T. Rigney (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} filmfiend) wrote,@ 2006-08-12 08:19:00 |
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Transporter 2
Statham returns to save your children.
---
NOTE: This review is based on the uncut French DVD, not the slightly-cut PG-13 version release in the States.
In case you didn't know, The Transporter is one of my all-time favorite action movies, so it's not surprising that I would be all over its sequel like a homeless guy on a leftover tuna sandwich. Jason Statham turned out to be quite the unconventional hero in the first installment, and his involvement in the sequel only cemented my interest in the production. After all, you can't have a Transporter movie without THE Frank Martin, am I right? Producer/Writer Luc Besson, ever the savvy businessman, took everything that was right about the original and kicked it up a notch, determined not to repeat a single action set piece. Throw in Louis Leterrier, director of Jet Li's amazing Danny the Dog, and you've got a sure-fire recipe for a non-stop action extravaganza...right? Well, that's debatable. While The Transporter 2 is solid entertainment, it's not really on par with the wit, style, and intensity of the first. Sure, we get Statham doing tons of crazy stunts and a skinny blonde double-fisting automatic weapons as she runs around in her skivvies, but it all feels kind of hollow. Empty. As if everyone involved was just phoning it in. So what the hell happened here? Given the talent on-board, shouldn't this sequel be 100% Grade-A brilliance?
I'm going to try to figure that out for myself.
The plot's pretty basic this time around, though, to be fair, the first installment wasn't exactly what you would call HIGH ART. Statham once again portrays our favorite balding driver Frank Martin, who arrives on-screen with a brand new set of problems. Instead of doing his dirty business on the streets of Paris, he's kickin' it in the good ol' US of A, driving some dysfunctional couple's oh-so cute offspring to and from school in his tricked-out automobile. However, during a routine trip to the doctor's office, the kid is accosted by group of pre-packaged "evil terrorists" posing as physicians, including the aforementioned female with the thing for big guns and revealing outfits. Naturally, Statham isn't going to let some wannabe model and her useless flunkies just waltz away with the individual he's been hired to protect. Heavens, no. He promptly dishes out a large serving of flailing feet and daring do, but it's all for nothing. These clever evil-doers are just a bit too organized for our hero to tackle unprepared. In other words, they ultimately get the upper hand and snatch the kid, causing the boy's parents to go absolutely haywire. Surprisingly, the kid is returned safe and sound to his momma and poppa within just a few hours, despite the fact that the ransom money was never retrieved from the drop point. What's up with, yo? Could a more sinister plot be developing right under our noses? Well, Statham plans to find out the answer to that question, even if he has to beat the cornflakes out of everyone in the process.
If my skimpy plot synopsis wasn't enough didn't clue you in, Transporter 2 aims to be nothing more than outrageously stupid fun. All it's asking is that you stare, drool, and giggle at the amazing, go-for-broke stuntwork that producer Luc Besson seems to have a hard-on for these days. And don't expect anything in the way of genuine suspense, because we all know Statham is gonna deal some serious damage and come out on top by the end of the movie. It's as silly and insipid as action pictures come, but because it seems to be painfully aware of what it is, you're more likely to forgive its shortcomings. You see, instead of settling for the same old thing with a different title, Transporter 2 plays up the absurdity of the first by thrusting Frank Martin into a series of increasingly ridiculous situations. For example, when Statham is caught between two speeding cars, what does he do? Does he simply step out of the way? Leap onto the sidewalk? Ask them politely to stop? No, these options would be far too simple for a movie of this caliber. Instead, Statham leaps into the air, allowing the cars to collide head-on, and lands safely on the twisted wreckage. But as much as I love silly stunts and goofy action. it's just not that great. I can't put my finger on exactly what's wrong, but it just feels OFF. Something's clearly missing, but for the life of me I'm unable to pinpoint the defect. Thankfully I have a soft spot for bad-yet-entertaining productions of this nature, so this slice of disposable cinema will always have a home in my expansive collection. Just watch it with your brain in the freezer and I'm sure you'll have a blast.
