Today’s quick review: Parker. After a successful robbery, Parker (Jason Statham) gets double-crossed by his partner Melander (Michael Chiklis) and left for dead. Recovering from his wounds, Parker sets out to ambush Melander during his next job: a plan to steal $50 million worth of jewelry from Palm Beach socialites. But to get his revenge, Parker will need the help of Leslie Rodgers (Jennifer Lopez), a down-on-her-luck real estate agent.
Parker is a crime movie based on a novel by Donald Westlake. Jason Statham stars as Parker, a career thief who believes in fair play and never forgets a grudge. The movie follows Parker as he methodically prepares his revenge on the men who crossed him. Parker benefits from a strong main character, a nicely constructed plot, and a smattering of action. Still, a number of slight missteps keep it from leaving a lasting impression.
Parker features an unusually practical take on the world of crime. Parker’s business is one of logistics; robberies are not just a matter of brute force, but of careful planning and anticipation. The story takes this premise a step farther by having Parker reconstruct Melander’s plan step by step from a few clues. The highlight of the movie is seeing Parker work, maneuvering himself for the final confrontation with his enemies.
However, Parker does not have the raw impact it could have. The time spent on logistics tends to slow the movie down, shifting the focus away from the kind of immediate conflict seen in other crime movies. There is enough action to keep the movie interesting, but none of it is especially memorable. And while the character of Leslie works well enough for plot purposes, she does not have the chemistry with Parker needed to carry the movie.
Parker is a solid pick for fans of crime movies, action movies, or Jason Statham. The approach it takes to its story is just different enough to set it apart, and the blend of crime logistics and action suits the movie well. Parker does not have the high-octane quality of Statham’s best work, and parts of its script are a little off, but overall, it has enough going on to make it an enjoyable watch.
For other crime movie variants starring Jason Statham, check out Safe, Redemption, or The Bank Job. For a more action-packed movie starring Jason Statham, try The Transporter, Crank, or The Expendables. For a crime comedy where Jennifer Lopez falls for a charismatic thief, check out Out of Sight.
[6.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1904996/). I give it a 6.5 for a well thought out plot whose execution has a few weaknesses.