Transporter 2 (2005)
9.10.2005
First viewing
Theater
Movie: C+
Movies like Transporter 2 are tough to review. For every good moment, for every second of inspired action, there was an equally bad moment immediately following. This creates something of a paradox: as much as I enjoyed watching Transporter 2, the movie was terrible. How do you rate something like that? In my eyes, the overall, pure enjoyment is what matters most. With that in mind, my grade is tipped to slightly above average. But just barely.
The biggest problem with Transporter 2 is it's lack of any grounding. This movie takes reality and physics and tosses them right out the window. Or off a parking garage, take you pick. The original, The Transporter, was successful because it was based, at least in part, on real world physics. Like a serious Jackie Chan movie.
The Transporter's fight scenes were frequent and amazing. They were well choreographed, well shot, and well fought. Bottom line, they looked real. In Transporter 2 the choreography is still phenomenal, thanks to Corey Yuen, who directed the original. But, the editing is choppy and amateur-ish. The fights didn't flow and looked like clip simply played back-to-back to achieve the desired effect. So, regardless of how ingenious the choreography was and how well executed the fights were, they lacked realism. They looked like filmed fight scenes, and anything that reminds you that you're watching a movie is bad.
The chase scenes and car stunts were, well, less than satisfying. One of the worst moments in the entire film was when Jason Statham's character flipped his Audi over in mid-air to have a construction crane hook snatch a bomb from its chassis. I'm groaning as I write this. It's so bad you can't even laugh. The other chase scenes weren't as, um, retarded. But, they lacked any realism. In The Transporter we saw clutches being stomped and sticks being slammed from gear to gear. The close quarters of the French streets lent a sort of claustrophobic feel to the action. Transporter 2 takes place in Miami, and it just doesn't feel right. Everything was too smooth and Statham made it look too easy.
But, looking at the positives... Transporter 2 didn't take itself too seriously. It is what it is: an action flick for action junkies. The "huntress" you see in the previews never has more than a matching bra and panty set on, and I'm not complaining. She isn't the hottest actress in the world, but she fit the part. Statham, as before, fits the part of the cool, by-the-rules driver perfectly. He makes the movie, honestly.
At a lean 87 minutes, Transporter 2 is all action and no fluff. If you're looking for some decent fight scenes, some mediocre chases, and a mindless plot, Transporter 2 is just the ticket. As much I can complain about the movie, I certainly enjoyed my time viewing it.
First viewing
Theater
Movie: C+
Movies like Transporter 2 are tough to review. For every good moment, for every second of inspired action, there was an equally bad moment immediately following. This creates something of a paradox: as much as I enjoyed watching Transporter 2, the movie was terrible. How do you rate something like that? In my eyes, the overall, pure enjoyment is what matters most. With that in mind, my grade is tipped to slightly above average. But just barely.
The biggest problem with Transporter 2 is it's lack of any grounding. This movie takes reality and physics and tosses them right out the window. Or off a parking garage, take you pick. The original, The Transporter, was successful because it was based, at least in part, on real world physics. Like a serious Jackie Chan movie.
The Transporter's fight scenes were frequent and amazing. They were well choreographed, well shot, and well fought. Bottom line, they looked real. In Transporter 2 the choreography is still phenomenal, thanks to Corey Yuen, who directed the original. But, the editing is choppy and amateur-ish. The fights didn't flow and looked like clip simply played back-to-back to achieve the desired effect. So, regardless of how ingenious the choreography was and how well executed the fights were, they lacked realism. They looked like filmed fight scenes, and anything that reminds you that you're watching a movie is bad.
The chase scenes and car stunts were, well, less than satisfying. One of the worst moments in the entire film was when Jason Statham's character flipped his Audi over in mid-air to have a construction crane hook snatch a bomb from its chassis. I'm groaning as I write this. It's so bad you can't even laugh. The other chase scenes weren't as, um, retarded. But, they lacked any realism. In The Transporter we saw clutches being stomped and sticks being slammed from gear to gear. The close quarters of the French streets lent a sort of claustrophobic feel to the action. Transporter 2 takes place in Miami, and it just doesn't feel right. Everything was too smooth and Statham made it look too easy.
But, looking at the positives... Transporter 2 didn't take itself too seriously. It is what it is: an action flick for action junkies. The "huntress" you see in the previews never has more than a matching bra and panty set on, and I'm not complaining. She isn't the hottest actress in the world, but she fit the part. Statham, as before, fits the part of the cool, by-the-rules driver perfectly. He makes the movie, honestly.
At a lean 87 minutes, Transporter 2 is all action and no fluff. If you're looking for some decent fight scenes, some mediocre chases, and a mindless plot, Transporter 2 is just the ticket. As much I can complain about the movie, I certainly enjoyed my time viewing it.
posted by Ethan at
9/14/2005 06:56:00 AM
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