If you overlook the rock-stupid story line and one-dimensional characters, The Transporter will take you on the white-knuckle ride it promises.
The Transporter (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:121
Fresh:64
Rotten:57
Average Rating:5.5/10
Consensus: The Transporter delivers the action at the expense of coherent storytelling.
Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis:
Ex-Special Forces operator Frank Martin lives what seems to be a quiet life along the French Mediterranean, hiring himself out as a mercenary "transporter" who moves goods - human or otherwise -...
Ex-Special Forces operator Frank Martin lives what seems to be a quiet life along the French Mediterranean, hiring himself out as a mercenary "transporter" who moves goods - human or otherwise - from one place to another. No questions asked.
Carrying out mysterious and sometimes dangerous tasks in his tricked-out BMW, Frank adheres to a strict set of rules, which he never breaks. Rule One: Never change the deal. Rule Two: No names - Frank doesn't want to know whom he's working for, or what he's transporting. Rule Three: Never look in the package.
Frank's newest transport seems no different from the countless ones he's done in the past. He has been hired by an American known only as "Wall Street" (see Rule Two) to make a delivery, but when Frank stops along route, he notices his "package" is moving. Violating Rule Three, Frank looks inside the bag, finding its contents to be a beautiful, gagged woman.
Frank's steadfast adherence to his other two rules - which make up his basic code of survival - also quickly falls, hurtling him and his new companion on a road leading to shocking secrets, deadly complications, and the last thing Frank ever expected to come to believe: that rules are made to be broken. -- © 20th Century Fox
Starring: Jason Statham, Shu Qi, Matt Schulze, Francois Berleand
Starring: Jason Statham, Shu Qi, Matt Schulze, Francois Berleand, Richard Young, Doug Rand, Didier Saint Melin, Tonio Descanvelle
Director: Corey Yuen
Director: Corey Yuen
Screenwriter: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Producer: Steven Chasman, Luc Besson
Composer: Stanley Clarke
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Reviews for The Transporter
The movie is effectively one long, well-choreographed action chase sequence. It isn't very interesting, or for that matter, particularly coherent.
So gloriously ridiculous and fast moving that you keep trying to convince yourself that the filmmakers were making a parody. They had to be. Right?
It's also clear from the start that The Transporter is running purely on adrenaline, and once the initial high wears off, the film's shortcomings start to shine through.
There's so much hot Hong Kong-style action, you'll be halfway into the film before you realize that there's hardly any plot.
Another big, dumb action movie in the vein of XXX, The Transporter is riddled with plot holes big enough for its titular hero to drive his sleek black BMW through.
This is a film where there isn't the slightest doubt about the dramatic outcome.
There's plenty to like here, especially for connoisseurs of the action genre.
Too much action brings the movie to a dead standstill. Why don't directors understand that? Why don't they know that wall-to-wall action makes a movie less interesting -- less like drama, more like a repetitive video game?
Occasionally, Yuen uncorks a cleverly off-the-wall fight sequence that makes you laugh at its inventiveness.
This is what a Jackie Chan movie would look like if Jackie were a really buff, Englishman with perfect line delivery...
Kick *** fun, with excellent, above-average action and idiotic, sub-par romance.
As long as one can turn off the brain and not expect anything original, the film's energetic, hip and cool aura will likely win them over.
It's junk with a capital J. The sooner you realize that, the more quickly you can settle down to enjoying it.
Latest News for The Transporter
December 05, 2008:
UK Critics Consensus: Writers Warm to Madagascar 2; UK Critics Liked Lakeview Terrace
With thirteen new releases in the UK cinemas this weekend, let Rotten Tomatoes help you sort the tinsel from the turkeys. We have animals on the loose in Madagascar: Escape 2... More...
November 24, 2008:
Five Favorite Films with Jason Statham
Rotten Tomatoes spoke to Statham about his favorite films of all time, which surprisingly include a few Paul Newman classics and unsurprisingly include a Bruce Lee film. As our... More...
September 26, 2008:
RT Interview: Jason Statham Chats Death Race, Crank 2 and The Sweeney
RT catches up with Jason Statham to learn more about the Death Race and grill him on upcoming turns in Crank 2, Transporter 3 and the possibility of an appearance in Nick Love's... More...
April 17, 2008:
Total Recall: The 20 Greatest Fights Scenes Ever
The long-awaited showdown between Jackie Chan and Jet Li in The Forbidden Kingdom got us thinking; what are the greatest fights ever filmed? We sifted through quite a few... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- The Transporter at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Transporter at IGN
- The Transporter at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

