The Transporter

An action romp that never gets old. The action is stylish, imaginative and, thanks to the short runtime, almost relentless, and Jason Statham gradually becomes as immortal in the eyes of the audience as Chuck Norris and Arnold put together. The story itself is terribly far-fetched, some of the dialogue is stilted and the script is made up of a thousand genre clichés, but somehow both directors managed to turn it into an almost action classic, which I personally had a great time with. I don’t really need to watch the sequel, though. (11/04/2012)

Luc Besson sometimes simply has good ideas. In this case, he had a great idea to make a film with Jason Statham. Jason is simply an action icon. Although "The Transporter" is one of his earlier action films, it shows where his strength lies. He can be suave, but he can also pack a punch. Furthermore, his action scenes are always primarily fantastic choreography. It's not exactly Chinese mastery, but still, they are good, fast, intense, and rough. When bones are being broken, you feel like bones are really being broken. But, not only praising Jason and the specialists in martial arts and choreography, I must also emphasize the screenplay. I know it's nothing extraordinary, but in its simplicity, it works brilliantly. Imagine a guy you can call anytime you need something transported. I don't mean you necessarily need a truck driver, but rather someone who can help you when you want to rob a bank, transport something that the police should never find, and so on. Such a person should be a specialist, and this courier definitely is. He follows clearly defined rules, which are explained in the excellent scene with the robbers at the beginning. However, even a person who follows rules sometimes breaks them. After all, he is still just a human being. Of course, when he breaks them, there must be certain forms of punishment, certain complications. And it is from here that the story unfolds. The courier was supposed to transport a payload in a sports bag. When he went to get a spare in the trunk, he found that the bag was moving. The payload turned out to be a young Asian girl. He will transport her where she needs to go, but the paying customer will try to get rid of him. The courier then has to seek revenge. The film truly has excellent scenes, which almost have cult status, but it's mainly thanks to Statham, who dominates the film. When you look at the screenplay a bit more extensively, you will find that it's nothing more than just another Besson film. One strong hero, and a fragile woman. "Leon" was based on that, "The Fifth Element" also, and well, "Unleashed" combines a strong man and tenderness in a single character portrayed by Jet Li. However, "The Courier" still belongs to the best action films that Besson has written in the last decade. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/12/motocyklove-deniky-proposition-v-zajeti.html (03/02/2013)

The Transporter is an exemplary case of a dumb screenplay transported into a deliciously effective form. Whereas this combination is usually maddening in a Hollywood movie, in a French film it induces a kind of pleasant relaxation thanks to the typical French sense of detachment. The unconventional use of music adds to the film’s distinctiveness. And Jason Statham is good throughout. (04/25/2003)

Superbly shot action scenes, Jason Statham is a fine tough guy and he doesn't lack charisma. For such a small budget, it's a real ride and well above average in the genre. I wasn't expecting a deep story or, God forbid, a sophisticated plot, I was expecting a no-brainer, an action ride with a good portion of insight that I can turn myself off for an hour and a half without harm. That is exactly what I got and I am not ashamed of my high rating. (02/12/2003)

At first, it's a solid action movie and an ideal relaxation, but then it becomes a bit irritating due to the simplicity of the plot, dialogues, and attractive female protagonist. Statham may be a super macho, the action is excellently filmed, and the oil fight with hookers on their feet is perfect, but sometimes it takes more than just sticking a few good ideas together. (01/27/2007)