The Transporter Refueled: A Legacy Slightly Above Mediocrity
“The Transporter Refueled” edges out the previous installment, the third in the series, but that’s hardly a compliment. Plus, Ed Skrein proves to be a weak substitute for Jason Statham.
Frank Martin (Ed Skrein), a former military operative, makes a living transporting risky cargo. He’s known for sticking to the deal, being punctual, and never meddling in his clients’ affairs. However, his latest client embroils not only Frank but also his father (Ray Stevenson) in her business, forcing him to confront a ruthless gang of Russian pimps.
.jpg “Scene from The Transporter Refueled”)
The Original’s Success
The first “Transporter” film was a hit for several reasons, with Jason Statham’s charisma being a major, but not the only, factor. Equally important was the rare successful synergy between the West and East. Legendary Hong Kong action choreographer Corey Yuen demonstrated how to film martial arts action with Western budgets, and Luc Besson’s simple yet effective story about a tough guy who “stays silent and gets the job done” fit perfectly into this environment.
.jpg “Scene from The Transporter Refueled”)
Besson’s Formula and Franchise Decline
Besson didn’t continue to support Asian talent in the West, instead opting to develop the formula he had discovered on his own. However, the success was inconsistent, particularly within the “Transporter” franchise. The sequel was overtly cartoonish, while the third film felt like a collection of outtakes from the first two. With increasingly negative reviews and Statham’s rising salary, Besson eventually decided to reboot the series with a new actor, allowing “The Transporter Refueled” to return to the modest $22 million budget of the original.
.jpg “Scene from The Transporter Refueled”)
Familiar Territory
Nevertheless, to paraphrase a well-known saying, you can take Statham out of “The Transporter,” but you can’t take Besson out of “The Transporter.” As a result, the fourth film in the series isn’t much different from the previous two, although it’s noticeably more engaging than its immediate predecessor. Several factors work in the film’s favor. For instance, the combination of “Frank Martin behind the wheel plus four badass women beside him” evokes memories of “Mad Max: Fury Road” (though the comparison is incredibly flattering to “The Transporter”), and the introduction of his father, played by Ray Stevenson, brings to mind “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” Moreover, Frank Martin Sr. displays considerable cunning and suspiciously good combat skills, while stubbornly insisting to everyone that he’s just a simple sales representative for Evian.
.jpg “Scene from The Transporter Refueled”)
The Core Issue: A Weak Transporter
However, here lies the main problem with “The Transporter Refueled”: it’s a film about everyone but the Transporter himself, who is relegated to the background by practically everyone, including Yuri Kolokolnikov, who plays one of the villains. Ed Skrein lacks the necessary brutality. He can flex his jaw and spout grizzled one-liners (“Are you kidding me?” – “Jokes aren’t my thing!”), but he comes across less as a former military operative trained to kill with a glance and more like a lost Calvin Klein or Hugo Boss model posing for a “glamorous” photographer.
Action and Redemption
In the action scenes, however, this feeling dissipates somewhat. Besson knows how to stage and film car chases, and the series’ “Hong Kong” past is reflected in the brisk hand-to-hand combat, in which Frank actively uses objects from his surroundings (one of the most enjoyable fights takes place in a narrow corridor filled with cabinets with pull-out shelves). And, unlike “Taken 3,” which starred an aging Liam Neeson, Skrein is still in his prime, so there’s no need for stunt doubles or clever editing tricks – even the camera doesn’t shake too much. Of course, pleasant associations and brisk action are not enough to call “The Transporter Refueled” a good film, but the fact that the series has finally stopped spiraling downward at 220 miles per hour is a major achievement.