“Transporter Refueled” is just like the original: dumb but fun - East Idaho News
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“Transporter Refueled” is just like the original: dumb but fun

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I have some photos from a friend’s wedding where, dressed in black suits and black ties, my buddy and I posed like Frank Martin, Jason Statham’s character from “The Transporter”. That should tell you how I regard the original “Transporter” flick. And I’m happy to report that Frank Martin’s latest outing, “The Transporter Refueled,” is just as awesome as the original.

”Refueled” finds Frank getting up to his usual tricks: beating dudes down while driving his tricked-out Audi really fast and spouting off his rules for doing business.

The story of this movie involves a group of “hostesses” getting revenge on their crooked boss. They hire Frank because he’s the best. Frank gets roped in even deeper when his dad (Ray Stevenson) gets kidnapped. Frank has to help the girls get their boss while saving his dad in the process.

Actually, the story isn’t all that important. It’s just there as a container for action scenes. What is important is watching Frank drive, beat up baddies, and look super-cool doing it. This movie throws out story in favor of the things that appeal to the 13-year-old inside all of us: speed, violence, and lots of beautiful women and ruggedly handsome men.

Taking over the role of Frank is Ed Skrein. He spends the whole movie doing his best Jason Statham impersonation. You’d think that would be off-putting, but it actually works. Skrein has the gruff demeanor and physicality to pull it off, and though he wears the same furrow-browed look of determination the whole movie, he’s a lot of fun to watch.

It helps a lot to have Stevenson to play scenes with. Stevenson is a hoot as Frank’s dad, a super charming former spy. The rest of the cast is sturdy, but it’s not hard to see any number of other performers in their roles. The women are all gorgeous and the bad guys are all stereotypical European thugs. They serve their purpose, but aren’t all that memorable.

The action in this movie is sheer ridiculousness. Frank can turn anything into a weapon, including electrical cable. And he can make a car do things that fly in the face of the laws of physics. Watch for the chase scene gag involving fire extinguishers. The action doesn’t really stop once it gets going, and this movie feels like it just speeds by.

”The Transporter Refueled” is a pretty good way to end the summer movie season. It’s full of impossible action scenes and fisticuffs, and doesn’t bother much with any of that other stuff. And when you have a lead character as cool as Frank Martin, that other stuff isn’t all that important.

Now, I wonder if that old black suit still fits me …

3 ½ Indy Fedoras out of 5

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Thanks to Fat Cats in Rexburg for providing screenings for movie reviews on EastIdahoNews.com.

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