Blu-ray Review: THE TRANSPORTER REFUELLED Is Stupid, Loud And Fun
The Transporter Refuelled is incredibly stupid – but it’s also pretty good fun. This reboot of Luc Besson’s Jason Statham action franchise sees Ed Skrein slip into the role of Frank Martin, a bad-ass courier who gets caught-up in one woman’s (Loan Chabanol) revenge against a Russian mobster.
From Besson’s EuropaCorp film factory, The Transporter Refuelled follows the same lack of real-world logic that permeates the previous Transporter movies and the Taken franchise. Frenetic and kinetic, The Transporter Refuelled doesn’t linger too long on plot or motivation. The action is the thing and Brick Mansions helmer and Besson protege Camille Delamarre directs this with enough energy and cartoon style to keep the audience from ever realising that it’s all far-fetched nonsense.
Former Game Of Thrones star Ed Skrien makes for a solid replacement for Jason Statham. He might not be as intimidating as ‘The Stath’, but he does sell the character’s smoother moments. He also shares some good chemistry with Ray Stevenson. The one-time Punisher plays Marshall’s father and the duo enjoy some fun banter, training quips and one-liners as they dodge bullets and cause mayhem. They work well together and it might be fun to watch the pair wreck havoc in other Euro-centric adventures.
The Transporter Refuelled doesn’t have high aspirations to be anything other than a fun action thriller. it delivers everything you would want – well choreographed car chases are the order of the day. The French set action farce has a touch of James Bond about it and at times it feels like 007’s long lost ADD afflicted nephew. I’m not even sure if that’s a compliment but it’s an apt comparison for a film that yearns so hard to entertain.
Special Features
A variety of behind-the-scenes and character pieces make for pleasant enough viewing. They’re all very lightweight- but what would you expect with this sort of film.
