[Originally published in the Forge Press 05.12.08]
Big Package Delivery
Review: Transporter 3
Transporter 3 makes you leave the cinema with lukewarm, mixed feelings. It follows a similar plot and with villains comparable to those in Quantum of Solace but has better fight scenes and a less logical plot than the recent Bond film.
The story follows Frank Martin (Jason Statham) as he tries to deliver a package. Simple, yes? Well, no. Unfortunately he is being monitored and if he moves 25 feet away from the car he will explode. There is another twist in the plot as Frank’s cargo turns out to be Valentina (Natalya Rudakova), the daughter of Ukraine’s Environmental minister, and his journey is treacherous as he has to deal with villains to save her from her gloomy fate.
The female lead is annoyingly pretentious, stereotypical and is unoriginally portrayed as nothing but a simple sex object. Frank even disdainfully states that he prefers dealing with cars than with her. Unlike another up and coming Eastern European lead, Olga Kurylenko, the new Bond girl, she lacks the talent and class that her pretty physique exhumes.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Innovation is shown with an action sequence where the main prop is a bicycle and Jason Statham’s performance suggests potential as Britain’s answer to a young Bruce Willis.
The director also shows great potential as he ups the ante with bigger risks and obstacles, in what will probably be the last installment of a successful franchise. Another brownie point is earned with the excellently pumping soundtrack with tracks including the classic punk anthem by Iggy and the Stoodges’ I want to be your dog.
The main negative point is that this film does not even try to appeal to a female audience except for the occasional revelation of Jason Statham’s ripped body and his overtly defined abs. Mainly it contents itself with appealing to its predominantly male audience. Will it be a big box office hit? Most likely. Is it better than the first two installments? No.
The story follows Frank Martin (Jason Statham) as he tries to deliver a package. Simple, yes? Well, no. Unfortunately he is being monitored and if he moves 25 feet away from the car he will explode. There is another twist in the plot as Frank’s cargo turns out to be Valentina (Natalya Rudakova), the daughter of Ukraine’s Environmental minister, and his journey is treacherous as he has to deal with villains to save her from her gloomy fate.
The female lead is annoyingly pretentious, stereotypical and is unoriginally portrayed as nothing but a simple sex object. Frank even disdainfully states that he prefers dealing with cars than with her. Unlike another up and coming Eastern European lead, Olga Kurylenko, the new Bond girl, she lacks the talent and class that her pretty physique exhumes.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Innovation is shown with an action sequence where the main prop is a bicycle and Jason Statham’s performance suggests potential as Britain’s answer to a young Bruce Willis.
The director also shows great potential as he ups the ante with bigger risks and obstacles, in what will probably be the last installment of a successful franchise. Another brownie point is earned with the excellently pumping soundtrack with tracks including the classic punk anthem by Iggy and the Stoodges’ I want to be your dog.
The main negative point is that this film does not even try to appeal to a female audience except for the occasional revelation of Jason Statham’s ripped body and his overtly defined abs. Mainly it contents itself with appealing to its predominantly male audience. Will it be a big box office hit? Most likely. Is it better than the first two installments? No.
Iris Provias
No comments:
Post a Comment