If you're privy to the nature of this series, you should know what to expect in terms of performances. Since Transporter 2 isn't striving for cinematic excellence, the level of acting is just as over-the-top and corny as the action. But damn if it isn't entertaining as hell. Everyone except our balding kung fu master is pretty much worthless, so I won't even waste my time on them. Statham, doing his best James Bond impersonation, eagerly performs his own death-defying stunts while looking strangely suave and oddly stoic. Is this merely an element of his character, or is he wearing his paycheck on his sleeve, so to speak? Then again, complaining about the thespians who sign on for such a project is like whining about how McDonalds turned your once-flawless complexion into butter and cheese. After all, bad acting and crazy action is what we're here for, isn't it? We're not here for marvel at the intricate plot and the actors who bring it to life. No, we're here to watch Jason take down the proverbial "bad guys" by using anything and everything in his path. And since I've become strangely obsessed with martial arts films lately -- as if you couldn't tell by my previous entries -- Transporter 2 easily fits the bill. Bad acting, paper-thin characters, absurd plot -- it's just par for the course, people. Par for the course. And the more kinetic and overblown they are, the happier I am when the end credits begin their creepy crawl across my television screen.
From that angle, Leterrier's Transporter 2 is a worthy addition to any action fan's collection...as long as you don't expect too much from it. Statham is simply a blast to watch, as always, even when you can tell his heart just isn't into it. However, the film's willingness to go completely over-the-top allows you to detach your brain from the proceedings and just enjoy the ride. I know a lot of people think you should NEVER shut down your mind to enjoy a motion picture, but I beg to differ. Sometimes you need something than you can just stare at. Sometimes the stress of everyday life requires a movie that's less involving than, say, Brokeback Mountain, Brick, or Cache. Sometimes you just need to see someone drive a car from a rooftop to a parking garage with minimal damage to the vehicle used to execute such a feat. And if you're in the mood for a slick, glossy, meaningless action flick with all the trappings of an absurd Hong Kong production, Transporter 2 is there to help you out.
Just watch out for on-coming traffic.
Statham returns to save your children.
---
NOTE: This review is based on the uncut French DVD, not the slightly-cut PG-13 version release in the States.
In case you didn't know, The Transporter is one of my all-time favorite action movies, so it's not surprising that I would be all over its sequel like a homeless guy on a leftover tuna sandwich. Jason Statham turned out to be quite the unconventional hero in the first installment, and his involvement in the sequel only cemented my interest in the production. After all, you can't have a Transporter movie without THE Frank Martin, am I right? Producer/Writer Luc Besson, ever the savvy businessman, took everything that was right about the original and kicked it up a notch, determined not to repeat a single action set piece. Throw in Louis Leterrier, director of Jet Li's amazing Danny the Dog, and you've got a sure-fire recipe for a non-stop action extravaganza...right? Well, that's debatable. While The Transporter 2 is solid entertainment, it's not really on par with the wit, style, and intensity of the first. Sure, we get Statham doing tons of crazy stunts and a skinny blonde double-fisting automatic weapons as she runs around in her skivvies, but it all feels kind of hollow. Empty. As if everyone involved was just phoning it in. So what the hell happened here? Given the talent on-board, shouldn't this sequel be 100% Grade-A brilliance?
I'm going to try to figure that out for myself.
The plot's pretty basic this time around, though, to be fair, the first installment wasn't exactly what you would call HIGH ART. Statham once again portrays our favorite balding driver Frank Martin, who arrives on-screen with a brand new set of problems. Instead of doing his dirty business on the streets of Paris, he's kickin' it in the good ol' US of A, driving some dysfunctional couple's oh-so cute offspring to and from school in his tricked-out automobile. However, during a routine trip to the doctor's office, the kid is accosted by group of pre-packaged "evil terrorists" posing as physicians, including the aforementioned female with the thing for big guns and revealing outfits. Naturally, Statham isn't going to let some wannabe model and her useless flunkies just waltz away with the individual he's been hired to protect. Heavens, no. He promptly dishes out a large serving of flailing feet and daring do, but it's all for nothing. These clever evil-doers are just a bit too organized for our hero to tackle unprepared. In other words, they ultimately get the upper hand and snatch the kid, causing the boy's parents to go absolutely haywire. Surprisingly, the kid is returned safe and sound to his momma and poppa within just a few hours, despite the fact that the ransom money was never retrieved from the drop point. What's up with, yo? Could a more sinister plot be developing right under our noses? Well, Statham plans to find out the answer to that question, even if he has to beat the cornflakes out of everyone in the process.
