your associates or your property anywhere, anytime, on time, no questions asked. But you know what? Common sense tells us that it was curiosity that killed the cat, and the cat in this picture thankfully doesn't die some horrible death but instead, curiosity yields him a break - a beautiful woman named Lai (Shu Qi) - bound and gagged, and in the trunk of his BMW.

It's not spoiling much that she and Frank get together and as a result, are forced to do battle with shady and vicious American businessman Wall Street (Matt Schulze) and his army of high-kicking, disposable assassins. There's a little more to the plot and Lai, and the circumstances surrounding her appearance in the trunk of Frank's car, and it involves some smuggling of poor Chinese immigrants from China to Europe, where much of the action takes place.

Speaking of action and there's plenty of it, Statham does display some pretty impressive moves but the frantic editing just doesn't do him justice. He obviously worked out for this part and there are frequent moments when his ripped torso is on display. He also (barely) manages to shy away any possible accusations that he's just a British novelty to American audiences. Director Corey Yuen (whose work on Jet Li's 2001 action film "Kiss of the Dragon" I admired), is behind it and Besson's got a producer credit.

The problem may not be Statham because I think he's a really cool actor with a raspy British accent, but the script is worth some deeper examination by more thoughtful minds. There are plenty of holes and unanswered questions (i.e., the extent of Frank's military training and experiences, Lai and how she wound up with Frank and her quarrelsome relationship with her father who is played by Ric Young, and the plot with the Chinese smuggling).

But why am I making such complaints? "The Transporter" is an action movie; no plot required. Despite some bumps in the road, "The Transporter" is pure action fun from beginning to end, and I got my free ticket to see "The Transporter 2" on Friday.

7/10

Starts at 80 degrees, ends at 20 below zero

[TimBoHannon · 4/10 · 4 March 2007]

Meet Frank Martin. Martin (Jason Statham) is a retired British Special Forces officer currently enjoying retirement in France. Well, sort of retirement. Frank actually makes his living by transporting goods or people from one location to another. His services have made him a millionaire many times over, evidenced by his oceanview palace. The two-tower structure comes complete with fancy gates, a brick driveway, a garden, two kitchens and even an elevator. In his pristine garage resides the only love of his life, a perfect BMW. His services come with three rules: the deal never changes, no names, and never look in the package.

The movie begins when Martin arrives with perfect punctuality outside of the world's richest bank. He is to whisk three robbers to safety, but four emerge. Citing rule number one, Martin refuses to leave and calmly explains why he cannot carry four men. The lead robber puts a gun to his head, but without the ignition code, he cannot drive. Checkmate. The panicking leader executes the fourth man.

Martin starts the car and is pursued by police in a wild chase through busy streets and narrow alleyways. Dodging and swerving his way to safety, Martin outsmarts the police in the film's high point. This car pursuit has drawn comparisons to a similar scene in The Bourne Identity.

The movie only rests for little while, and then it is on to his next job. His contact explains the job, then says, "It is for a man named..." "No names," Martin interrupts, reiterating his strict adherence to the rules. The client's name is Wall Street, I suppose, since he is only addressed with pronouns. The cargo is large bag to be fit in his trunk.

While tending to a flat tire on the way, he notices his "cargo" squirming. Curiosity gets the best of him, and he discovers a hopelessly bound girl (Qi Shu) with her mouth sealed shut as well. He has no sympathy and completes the deal, but when his customers double cross him, he enacts revenge and the hostage ends up in his home.

The girl, Lai, is grateful for the help and stays with him though she is free to leave. However, her former captors are not too happy with her current quarters. 5,000 bullets later, she informs Martin that she was smuggled in from China as part of a human slavery operation and many more will follow.

Up until this point, the film is performing admirably, but once it's second half commences, the wheels begin to fall off one by one. The chemistry existing between Statham and Shu in the first act quickly evaporates. Not even the discovery of Martin's conscience works.

We are led to believe that Lai's father (Ric Young) is one of the slaves, but we later find out that he is the mastermind behind the operation. This new discovery throws into question why Lai was in the bag in the first place, and raises many other questions as well. The film never gives its audience the courtesy of answering those questions, and it feels as if Luc Besson is making it up as he goes.

