Review: The Transporter

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The Transporter, frankly, rocked.

I’m not sure there’s much more to say on the matter than that.

For those who don’t already know, The Transporter is an action film about a guy, Frank Martin (played by Jason Statham)who used to be in the military (what action hero wasn’t in the special forces?) but now has resorted to a life of crime. He transports packages - of any nature - from one place to another, no questions asked, guaranteed delivery.

This doesn’t sound like the guy is too high up on the criminal ladder, does it? I mean, the guy’s basically a high-priced mule. You know what? That doesn’t matter. From the second you start watching this movie, it’s got you sucked in. I mean, the first five minutes is all action. Like the first chapter of a good book, they’ve got you hooked and wanting more.

Anyway, one day Frank Martin gets a request to deliver a package. Except this time, the package makes a lot of noise… so he breaks his own rule and opens the package. It’s a Chinese girl, Lai, played by Qi Shu. From there, he gets mixed up in… well, I won’t tell you. Just go see for yourself.

Jason Statham is definitely on my list of badass action stars. He has more of a gritty street vibe than most action stars, and a more understated presence; you wouldn’t expect this guy to kick your ass, but by the time you’ve thought about it, you’ve already been beaten. I look forward to seeing his next project.

Qi Shu does a pretty good job, too. She’s a lot more integral to the plot than, say, your latest Bond girl, and she looks great. I’m not so sure about the character… but you know what? Why analyze it? It’s an action movie, and that’s what you get - hard action, fast cars, hot women.

The posters and trailers would lead you to believe that this is directed by Luc Besson, but it’s not. Besson co-wrote and produced, but another guy, Corey Yuen, directed. I wasn’t disappointed - it had the Hong Kong action feel with a twist of Besson style to it.

Go check it out - I’d say it’s worth prime-time prices, but if you can’t afford it, definitely see it on the matinee.

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