If my skimpy plot synopsis wasn't enough didn't clue you in, Transporter 2 aims to be nothing more than outrageously stupid fun. All it's asking is that you stare, drool, and giggle at the amazing, go-for-broke stuntwork that producer Luc Besson seems to have a hard-on for these days. And don't expect anything in the way of genuine suspense, because we all know Statham is gonna deal some serious damage and come out on top by the end of the movie. It's as silly and insipid as action pictures come, but because it seems to be painfully aware of what it is, you're more likely to forgive its shortcomings. You see, instead of settling for the same old thing with a different title, Transporter 2 plays up the absurdity of the first by thrusting Frank Martin into a series of increasingly ridiculous situations. For example, when Statham is caught between two speeding cars, what does he do? Does he simply step out of the way? Leap onto the sidewalk? Ask them politely to stop? No, these options would be far too simple for a movie of this caliber. Instead, Statham leaps into the air, allowing the cars to collide head-on, and lands safely on the twisted wreckage. But as much as I love silly stunts and goofy action. it's just not that great. I can't put my finger on exactly what's wrong, but it just feels OFF. Something's clearly missing, but for the life of me I'm unable to pinpoint the defect. Thankfully I have a soft spot for bad-yet-entertaining productions of this nature, so this slice of disposable cinema will always have a home in my expansive collection. Just watch it with your brain in the freezer and I'm sure you'll have a blast.
If you're privy to the nature of this series, you should know what to expect in terms of performances. Since Transporter 2 isn't striving for cinematic excellence, the level of acting is just as over-the-top and corny as the action. But damn if it isn't entertaining as hell. Everyone except our balding kung fu master is pretty much worthless, so I won't even waste my time on them. Statham, doing his best James Bond impersonation, eagerly performs his own death-defying stunts while looking strangely suave and oddly stoic. Is this merely an element of his character, or is he wearing his paycheck on his sleeve, so to speak? Then again, complaining about the thespians who sign on for such a project is like whining about how McDonalds turned your once-flawless complexion into butter and cheese. After all, bad acting and crazy action is what we're here for, isn't it? We're not here for marvel at the intricate plot and the actors who bring it to life. No, we're here to watch Jason take down the proverbial "bad guys" by using anything and everything in his path. And since I've become strangely obsessed with martial arts films lately -- as if you couldn't tell by my previous entries -- Transporter 2 easily fits the bill. Bad acting, paper-thin characters, absurd plot -- it's just par for the course, people. Par for the course. And the more kinetic and overblown they are, the happier I am when the end credits begin their creepy crawl across my television screen.
From that angle, Leterrier's Transporter 2 is a worthy addition to any action fan's collection...as long as you don't expect too much from it. Statham is simply a blast to watch, as always, even when you can tell his heart just isn't into it. However, the film's willingness to go completely over-the-top allows you to detach your brain from the proceedings and just enjoy the ride. I know a lot of people think you should NEVER shut down your mind to enjoy a motion picture, but I beg to differ. Sometimes you need something than you can just stare at. Sometimes the stress of everyday life requires a movie that's less involving than, say, Brokeback Mountain, Brick, or Cache. Sometimes you just need to see someone drive a car from a rooftop to a parking garage with minimal damage to the vehicle used to execute such a feat. And if you're in the mood for a slick, glossy, meaningless action flick with all the trappings of an absurd Hong Kong production, Transporter 2 is there to help you out.
Just watch out for on-coming traffic.