The action also goes down the toilet. It mostly consists of Frank being confronted by a group of ruffians and knocking them to the floor. Each man rises up to fight again, and every time he has them beaten more henchmen appear and join the fray. His reluctance to use lethal force is astounding. The invulnerability of every character completely undermines the effectiveness of everything the film wants to do, and reduces it to the level of Beverly Hills Ninja. The climax involves Frank parachuting onto to a semi-truck in an attempt to commandeer it. It is boring, and reminded me of how much more I enjoyed the semi-truck chase in License to Kill.

Statham flourishes as the amoral Martin and Qi Shu fares well as the confused and vulnerable young girl in strange surroundings. Francois Berleand is satisfactory as a friendly but suspicious detective, but has no interesting material. Matt Schulze falls flat in embarrassing fashion with his lifeless treatment of Wall Street. Ric Young is equally bad. Even Shu, who probably set the record for time being bound on camera, becomes a drone in the second half.

Cory Yuen is better than this. Luc Besson is better than this. Moviegoers deserve more than an action film that slowly destroys itself. The first half warrants a good score, but what follows is so putrid that The Transporter rates only a four out of ten.

Pretty good action movie.

[MR_Heraclius · 7/10 · 23 February 2020]

The action/fight scenes themselves would explain the rating I'm giving this movie! Sure some of the action scenes are over the top but not so much to take away from the film itself, so for me, it worked! I thought the French detective guy played his role nicely and so did the Asian girl. This is definitely a rewatchable movie because some of the action/fight scenes are a nicely executed.

A Guilty Pleasure

[stephen-mooney · 7/10 · 29 March 2006]

I first saw this a few years ago, on a rainy day and I nipped into the cinema in the late afternoon to get dry and warm. How glad am i? A film that basically came out of nowhere and helped secure Jason Statham's reputation as being the hardest Englishman in the business (Vinnie Jones? Please!) and one of the most popular actors in America. Its pure adrenaline from the first car case, right through to the homo-erotic but brilliantly choreographed oil fight. Statham's no Tom Hanks in the acting stakes - but then he is not required to be. He's required to look hard as nails and run, jump and punch a lot. Which he does - a lot. The biggest let down of the film was the weak ending. You know that the girl will save his life and kill her father, you know it - but you really don't want it to happen and when it does, well - lets just say that every time i watch the ending I want to throw the TV out the window. Anyway - pure blokes film, great fights, great stunts, cars, guns, sexy woman and it may never win any awards for best screenplay, but that doesn't mean its not worth checking out. And if your girlfriend/boyfriend complains - just mention buffed up men with no shirts on, covered in oil.

One of my all-time favorites of the Action genre

[deltajuliet · 8/10 · 21 February 2006]

Where to start......

The Transporter starts out with a spectacular car chase through Monaco. Statham (this is the first film I saw him in; he's now one of my favorite actors) dazzles the screen as the amazing driver of the BMW right from this opening.

I could talk about character development (and there is some on Frank's, Statham's character's, part), acting (and it was decent), et cetera, but in all honesty, that's not what this film is about. This is about having fun, watching some amazing martial arts, and viewing some great driving. Not to say that it totally relies on action (I absolutely loathe xXx for everything it represents), just that the action scenes are simply the highlights of the film.

And that's why this is one of my favorite action films. The martial arts were some of the best I've seen. Though they may not have been all entirely believable (well, this is an action film), they were always at least possible (versus something like The Matrix). And they were great eye-candy. The martial arts also utilized many things that haven't been in past martial arts flicks (ex: fighting in oil, thus much slipping around, etc). Basically, action = good.

The action direction that Corey Yuen contributes gives John Woo a run for his money. The cinematography seemed to always provide a clean, crisp French Riviera sunshine that gave a vibe of energy and excitement (and aesthetic appeal). Fight scenes were never hard to follow, and always fun to watch. Car chases were beautiful. I don't know if I've said it yet, but this is a great action film! It's never too over-the-top, and it's not totally non-stop action, so the action that is provided is boosted that much more. A must-see for action-buffs, Statham fans, or Shi Qu fans, this is one of the most recent cult films I know of.

