Featured Audience Ratings

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Jason Statham is a bored and retired army guy, who get's thrills out of transporting criminals and illegal substances all around France, whilst avoiding the law by any means necessary to him. It's… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Jason Statham is a bored and retired army guy, who get's thrills out of transporting criminals and illegal substances all around France, whilst avoiding the law by any means necessary to him. It's a pretty good set up and a great opportunity for action. The Transporter is produced by Luc Besson, who sometimes directs films but mostly chooses to produce either throwaway action B movies like this or forgettable French dramas. Most of which are considered to be mediocre, however The Transporter like all the other Besson action flicks is adequately written and filled with plot holes, what makes it special, is Statham's unbelievably energetic performance. There are absolutely loads of moments where Statham fist fights, strips, drives cars whilst kicking ass, and brawls whilst covered in motor oil. It sounds ridiculous, but it's what makes this movie so fun. It takes a great lead performance, slick action and charm to make a movie like this work, and The Transporter is one of the few Besson movies that has that. In my opinion "Taken" is the best where as Transporter 1 is infinitely inferior but it holds as a cheesy, ridiculous action flick. If like me you glanced at the poster expecting all the action stereotypes you'll get just that. It's enjoyable enough, but not Besson or in equal measure, Statham's, best.

• JY S

  
  <i>The Transporter</i> from Cory Yuen and Louis Leterrier goes hard on the action and easy everywhere else.<p>Roughly 90 minutes is all this film needs to complete its story. The first 10 minutes define the title with great success, before slowing drifting away from… More
  <i>The Transporter</i> from Cory Yuen and Louis Leterrier goes hard on the action and easy everywhere else.<p>Roughly 90 minutes is all this film needs to complete its story. The first 10 minutes define the title with great success, before slowing drifting away from its concept. The plot is simple, straight to the point, and moves with a brisk pace.</p><p>The action is stylized and is in high abundance. The bulk of the fun is comprised of hand to hand combat, along with a nice helping of guns and other melee weapons. The driving aspect dissolves by the halfway point as the film becomes more of an action adventure, rather than one about transporting.</p><p>Jason Statham is calm and cool, as his character is written. Shu Qi delivers a watchable performance as well. Matt Schulze is nothing more than a cliched villain.</p><p><i>The Transporter</i> doesn't offer anything out of the ordinary; however, it satisfies as a quick watch.</p>

• Alexander D

  
  2002 French actioner chronicles the work of character Frank Martin, AKA the Transporter. His job is to deliver packages, and he consistently lives by three specific rules. This film, though appearing as a 90-minute car commercial, was very watchable and notably fun. It was often… More
  2002 French actioner chronicles the work of character Frank Martin, AKA the Transporter. His job is to deliver packages, and he consistently lives by three specific rules. This film, though appearing as a 90-minute car commercial, was very watchable and notably fun. It was often goofy, and that is something hard NOT to admit, but with the explosions, action, and interesting plot, it was a fair-enough film. The action sequences were well-done and often carefully worked out. THE TRANSPORTER uses slow motion effectively and not so heavily that it gets exhausting; and the camerawork during action sequences is just about as rapid-fire as the guns going off, being extremely well-timed, too. This was a very diverse film. Corey Yuen, who directed, and Qi Shu, who acted, are both from Hong Kong; Louis Leterrier, who also directed, is French; and the main actor, Jason Statham, is British. 'Nuff said about that. The main reason I enjoyed this film was because of the level of entertainment it set. Highly entertaining and very watchable, this film was a surprising watch. I'd recommend it. <b>Full Review: http://wp.me/p1Urcx-wa</b>

• Anthony L

  
  The transporter was directed by both Corey Yuen & Louis Leterrier but essentially it was directed by Louis Leterrier. He seems to have been Luc Besson's go to man during his producing era (I'm so glad he's directing again) and you can see why. The action is there… More
  The transporter was directed by both Corey Yuen & Louis Leterrier but essentially it was directed by Louis Leterrier. He seems to have been Luc Besson's go to man during his producing era (I'm so glad he's directing again) and you can see why. The action is there and so is the heart - Unleashed is another good example of this. All in all this is a relatively original action film, entertaining and the introduction of Jason Statham as an action man is quite unforgettable. It seemed very strange then but totally excepted now. Funny how things turn out eh!

