The Transporter (2002)

Director:

Corey Yuen

Writers (WGA):

Luc Besson (written by) &
Robert Mark Kamen (written by)

Release Date:

11 October 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Rules are made to be broken

Plot:

This film is about a man (Statham) whose job is to deliver packages without asking any questions. Complications arise when he breaks those rules.

Plot Keywords:

France | Stabbed In The Hand | Telephone | Airplane | Duffel Bag

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 29

9:00 PM

Telemundo

Cast

Jason Statham	...	Frank Martin
Qi Shu	...	Lai (as Shu Qi)
Matt Schulze	...	Wall Street
François Berléand	...	Inspector Tarconi
Ric Young	...	Mr. Kwai
Doug Rand	...	Leader
Didier Saint Melin	...	Boss
Tonio Descanvelle	...	Thug 1
Laurent Desponds	...	Thug 2
Matthieu Albertini	...	Thug 3
Vincent Nemeth	...	Pilot
Jean-Yves Bilien	...	Little Thug
Jean-Marie Paris	...	Giant Thug
Adrian Dearnell	...	Newscaster
Alfred Lot	...	Cop 1

Also Known As:

Le transporteur (France)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violent sequences and some sensuality.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | French | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIA | Malaysia:18SG | Finland:K-15 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | India:A (cinema release) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:14A | Czech Republic:12 | France:U | Germany:16 | Ireland:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Indonesia:Dewasa

Filming Locations:

Avenue de Saissy, Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company:

Europa Corp.

Trivia:

The trailer for the film showed Statham deflecting a missile with a tea tray. In the same scene in the film, the assault on Frank's house, there is no sign of this in the released version. It was taken out at Statham's request because he didn't think audiences would believe it.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Lai is tied to a chair (hands and feet). She is able to get to the car by tiptoeing. How does she then open the door, drag herself and the chair into the car and close the door behind her? Not to mention the fact that someone as careful as Frank steals the car without noticing a woman tied to an office chair in the back seat.

Quotes:

Frank: Rule #1. Never change the deal.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Mac and Dennis Break Up (#5.9)" (????)

Soundtrack:

Replicant

All Quiet on the B-action Front

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