If you like mindless movies (and I mean MINDLESS!)

[Superunknovvn · 5/10 · 1 January 2006]

My comment on "The Transporter" can be summed up quickly. If you like completely mindless movies that don't even try to come up with an intriguing or original plot, realistic characters, believable dialog, suspense, emotion, etc., etc., but are only looking for a fast paced succession of action and martial arts sequences, then this is your movie! And guys, don't even think about bringing your girlfriends along unless they're madly in love with Jason Statham (who could in fact play better roles than this one here). This movie is dumb with a capital "D" and only slightly entertaining for us explosion loving fanboys with the minds of 10 year olds. Hell, even with the mind of a 10 year old you'll still be hard pressed to overlook the stupidity of this script. There are way better action movies than this one and my recommendation is to watch them instead of this stylish, but shallow eye-candy.

Die Hard IV – Do Not Think, and You Will Have an Enjoyable Action Movie

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 7 March 2004]

Nearby Nice, Frank Martin (Jason Statham) transports and delivers illegal cargoes. His business is supported by three basic rule: Rule no. 1 – The deal is never to be changed; Rule No. 2 – No names; and Rule No. 3 – Never watch the cargo. The day he breaks his own rules, he realizes he is transporting a Chinese girl, Lai (Qi Shu), and he gets in many troubles due to his fault. This movie is pure action having all the usual clichés: car chasing, explosions, fights when nobody uses guns, the lead actor gets some kind of involvement with the victim etc. But the choreography is excellent and the action scenes are great. Jason Statham recalls Bruce Willis in `Die Hard'. If the viewer do not think, he will have an enjoyable entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): `Carga Explosiva' (Explosive Cargo')

Spectacular action movie plenty of violent fights and exciting chase scenes

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 2 January 2011]

This thrilling film is packed with unstopped action , stirring car races and sensational fights .The former mercenary called Frank Martin(Jason Statham in his starring debut) turned in security agent is now serving as chauffeur for delinquents and mobsters . He is contracted by a gangster to make a delivery, but when Martin stops along route, he aware his "package" is moving. Frank's curiosity leads him to break the rules, and he discovers the package is delivering to Wall Street contains an amazing surprise . Violating his own personal rules, he breaks his own code and looks inside the trunk , finding its contents to be a wonderful Oriental woman named Lai ( the Chinese Qi Shu ) . Learning that Martin broke the rules and aware about Lai, Wall Street (Matt Schulze) orders his mercenaries to kill him . Later on , he becomes involved in human smuggling by ominous nasties( Matt Schulze, Ric Young). Meanwhile , an astute Police Instector (Francois Berleand ) is investigating the deeds .

This exciting picture gets frenetic action, suspense, thrills, tension , terrific chase scenes, and lots of violence when the struggles and killings happen , being pretty entertaining. Chases galore abound with breathtaking velocities and overwhelming pursuits where the cars bound, leap and fly. It's a run-of-the-mill action film but from the start to the finish the action-packed is interminable. Furthermore , incredible fights with bound and leaps by the trainer master Corey Yeun (artificer of spectacular choreography from Hong Kong cinema) and spectacular chases including a moving ending involving a plane and trucks . Impressive car races and pursuits were made by authentic stunts and computer generator effects. Jason Statham is top-notch as action hero, he lives what seems to be a luxurious life along the French Mediterranean, hiring himself out as a mercenary "transporter" who moves goods from one location to another , he's a tough man fighting stunningly . Matt Schulze is magnificent as an extremely clever villainous .Lively musical score fitting to the action by Stanley Clarke . Spectacularly photographed by prestigious cameraman Pierre Morel (Taken , District 13), subsequently successful director , shot on location in the followings places : Avenue De Saissy, Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, Cassis, Bouches-Du-Rhône, Eze Village, Alpes-Maritimes, Marseille, Nice, Paris, and Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Aix-en-Provence;Saint-Tropez, Var, France , Villefranche-Sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes, France. The motion picture is lavishly produced by the notorious producer , writer and director Luc Besson and well directed by Louis Leterrier (Fury of Titans, Incredible Hulk , Danny the Dog) and Corey Yeun , two notable experts on action cinema. In conclusion the film provides fast and furious entertainment and action unstopped with no sense and developed with fast paced and continuous movement. It's a must see for action lovers .Followed by two sequels Transporter 2 (2005) by Louis Leterrier and Transporter 3 (2008) by Olivier Megaton , repeating Jason Statham and Francois Berleand .