• Drake T

  
  Everything wrong with the Hollywood-action-genre of today. Over the top, clearly staged sequences, blatantly forced badassery, unimaginative (and somewhat incoherent) storytelling. God it just has so much "in your face" pizazz. Like a teenager with his popped collar… More
  Everything wrong with the Hollywood-action-genre of today. Over the top, clearly staged sequences, blatantly forced badassery, unimaginative (and somewhat incoherent) storytelling. God it just has so much "in your face" pizazz. Like a teenager with his popped collar slapping on a pair of shades. Saving grace is Statham and an intriguing premise.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  not interested

• Chris W

  
  This is no masterpiece, but it's definitely one of the better films of the modern action era. The driving and fighting chorepgraphy is awesome and well done, the stunts are exciting, and Frank Martin is a kick ass character. Statham is awesome, and is a joy to watch, The… More
  This is no masterpiece, but it's definitely one of the better films of the modern action era. The driving and fighting chorepgraphy is awesome and well done, the stunts are exciting, and Frank Martin is a kick ass character. Statham is awesome, and is a joy to watch, The concept of the film (anbd the character's principals) are cool, even if the specific story is tired and unoriginal. The music is oddly chill, but it works. This is fun stuff that's full of life and energy. Definitely worth a watch.

• Conner R

  
  Due to Jason Statham's larger than life persona, you might expect this to be over the top and unbelievable from a logical standpoint. However, this can be taken quite seriously and it's very much in the same reign as Die Hard. It allows itself to be fun, but not a joke.… More
  Due to Jason Statham's larger than life persona, you might expect this to be over the top and unbelievable from a logical standpoint. However, this can be taken quite seriously and it's very much in the same reign as Die Hard. It allows itself to be fun, but not a joke. Jason Statham as Frank Martin manages to kick dozens of people to their graves, very rarely using any sort of weapon beside his body. Even though he has a soft side, he has no problem getting dirty and doing what is necessary to get the job done. Louis Leterrier is one of the best action directors working today, this is only one example of his incredible vision for the art of ass-kickery.

• Richard C

  
  B

• Jeff "

  
  Jason Statham is a guy that delivers illicit packages for shady customers. Film has a good idea, but falls quickly short because the action is very over the top an d tiring after a while. had it's moments, but unfortunately it falls short, and this is a terrible action film. The… More
  Jason Statham is a guy that delivers illicit packages for shady customers. Film has a good idea, but falls quickly short because the action is very over the top an d tiring after a while. had it's moments, but unfortunately it falls short, and this is a terrible action film. The Transporter feels very much like a stylized music video, the action goes by so fast you almost have to rewind a few scenes to make sense of it. A film with just over the top action, and it's about the only thing going for it, The Transporter could have benifited from a second rewrite and different cast, maybe this film would have worked. But unfortunately, it didn't do anything for me, good idea, but very poor execution.

• KJ P

  
  I liked it no more than an average day on the beach!

• Thomas B

  
  an action movie which you don't have to think too hard to watch.

• Coxxie M

  
  OH SO YOU PEOPLE SAY YOU WANT DUMB,EH?? well Jason Statham repels a missile with like... a picture frame or something... DUMB ACCOMPLISHED!

• Mark H

  
  Underworld courier-for-hire's life is complicated when he discovers his latest parcel is actually a beautiful Asian woman being sent to a nefarious American known only as Wall Street. Sturdy action film set in France has explosions, fast cars, an attractive girl and a… More
  Underworld courier-for-hire's life is complicated when he discovers his latest parcel is actually a beautiful Asian woman being sent to a nefarious American known only as Wall Street. Sturdy action film set in France has explosions, fast cars, an attractive girl and a captivating action hero. The fight scenes are the best part about the film. It's a dependable, if not terribly coherent, potboiler.

• Lady D

  
  I quite like the idea of this film for an Action film, but it reminded so much of the 80?s style films where the fight sequences are very forced and are ridiculously choreographed in order to make the star look good. I?m not entirely sure what Jason Statham?s accent was supposed to… More
  I quite like the idea of this film for an Action film, but it reminded so much of the 80?s style films where the fight sequences are very forced and are ridiculously choreographed in order to make the star look good. I?m not entirely sure what Jason Statham?s accent was supposed to be in this, it sounded different to his usual accent, but at times came off sounding like a bad impersonation of an American accent. On a plus side the car chases were fairly exciting and although the films far from brilliant, it is a very easy watching one.

