2008 Woodie Awards
"Transporter 2" lives up to the first, and then some
Kim Vo
Issue date: 9/9/05 Section: No Limits
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After seeing the original Transporter three years ago, I have to tell you that I didn't have very high expectations for its sophomore installment.
In The Transporter 2, Jason Statham is back as Frank Martin, an ex-Special Forces operative who earns a living as a "transporter."
This time, however, Martin doesn't quite adhere to the same set of strict rules as he did in the original (as in: Rule One: Never change the deal. Rule Two: No names. Rule Three: Never look in the package).
The newly released sequel has Martin filling in as chauffeur for the young son of a rich Miami couple, U.S. anti-drug czar Jefferson Billings (Matthew Modine) and his trophy wife Audrey (Amber Valetta), as a favor to a buddy. The son, Jack Billings (Hunter Clary), is the target of a kidnapping plot.
When Martin accompanies Jack on what appears to be a routine doctor's visit, a scantily-clad, psychopathic Lola (Kate Nauta) poses as the nurse in order to kidnap Jack and inject him with a virus. She is working for super-fit, somewhat freakish-to-look-at, villain Gianni (Alessandro Gassman) whom hopes to exchange the antidote for a $5-million ransom.
What ensues is Martin demonstrating his world-class high-speed driving skills in his custom Audi A8 as he tries to recover the boy. Although some of the stunts are unrealistic (think jet skis and firehoses), there are plenty of impressive car chases and highly stylized fights to please any hardcore action fan.
The result is a silly, but entertaining late-summer movie.
This is one of those rare case where the sequel is definitely better than the original.