A truly repulsive and ridiculous movie

[dreadfulape · 2/10 · 14 May 2007]

This is one of the stupidest movies ever made. Not just in terms of the logic of its plot. That would be OK. But it is also outrageous in its grotesque representation of the female lead and jarring in its mismatch of derivative elements - fight scenes, car chases and petty sadism.

The car chases are a fair attempt to match the standard of "Ronin". The fight scenes are uniquely detailed attempts to copy the style and energy of Jackie Chan. But the former film is a proper hard-bitten thriller where sinister people on both sides are fighting for high stakes. When cars are driven down public streets, innocent members of the public get hurt. 'Transporter' crosses over into Blues Brothers territory (such as the car leaping into the air from a standing start and landing on the lorry). And yet other elements of the film are deeply nasty (such as the bank robbers assassinating their own members).

Likewise the 'comedy' fighting: Jackie Chan movies work because they know that they are simple fun. This attempts the same thing in a ill-fitting version of a 'hard-bitten' thriller, and ends with sheer nonsense. After the endless fight on the bus and in the station (one man in unarmed combat versus dozens), there is then the ridiculous fight in the oil-covered room, with its absurd bicycle pedal denouement. The hero then returns to the bus station and takes a gun from an injured man. If the injured man had a gun, why didn't he use it? Throughout the movie, the baddies have guns, and use them: except when the scriptwriter decides to fit in some Jackie Chan action.

The 'hero' in this movie is in fact an extremely unpleasant individual. He is quite prepared to deliver The Girl into slavery or whatever fate awaits her. He rejects a number of chances to help her (even after he has discovered the only important thing about the character, that she is (ho-hum) exceptionally attractive). OK - that's the stereotypical anti-hero. But why does she then turn to him for help, help him, cook for him, and fall for him sexually and emotionally? There is no reason whatsoever for her to do this. He should be her enemy quite as much as the 'baddies'. And yet she does. It is an utterly unashamedly misogynist and racist depiction of the "submissive Asian girl", and of the "hot chick" role of females in a action movies generally.

Drive !

[abhisinghsolanki · 9/10 · 6 August 2019]

I like Transportor Series and acting of Jason in the series. Nice movie. Rules: No name! Transport...money...and...that concludes the deal.

Not Very Good.

[shawny-6 · 1/10 · 17 October 2002]

Hi, I've just finished watching The Transporter.

One question. Why would Jason Stathan sign up for this? I know he is capable of much more (e.g. Snatch).

The movie was horrible from start to the end. The chinese chick just put the icing on the cake. She was very annoying. Someone or something should've killed her way before. What about plot? You ask, what plot? Exactly. There was no plot.

Rating 1 out of 10. wait for PPV.

Transport me out of here

[StanleySpadowski · 1/10 · 2 February 2004]

NO SPOILERS BECAUSE YOU SHOULD NOT SEE THIS

Caught this on cable recently, and I have to say avoid it all costs. I think it is probably one of the worst films I have seen in quite sometime, though I am guessing Transporter 2 might surpass that.

Lots of rapid-fire editing (think Robert Rodriguez on PCP) cannot cover up how lame and ridiculous the car chases---he is THE Transporter after all---are. The actual fight scenes, as mentioned by other reviewers, are also hilariously bad as well.

Even worse, though, is the story, or lack of one. As likeable as Statham is in Guy Ritchie films, he is given nothing but horrible dialogue and no plot to work with here. This should not be surprising, considering Luc Besson wrote and produced this. Watch The Fifth Element sometime and try to figure out just what the story was there.

All in all, an utter waste of time.

