Let’s address the elephant in the room right away: The Transporter Refueled is indeed a reboot of 2002’s action flick, The Transporter. It’s not so much a “refueling” as it feels like the franchise has been clamped with a wheel boot, preventing any real forward momentum.
Ed Skrein as Frank Martin in The Transporter Refueled
Around the 68-minute mark, a sense of dragging pacing became undeniable. Checking the time revealed that boredom had well and truly set in. This moment served as a stark indicator of the film’s struggle to maintain engagement.
The movie throws in every conceivable “stylish action movie” cliché: enigmatic femme fatales, ruthless Eastern European mobsters, improbably glamorous escorts, a seasoned ex-spy, the picturesque French Riviera, physics-defying car stunts, and a morally ambiguous protagonist who excels at absolutely everything.
The Transporter Refueled attempts to blend an underdog heist narrative with the core concept of the original Transporter. Our highly skilled, impeccably dressed, and excessively trained driver finds himself entangled in a scheme that clashes with his strict code of conduct. He is merely a pawn, not the mastermind.
So, how effective is this formula? Undeniably, there are fleeting moments of excitement, such as the hydrant sequence highlighted in the trailers—a scene compelling enough to draw audiences to theaters. However, the film ultimately suffers from a predictable, linear plot that undermines its heist aspirations. Furthermore, the action sequences, particularly the car chases, feel surprisingly sparse for a Transporter installment. The villains lack depth, coming across as generic antagonists. The female characters, unfortunately, are portrayed in such a way that they become almost indistinguishable from one another. Ed Skrein, tasked with stepping into Jason Statham’s iconic role, seems to execute the part technically well, yet never quite embodies the inherent charisma and presence that defined Frank Martin.
Ultimately, The Transporter Refueled prioritizes “style over substance.” This reboot falls short of expectations, landing at a disappointing position on the reviewer’s 2015 movie ranking – below Minions but still managing to be slightly more enjoyable than the critically panned Fantastic Four reboot and Furious Seven.
It’s worth noting that 2015 saw a surge in spy-themed films, including Spy, The Man from Uncle, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Mission Impossible—Rogue Nation, American Ultra, and Hitman: Agent 47. While each possesses unique elements, watching them back-to-back might lead to genre fatigue.
