THE TRANSPORTER REFUELLED is the fourth instalment of the TRANSPORTER franchise and the first without Jason Statham, the reason being that they couldn't afford this paycheque this time around. Statham is replaced by Ed Skrein, of GAME OF THRONES stardom, who appears weak, wooden and ineffectual by comparison. The film itself is the usual light thriller that doesn't make a whole lot of sense if you look at it too closely. Our hero transports three vengeful women assassins around as they try to take down a human trafficker. The best role goes to a slick and charismatic Ray Stevenson, who walks over every other actor in the proceedings. The film is light on car chases but has a lot of hand-to-hand combat, some of which is promising, albeit spoilt by the usual over-direction and random editing that makes everything that little bit worse to look at.
The Transporter Refueled
2015
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Crime / Thriller
The Transporter Refueled
2015
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Crime / Thriller
Keywords: sequeltransporterbank heist
Plot summary
Frank Martin, played by newcomer Ed Skrein, a former special-ops mercenary, is now living a less perilous life - or so he thinks - transporting classified packages for questionable people. When Frank's father (Ray Stevenson) pays him a visit in the south of France, their father-son bonding weekend takes a turn for the worse when Frank is engaged by a cunning femme-fatale, Anna (Loan Chabanol),and her three seductive sidekicks to orchestrate the bank heist of the century. Frank must use his covert expertise and knowledge of fast cars, fast driving and fast women to outrun a sinister Russian kingpin, and worse than that, he is thrust into a dangerous game of chess with a team of gorgeous women out for revenge. From the producers of LUCY and the TAKEN trilogy, THE TRANSPORTER REFUELED is a fresh personification of the iconic role of Frank Martin, that launches the high-octane franchise into the present-day and introduces it to the next generation of thrill-seekers.
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No return for Statham
what's the point without Jason Statham
Frank Martin (Ed Skrein) is the transporter, a professional driver for hire with a personal code. His dad (Ray Stevenson) is a newly retired British secret agent. Frank is hired by Anna (Loan Chabanol) and her three beautiful friends. He gets dragged into a bank heist revenge plot against the Russian mobster who fifteen years earlier had trafficked the girls into sex slavery. When he tries to cancel the deal, they reveal that they have kidnapped his father.
The story is reasonable for a Transporter movie. There are car chases and action fights. It's a little weird that Anna hasn't aged in 15 years. It should be 5 years instead. The missing presence of Jason Statham hangs over this movie. With Statham being so busy and probably much more expansive, replacing him is an understandable move. Luc Besson tries to continue the franchise with newcomer Ed Skrein. He has the Euro-smirk down pat but he can't replace Statham. It's too big of an ask. Besson should have Statham do a cameo to hand off the baton. Ed Skrein could be a disciple or even his little brother. In that way, Statham could always return to the franchise like Vin Diesel returning to the Fast and Furious franchise. At this point, Statham could return only if this movie is forgotten like a bad hangover.
I DON'T USE THE PHONE WHEN I'M DRIVING
The Transporter, Frank Martin (Ed Skrein) who never uses his real name, is contracted to transport some packages, and it only surprises him that the packages are humans (been there, done that, remember?). These are women who worked as prostitutes/escorts/hostesses for a crime boss (Radivoje Bukvic) and a number of smaller bosses, all who have millions. They devise a plan whereby they can get the money, wear Swedish Bikini Team blond wigs, and advertise Audi cars. This is not just an Audi, but one that can side swipe automobiles, hit fire hydrants and never have so much as superficial paint scratch. Graphene?
The film is high octane, and needlessly so. I have noticed a trend to uses Audi automobiles as opposed to Jaguars for the cool car. In this film, there was a scene when Frank is being chased by the police, they swap cars....to a nearly identical Audi. What's the point? Dad (Ray Stevenson) manages to do an American Express commercial. I just feel like going out and buying an Audi and charging it on my AX card using my IPhone 5 (also prominently displayed a gazillion times).
The film is a reboot. Jason Statham wouldn't do it for less than $11 million, so we get Jason Statham lite, a man who arguably is a better actor, but not the box office draw. The movie takes place supposedly in 2010 (1995 + 15 years) yet uses later model I-Phones and Audis. The reboot throws at the audience all the gimmicks of a Transporter film, but it has very little substance. Stick a fork in it.
Guide: 1 F-bomb. Implied sex. No nudity.