Hamlet it ain't but of its - very limited kind - better than many

[pfgpowell-1 · 19 November 2011]

Films such as Transporter (and, I should imagine, Transporter 2 and Transporter 3 unless there has been a dramatic change of heart by their producers) highlight one of the dilemmas of IMDBs user ratings system. All the films I come across here have, without exception, been given the 8/10 and 9/10 ratings which only the truly devoted award. And each of of those films has also earned the very pitiful 1/10 and 2/10 ratings.

On the one hand, praise such as 'awesome, dude, truly awesome' and 'real genius, dude, this is the real sh*t' are bandied about like beer at a truckers convention, on the other those same films get also '90 minutes out of my life I'll NEVER get back!!!', 'this SUCKED big time, man!!!' and 'this would get 0/10 if the system allowed it' from other, less enchanted viewers. All that is only to be expected and - cliché alert - wouldn't the world be a duller place if we all thought the same. But what do you do when you see a well-made, entertaining piece of complete schlock which stands head and shoulders about its peer films and then a well-made, very moving and thoughtful film which is unlike the schlock as cheese is to chalk? In all honesty there can be no comparison, yet both deserve a high rating.

Of its kind, Transporter does stand out. But it does so without characterisations and plot entirely. What vague storyline there is simply the help the hero, in this case Jason Statham, roar from one fight to the next. In in Transporter's case it works. Why, I have no idea. Certainly, the producers hired good talent, not least Luc Besson who has latterly made this kind of film his stock in trade. A great deal about this film boasts 'class', except, it has to be said, the film itself. But the point is it doesn't matter. You don't go to your neighbourhood hamburger joint and expect haut cuisine and you would be thought of as dim-witted if you then criticised the joint for not reaching haut cuisine standards.

So those who like this kind of thing, the Transporter movie will get their money's worth and then some. And it would be futile, not to say ineffably silly, to criticise Transporter for being utterly and ludicrously over the top. Because, of course, it is meant to be utterly and ludicrously over the top. It succeeds and stands out for several reasons. One is Jason Statham, the Transporter. I like Jason. I have now seen him in three films and I'm on his side. If Jason gets through his day job by not taking it seriously, he doesn't show it. But nor does he give the impression of believing himself to be 'an artist'. He has a certain quality about him which, if not unique, is rare. He knows what he can do and, presumably, what he can't do, and doesn't pretend. With Jason you feel what you see is what you get. And I like that. I could, of course, be completely wrong, but somehow I don't think so, and it is that certain honesty which comes across on camera and helps to raise what is at heart pretty mediocre material rather higher. Jason gives value for money. If Jason flipped hamburgers, you could be pretty sure they would be stand-out, top-dollar hamburgers. And it is that quality which carries the film as far as I am concerned.

In another's hands the role he takes would go bear-shaped quite soon (although that is not to say there aren't other men about with the same quality as Jason. There are other 'hard men' out their - Vin Diesel and Steven Seagal, although I haven't seen a film by either - but I doubt whether any of the others would carry it off as Jason does. So there you have it: Transporter is not The Merchant Of Venice, On Golden Pond, ET, Schindler's List, The Godfather or any of the other films which get consistently good ratings. It is just another macho piece of b******s. The important difference is that, of its kind, it is rather more impressive (in that way rather like anther Luc Besson scripted film, District 13). Hence my high rating.

All Quiet on the B-action Front

[Flagrant-Baronessa · 6/10 · 2 September 2006]

A hard-boiled ex-soldier (Jason Statham) runs a private 'transporting' business in which he moves goods for clients from point A to point B, no questions asked, no packages opened and no names exchanged. One day, he breaks his own rule by opening the large bag he is transporting and finds a beautiful gagged woman (Qi Shu) in it.

Jason Statham of Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels fame slips into the buff testosterone-fuelled action-hero role with almost effortless conviction and the perfection with which he delivers his cheesy lines deserves credit ("All right, that's enough juice for now."). From the campy winks, the fast-paced drop-kicks and packing punches and just generally badass attitude, Statham clearly masters the B-action genre. He knows what he needs to do to entertain the audience, and he does it like he means business. Hardcore, in other words.

