Not Coming to a Theater Near You
What do you think she meant when she said “a huge black monster with giant claws”?
What do you think she meant when she said “a huge black monster with giant claws”?
The third (and hopefully not last) entry in the Transporter series opens with a scene unthinkable in either of the two previous movies: Frank Martin (Jason Statham) and Inspector Tarconi (Francois Berleand) in a boat, fishing on a lake. The short-lived tranquility of the scene is something of an anomaly in the series, as is the actual meeting of Martin and Tarconi (something that was always thwarted in Transporter 2). The apex of the joke, however, is Martin’s costume: instead of his iconic chauffeur’s uniform, he appears in full fishing regalia. The joke relies on the success of the franchise, and ultimately confirms Statham’s star status. His persona—hardboiled with a hint of sarcastic charm—is so solidified that a mere change of costume and scenery can immediately evoke laughter.
Overall, Transporter 3 is a vast improvement over Transporter 2, but the first film is still the best. Increased emphasis on Statham’s character (no Matthew Modine, no annoying children), and the chase scenes are more grounded and rely less on hyperbolic stunts. The plot gimmick that Statham can’t stray too far from his car (or else the bomb attached to his write will explode) is an interesting constraint that keeps the story focused and saves it from excessive, unnecessary digressions.
At this point in the series, you could put Statham in a car and have him chase after most anything and I’d watch it for 90 minutes.
by Cullen Gallagher | Source: Lionsgate DVD
13 Jan 2010 11:21 AM | Comments (1)
Don’t blame Matthew Modine for the failings of “Transporter 2” (And the children? What children? Oooh, you mean the little boy who served as a prop to reinforce the saintliness of Amber Valletta’s character? Wasn’t he an only child? Never mind: Children have NO place in action movies, in my humble opinion. To this day I maintain that one of the reasons James Cameron’s “Aliens” was so inferior to “Alien” was the oh-so-contrived introduction of the child Newt!)
Marianne
14 January 2010
10:20 PM
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