Today’s quick review: Transporter 2. As a favor to a friend, Frank Martin (Jason Statham) has been working as a chauffeur for Audrey Billings (Amber Valletta), her wealthy husband Jefferson (Matthew Modine), and their son Jack (Hunter Clary). But the job turns violent when Gianni Chellini (Alessandro Gassmann) kidnaps Jack and infects him with a deadly virus, planning to use him to kill his father’s powerful colleagues.
Transporter 2 is an action movie starring Jason Statham. Frank Martin, an elite driver with a background in special forces, takes on a criminal working for the drug cartels in order to save his client’s family. Like its predecessor, Transporter 2 gets the basics of the genre right. A capable lead, a crisp plot, and lots of over-the-top action make it a fun watch. Still, its shallow story and exaggerated nature won’t appeal to some viewers.
Once again, Jason Statham is the bedrock of the movie. Frank Martin hits a sweet spot between tough and altruistic, and Statham’s stunt work gives the fights some of the flash they need. However, Transporter 2 indulges in the usual conceits of the genre, sacrificing realism and originality in favor of thrills. The action scenes are improbable, the villains are cartoonish, and apart from Frank, none of the characters are very memorable.
How much you get out of Transporter 2 will depend on your taste in action movies. Fans of martial arts, flashy stunts, and invincible heroes will find the movie to be just what they are looking for. Viewers who prefer grounded stunts, realistic characters, or emotional depth may want to give it a pass.
For a more powerful action movie about a bodyguard protecting a child, try Man on Fire. For an action comedy with a similar premise, try Rush Hour. For a more outrageous action movie starring Jason Statham, try Crank.
[6.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388482/). I give it a 6.5 for solid action but little else.