However his "American" accent clearly deserves less credit. If you were BLOWN AWAY by Kevin Costner in Prince of Thieves or Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta, you will like his efforts. Ditto Qi Shu whose performance keeps us guessing (mostly about what the hell she is saying). In all fairness, I thought she was really cute as Lai – the woman who complicates things by popping up from the bag, but also viciously annoying with her little high-pitched girly screams and submissive approach. Thankfully, Statham and Shu's on-screen chemistry makes up for this and facilitates the whole plot on an important, fundamental level. Because they are so different (macho-man vs. girly girl), they somehow look great juxtaposed.

This plot never strays from its template story. Ever. It's simple. It's straightforward. It's action-packed and amazingly fast-paced. Twenty minutes fly past like five. But enough praise, because "The Transporter" really isn't a good movie. Even if you're looking for cheap adrenaline kicks this would not be the first film I'd recommend (it's probably be Poseidon [2006], ha) -- this simply lacks 'oomph' and the good guys are too GOOD and the bad guys are too BAD. Nothing new -- next, please!

6/10

* *1/2 out of 4.

[brandonsites1981 · 16 October 2002]

Transporter (Jason Strathan) is hired to deliver a package for a mobster, but throws one of his own rules out the window by looking in the package and discovering a bound and gagged young woman (Qi Shu), which puts his life in great danger. I have such mixed feelings about this movie. Some of the acting by the supporting actors is rather bad on the other hand though, Jason Strathan has a very natural and commanding presence on screen and makes an interesting choice for an action hero. Qi Shu has a very thick accent and her English isn't very good, but she delivers a very impassioned (and probably better then this film deserves) performance. The cinematography is striking and the direction things moving along nicely. The action scenes are excellent.

Flash & Panache wheel in this basic action film.

[Bob_647 · 8/10 · 31 May 2020]

Jason stars as Frank Martin. He's a hired gin who does driving jobs for a hefty fee. For his services he'll use his superb driving skills to get his paying customers out of a jam. He asks no questions and needs precise instruction in order to perfectly time his getaways.

As the lead character, Statham's a transporter. He can get you, your associates or your property anywhere, anytime, on time, no questions asked. But you know what? Common sense tells us that it was curiosity that killed the cat, and the cat in this picture thankfully doesn't die some horrible death but instead, curiosity yields him a break - a beautiful woman named Lai (Shu Qi) - bound and gagged, and in the trunk of his BMW. The day he breaks his own rules, he realizes he is transporting a Chinese girl, Lai (Qi Shu), and he gets in many troubles due to his fault.

It starts with a wild car chase in France, & introduces some memorable phrases. There are no smarmy one-liners making light of good action sequences as is too often the case in American-directed action flicks. There are some unbelievable yet jaw-dropping stunts, a terrific fight scene in oil, and some great car chase scenes. The Statham is cold, yet compassionate. There is even a great shot of the him jumping off a speeding semi while it races over a bridge onto the back of a bus going perpendicular to the truck under the bridge!! I mean, come on! There is another hilarious scene where the hero chases down an airplane on foot, hijacks it, jumps out of the plane at great altitude in order to land on the back of a speeding transport with a conveniently located borrowed parachute!

There is plenty of action, Statham does display some pretty impressive moves but the frantic editing just doesn't do him justice. He obviously worked out for this part and there are frequent moments when his ripped torso is on display. He also (barely) manages to shy away any possible accusations that he's just a British novelty to American audiences.

A basic action film filled with bone breaking action and wild stunts. People have unfairly slammed this movie for being unrealistic. What do you expect? The action scenes are performed to panache & stylized you have to suspend belief. There are many great action sequences, some so unbelievable you have to just shake your head and remember that action movies are not supposed to be based on reality. Over all, a fun action film filled with bone breaking action and wild stunts.

Stupid plot...

[Rodneyrea69 · 1/10 · 23 December 2017]

Jason is easily, in a blink of an eye, subdued by a bad guy in the middle of the movie. He is so powerful and more skilled than Jason that there is no meaning in watching the rest of the film while Jason fights and beats dozens of bad guys. The movie is not convincing while Statham beats nearly all the bad guy while he is not capable of resisting even a second that bad guy who easily subdues him....I waited for a second confrontation between them but no. The movie ends with without this last battle between them. So l would prefer to see that other guy who kicks the Statham's ass in the movie...