The Transporter: Refueled – Movie Review

Everything else is being rebooted, why not “The Transporter” franchise? I loved the first film. It was a fun action flick which turned Jason Statham into an action star. I can’t say that I was a fan of the two sequels that followed, though Statham still did a solid job. Now that the Statham has retired the Frank Martin character, producers have decided to start anew by casting Ed Skrein (Game of Thrones) in the title role. Unfortunately Skrein is no Statham and the latest cinematic “Transporter” feels about as fresh as that fast food hamburger that has been sitting under the heat lamp.

Camille Delamarre makes her directorial follow-up to the equally stupid 2014 “Brick Mansions”. Although she has experience as an editor on such titles as “Colombiana”, “Lockout”, and “Taken 2”, she doesn’t seem to know how to bring excitement to an action film from behind the camera.

The plot here is simple. Frank Martin (Skrein) takes a job from Anna (Loan Chabanol), a prostitute that works for the villain Arkady Karasov (Radivoje Bukvic). Frank must transport Anna and two other women that she is working with. To make sure Frank cooperates, the women kidnap Frank’s father (Ray Stevenson). They have no intention on hurting Frank Sr., but they need Frank Jr to help them get revenge on Arkady and the men that he works with.

“Transporter: Refueled” is filled with unimpressive car chases, mixed with unimpressive fight sequences. Skrein lacks charm or charisma. There is nothing about his version of Frank Martin that is interesting to watch. Stevenson is the only one in the cast that is any fun to watch. Personally, I think it would have been more interesting to see Stevenson in the title role, playing a retired Frank Martin, being pulled back in for one last job. As it is, “Transporter: Refueled”, quickly runs out of gas.

By: Marc Ferman