The Transporter 2

Prequel: “The Transporter”
Sequel: “Transporter 3”

I had my first experience with really liking a bad movie this past July. The movie was “The Fantastic Four.” It had bad actors, bad special effects, and an almost non-existent plot. To my dismay, I found myself liking it anyway. It charmed me with its goofy humor, comic-book action, and the easy chemistry between its leads.

“The Transporter 2” had the same effect on me. It’s a movie where you can just sit back and enjoy the ride, not worrying about whether it’s a good movie (it’s not). Yes, it’s over-the-top. Yes, it requires you to completely suspend your disbelief for an hour and a half. Yes, a lot of the acting is bad. But it’s so darn fun that none of that matters.

“The Transporter 2” continues the adventures of Frank Martin: a retired special forces commando who tries to keep to himself and makes his living transporting cargo in his high-tech Audi. Cargo which always ends up causing him more trouble than he was initially paid for.

The movie opens with Frank finishing up a month-long stint as a fill-in chauffeur for the wealthy Billings family’s son, Jack. His last assignment is to take Jack to the doctor for a check-up. Upon arrival, Jack is kidnapped and held for ransom. This is a decoy, however, for a virus that has been injected into Jack that will infect anyone he breathes on within the next 24 hours. The real target was his father and the other politicians he will be around (and breathe on) at a conference the following night. Sound ridiculous? It is. In fact, there’s no reason to go into any of this movie’s plot details. If you go to see it, you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.

“The Transporter 2” is the English equivalent of a Jackie Chan movie. Plot doesn’t matter, acting doesn’t really matter… nothing really matters except the ride. And Jason Statham takes us on one heckuva fun ride.

Statham is poised to take on the seat vacated by action heavies Stallone, Van Damme, and Schwarzenegger. He’s got it all: the looks, the acting ability, and the moves. This man has amazing athleticism and martial arts prowess. He fights with a pipe, a water hose, a table… anything he can get his hands on. It’s incredible to watch. And the camera work isn’t bad, either. The director actually lets you see Statham execute all of his unbelievable moves.

I would only recommend “The Transporter 2” to three groups of people: fans of the first movie (you know who you are), martial arts fans, and fans of low-budget action movies (who can REALLY suspend their disbelief). You will definitely laugh at a lot of the over-the-top stunts, most of which are impossible, but Statham’s physicality is worth the price of admission. He IS the British Jackie Chan.

“The Transporter 2” is not a movie for kids nor for those who are offended by phsical violence. Katie Nauta wears next to nothing in all of her scenes, there is some mild profanity, and there is a LOT of physical violence. I am a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a brown belt in Shotokan Karate, so fight choreography really appeals to me. Not since “The Matrix” have I seen such fantastic martial arts choreography in a western movie. If you don’t enjoy non-stop action and some very heavy violence (limbs being broken, stabbings, and a lot of people being shot), stay away. To those who are interested, “The Transporter 2” does not disappoint. It is mindless entertainment at its best. Hopefully, it will lead to Statham starring in a GOOD movie that can showcase all his talents.