The Transporter [Blu-ray]

The Transporter [Blu-ray] Review

Movie - 4.0

The first time I saw Jason Statham was in The One. I certainly didn't think too much of him at the time because of his character's unstable British/Brooklyn hybrid accent and the lack of action he got in comparison to Jet Li and.. the other Jet Li, and I had no idea he'd transform into the kind of action star he turned out to be afterward. Then came The Transporter, a Eurasian concoction of film-making helmed by great French director Luc Besson and soon-to-be protégés Louis Leterrier and Pierre Morel and choreographed by long-time Hong Kong veteran Cory Yuen, who coincidentally worked with Li (in addition to at least half his other movies) and Statham (for the first time ever) in The One. Whoever came up with the idea to bring Yuen into these movies did a great job. Shallow and simple plot aside, The Transporter and its sequels have never been about the story, but about Frank Martin kicking butt and driving a fast car. The Transporter series is one of my favorite guilty pleasures of escapist entertainment because of the sheer style that accompanies the character of Frank Martin and his exotic adventures. He's calm, collected, where's a snazzy suit, performs some very elegant martial arts moves for a buff British guy, and looks cool doing it all at the same time. It's almost like James Bond and the whole "deadly and debonair gentleman" theme, but without all the espionage, gadgets, and actual attempt at developing a story. In fact, after watching this again just recently I have to say the action and driving sequences become more and more appreciable every time I see them. If not for the PG-13 rating, G.I. Joe-esque "laser bullets," and occasional moments of cheese and campiness, I'd probably be so bold as to consider this "quintessential" for action junkies. However, I think part of the overall fun is its B-movie-ness and its ability to not be taken as seriously as other films in the genre.

Video - 3.5

Presented by Fox in 1080p at an original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 using the now-outdated MPEG-2 codec The Transporter looks pretty decent, all things considered. Colors are vibrant with a reddish tint to skin tones, and film-grain has its fair share of screen time as well throughout a majority of the movie. Detail and textures are relatively fine, though close ups varied between "somewhat crisp" and "really smudgy." Perhaps more disc space or a more advanced video codec could've made for better sharpness and higher bit rates. Black levels and contrast are better than the SD-DVD, but again, being one of the initial BD releases before all the studios got the hang of encoding, much is left to be desired. Artifacts and debris are also present, though it's actually less than what I expected, especially in comparison to other transfers I've seen produced on more recent films.

Audio - 4.5

Although the video is just sub-par, the DTS-HD 5.1 track more than makes up for it. From the very beginning where Frank drives his BMW 735 around Paris we're immersed into the world of The Transporter with a very healthy dose of bass from Stanley Clarke's popping score and a mix of various car, crash, tumble, and clicking sound effects from the chase. Action sequences involving weaponry and fisticuffs do a good job sweeping between the high and low ends, with automatic weapons and crunching sounds being most prominent. Dialogue is clear and legible outside of all the thick accents from the actors and separation of music and sound effects is excellent. The only quality keeping me from calling this a reference track is the somewhat subdued LFE levels. They seem to be more accentuated by the music rather than the action itself, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it takes out just enough oomph to make this worth showcasing. Fortunately, though, the sequels fix that.

Extras - 1.0

Aside from trailers, there's only a commentary track featuring Statham and producer Steven Chasman. It would've been nice to see an interview by Luc Besson or maybe a vignette about the martial arts or driving choreography...

Overall - 3.5

The Transporter is full of testosterone and oozes cool all over the place. For me, it's also the beginning of what would become a pretty good action career for the actor formerly known as the character Bacon. He definitely has what it takes to be that sort of in-your-face, do-it-all action hero. And while the general opinion may be to call this a popcorn movie, I'd actually disagree and say pay more attention to the "craft" of the movie itself. The martial arts, stunt driving, music, and cinematography, while not part of a spectacular story, are actually very well-coordinated by some very talented people. With decent video quality and an excellent lossless track, action fans would do well to break Frank Martin's Rule #3 and take a look at this package.

The Transporter [Blu-ray] Overview

Frank Martin (Jason Statham) is the best as what he does: transporting dangerous or illegal goods with no questions asked. But his last shipment, a beautiful young woman kidnapped by international slave traders, brings deadly complications to his delivery plans. Now Frank must kick into overdrive in a nonstop action-packed fight to save his precious cargo - and his life.

The Transporter [Blu-ray] Specifications

Move over, Vin Diesel, because The Transporter, Hong Kong action veteran Corey Yuen's English-language directorial debut, is revving up to steal your thunder. As the other top-billed action star to emerge in 2002, British hunk Jason Statham--previously seen in Snatch, Ghosts of Mars, and The One--plays a hard-driving courier for well-heeled underworld clients. He follows simple rules: (1) Stick to the deal; (2) Don't ask names; and (3) Don't look in the packages he transports. All's well until he violates rule 3, discovering a Chinese beauty (Qi Shu) in the trunk of his tricked-out BMW, and foiling a deadly plot to smuggle Chinese slaves through the port of Marseilles. The first hour is ass-kickin' fun, and the stuntwork is impressive throughout, even as the plot degenerates into a predictable series of bone-breaking showdowns. Statham boasts an appealing combination of brains and brawn, suggesting the suave versatility of a promising career. Coproduced by action auteur Luc Besson and filmed on dazzling French locations, The Transporter is an action fan's delight. --Jeff Shannon

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