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The Transporter: Refueled runs out of gas

Despite its moments, the reboot of the action franchise doesn't quite reach its predecessors

ENTER TRANSPORTER-MOVIE-REVIEW-ADV04 1 TNS
Gabriella Wright, Tatiana Pajkovic, Ed Skrein and Loan Chabanol in "The Transporter Refueled." (Photo courtesy 20th Century Fox/TNS)

The original Transporter, Frank Martin, had the ability to think on the fly. This lead to some ridiculous scenes that had no business in reality - making them fun to watch. Yes Frank, you can cover yourself in a motor oil spill so a group of crooks can’t get a good grip on you during a fight. Yes, you can definitely flip an Audi upside down to knock off a bomb attached to its undercarriage on a conveniently placed crane and still land the car – because you’re Frank Martin.

With "The Transporter: Refueled," we get a Frank Martin who’s more emotive (kind of) and even more talkative than his original stone-faced counterpart. But while it has its stand out moments, neat tricks, and a new version of the character, the positives don't outweigh the negatives.

Frank Martin (Ed Skrein), an ex-special forces operative, transports goods and other items for those able to pay. As his father, Frank Martin Sr. (Ray Stevenson) pays him a visit in the French Riviera, he finds himself wound up in an escalating series of bank heists led by Anna (Loan Chabanol) against her team’s former pimp Karasov (Radivoje Bukvić) after they kidnap his father.

What bugs me the most is that the story’s potential is overtly squandered as the film reaches its conclusion. The methods employed by Anna’s group are frankly brilliant - dressing the same to fool cameras and Karasov’s people, and deploying the heists in such a way as to cause doubt among the boss man’s inner circle. Anna herself is as manipulative as a femme-fatale can get, playing Frank like a fiddle to act as her muscle.

But that falls to shreds as unnecessary attempts at twists and double-crosses are rushed into the tale as the revenge theme is re-introduced as a reminder us that this isn’t just a group of girls having fun stealing money. I forgot that their “vengeance” was even a thing after the first few scenes, as there wasn’t much there to keep fresh in mind as to why they were stealing the cash in the first place. This sentiment turned into a feeling of boredom as I waited for the next bit of action.

The acting mostly saves the mess of a story, with Chabanol and Stevenson handling their roles with respective grace and enjoyment. Chabanol’s role as Anna is believable enough to where you’d think she’d be able to scam you out of your wallet in the real world, and her puppet master routines – rife with slight smiles and sidelong glances that say “You’re mine” – do her pseudo-villain character justice.

And for someone who’s been kidnapped, Ray Stevenson’s Frank Martin handles the situation with a swagger and confidence of a guy who’s been there before. While junior is out and about, senior is casually flirting with one of his captors over a bottle of vodka and a football match on TV. It’s clear that Stevenson couldn’t help but have fun with the role, giving an ounce of comedy to a display that desperately needs it.

The new Frank, emotive and talkative as he is, doesn’t leave much of an impression outside of the brilliantly choreographed action scenes. His worry over his father and torment over his role in the Forces clash with a desire to stay cool and suave no matter what.

It’s tough to watch as the movie goes on, particularly during moments where his face contorts into what I assumed were attempts at anger and/or stress, and not the beginning of a tantrum. Though I will admit it was indirectly entertaining to see his angst bounce of off Martin Sr.’s happier style.

The action, of course, is what makes a “Transporter” movie and this one has it in spades. Though less seat-of-your-pants than the original trilogy, the focus on close quarters fighting and environment make for some fun battles. One entertaining sequence sees Frank putting his car in neutral to follow him while the girls stay inside, as he quickly pummels his way through a wave of goons.

Despite Statham’s Frank doing some wild moves in his fights, it was rare to see him walk out of a fight with a single scratch. In opposite, Skrein’s Frank is more grounded and (dare I say it) more believable in his one-man army gig, which shows how unafraid he is to get bloody and bruised. You can almost see the gears turning in his head as he plans his next moves against his opponents, which makes me think of “John Wick’s” realistic, cerebral take on gun fights (to a point).

“The Transporter: Refueled” has its moments. Behind a story that forgets itself nearly immediately and a lead who, despite a few genuine scenes with Martni Sr., can’t decide between suave and angry, is a film supported by Stevenson and Chabanol’s performances and fun, grounded action scenes that break up the monotony. But those aren't quite enough in the face of the negatives.

Fans of the originals will likely want to stay away. It’s worth a watch to newcomers, but they too are probably better off sticking with the Statham trilogy instead.

Pitchforks: 2.5/5


Reach the reporter at djulienr@asu.edu or follow @legendpenguin on Twitter.

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