Transporter 2 (2005) 20th Century Fox/Action RT: 87 minutes Rated PG-13 (intense sequences of violent action, sexual content, partial nudity, brief language) Director: Louis Leterrier Screenplay: Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen Music: Alexandre Azaria Cinematography: Mitchell Amundsen Release date: September 2, 2005 (US) Cast: Jason Statham, Alessandro Gassman, Amber Valletta, Kate Nauta, Francois Berleand, Keith David, Hunter Clary, Shannon Briggs, Matthew Modine, Jason Flemyng. Box Office: $43M (US)/$85.1M (World)
Rating: ***
It’s not often that a sequel is as good as the first movie, but with such talents as co-writers Luc Besson (Leon the Professional, The Fifth Element) and Robert Mark Kamen (The Karate Kid movies) and director Louis Leterrier (Unleashed), it shouldn’t be too surprising that Transporter 2 is every bit as fun and exciting as its 2002 predecessor. Okay, maybe it’s a little bit surprising.
Jason Statham reprises his role as Frank Martin, the driver-for-hire bad ass with unmatchable combat skills. Must be from his days as a Special Forces op. In this second go-around, we find him in Miami working (temporarily) as a chauffeur for a wealthy family. Trouble has a way of finding Frank; he’s neck-deep in it this time. Aside from the change in locale, Leterrier doesn’t stray too far from the formula that made the first movie an instant action cult classic. Frank drives, fights and performs death-defying stunts that even trained professionals would hesitate to attempt. Transporter 2 has a couple of great “YEAH, RIGHT!” moments and villains right out of a comic book. In other words, it’s pure kick-ass fun!
Frank’s job is to drive the son Jack (Clary) to and from school. He likes the kid, but tries not to get involved with the family’s personal business like his parents’ strained marriage. Audrey Billings (Valletta, Hitch) constantly rides estranged husband Jefferson (Modine, Full Metal Jacket) about being away for long periods of time. It’s due to his high-profile government position; he’s the director of the National Drug Control Policy.
Some people would like to silence Jefferson before he delivers a very important speech to leaders from all around the world. The most effective way to go about this, so it would seem, is to kidnap Jack from his pediatrician’s office during a routine visit. What the bad guys, ringleader Gianni (Italian actor Gassman) and right-hand woman Lola (model Nauta), didn’t count on was Frank taking the kid to his appointment. They end up taking the both of them right outside the family’s mansion leading everybody to believe that Frank was involved in the kidnapping. Gianni’s endgame involves injecting the kid with a deadly virus that will ultimately infect and kill everybody he comes into contact with. Frank must evade Gianni’s thugs and local police while he tries to get his hands on the antidote.
Frank’s friend Inspector Tarconi (Berleand) is along for the ride again. He’s come to Miami to spend the holiday relaxing on the beach, but things don’t exactly work out that way. He spends most of the time in the local police station, teaching American cops handy cooking tips while secretly helping Frank locate the real bad guys. Like any action hero worth his weight in madeleines (small cakes popular in France), Frank wreaks all sorts of havoc trying to take down the bad guys.
Transporter 2 has two really cool “YEAH, RIGHT!” moments. The first is when Frank flips his car sideways to knock a bomb off of the undercarriage seconds before it explodes. The second is when Frank jumps his car out the window of a tall building into a parking garage. That actually leads to a third “YEAH, RIGHT!” moment when he drives his car over two buildings (left side wheels on one building, right wheels on another).
Nothing that happens in Transporter 2 is even remotely believable, but who cares? It’s a fun movie. Statham’s character is so bad ass! Gassman makes a cool Euro-villain. Nauta is sexy and dangerous. Berleand provides nice comic relief. Besson (who also serves as producer) has a way of making genre flicks unique and distinctive. The action and fight sequences are top-notch. Leterrier keeps things moving as a rapid clip. At 87 minutes, it’s tight. Like its main character, Transporter 2 has serious game.