• Lewis C

  
  The Transporter movies all share the same basic elements. Fantastic action scenes, barely-there stories, and Jason Statham. In the original Transporter, we're introduced to Frank, Statham's character, and the absolute bare minimum of his background. The rest of the movie is… More
  The Transporter movies all share the same basic elements. Fantastic action scenes, barely-there stories, and Jason Statham. In the original Transporter, we're introduced to Frank, Statham's character, and the absolute bare minimum of his background. The rest of the movie is car chases, explosions, and fights. I won't go into the plot, because it's pretty much only here to give Statham a pretext to hand out his ass-kickings. My favorite thing about these movies is that Statham is never really in danger of dying or being beaten. If he's fighting someone, they MAY get in a hit or two before puts them down. Even if it's like, 20 guys with machine guns, and all he has for a weapon is his shirt. The fight scenes are pretty cool, you can always rely on this series to add a few new wrinkles to the standard old sequences. There's some kind of smuggling going on that Qi Shu's dad is involved in, and Matt Shulze is somehow involved in it too. And François Berléand plays some kind of cop who is also Jason's friend, or something. Qi is the eye candy/damsel in distress/love interest, Francois helps move the plot along, and the rest of the cast are bad guys. That's pretty much it. Seriously. Don't watch The Transporter if you're looking for a well-written script or some compelling character development. Pop it in when you want to see some bad guys get the crap kicked out of them, pretty explosions, and a pretty girl.

• Mike S

  
  Solid acting by Jason Statham, who did a good job here despite a very lackluster script. Too bad I can't say the same thing for the rest of the cast, who came off as very pale and boring in comparison. As for the film per se, it's pretty much what I expected it to be, as in… More
  Solid acting by Jason Statham, who did a good job here despite a very lackluster script. Too bad I can't say the same thing for the rest of the cast, who came off as very pale and boring in comparison. As for the film per se, it's pretty much what I expected it to be, as in a run-of-the mill, yet watchworthy action flick. It's just funny how Statham constantly gets typecast into these sort of films, because he always seems to play the same kind of character, with only slight alterations here and there. On the other hand, I suppose it's better to see him stick to what he's good at, than attempt something in which he'd find himself uneasy. I mean, the last thing we want is for him to do a Schwarzenegger and take on the comedy genre, which could very well happen if he gets desperate for some variety *shudders at the thought*. In any case, this first Transporter film wasn't bad, so I'm definitely gonna give the two sequels a shot as well, even though I doubt they'll be much of an improvement.

• Cassandra M

  
  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… More
  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.

• Ross C

  
  An action movie about a professional get-away-car driver is a very cool idea. Unfortunately, after a nice plot set-up the movie just reverts to formulaic action sequences and cheesy lines. It's just fun shallow escapism for kids, with the British equivalent of Bruce Willis.

• Aaron N

  
  Frank: Transportation is a precise business. Jason Statham is the man. Forget the plot, this is about Jason Statham lookin' real cool and kicking ass. His character easily matches up with others like Jason Bourne of recent action films. This movie is lean and easily paced.… More
  Frank: Transportation is a precise business. Jason Statham is the man. Forget the plot, this is about Jason Statham lookin' real cool and kicking ass. His character easily matches up with others like Jason Bourne of recent action films. This movie is lean and easily paced. Complete with every bullet having tracers and ridiculous action. A lot of inventive fight scenes and a sweet beginning car chase is also nice to see. The movie sets up Jason Statham as a transporter. He lives his life by strict rules while aiding people in questionable activities through the use of his driving skills. Problems of course arise when the transporter breaks his own rules. Frank: Rule #1. Never change the deal. The story is obviously shallow once the main plot line takes effect and the ending is campily terrible, but I always have fun watching this and am glad there is a sequel so I can see more, let alone a second sequel on the way. The grease fight alone makes this movie work for me. And Frank's chemistry with the French police detective also serves as a highlight. Easy fun. Mr. Kwai: The delivery will be made. My daughter will get over it. If I'm lucky, she'll see the light. Frank: Yeah, and if she's lucky, maybe you'll get hit by a truck.

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