When I saw "The Transporter" a couple of years ago, I didn't like it at all. I spent most of my review ripping on almost everything about the movie, especially the horrible dialogue. The only time I said anything positive about the movie was when it came to Jason Statham, the film's star. I also praised a couple of the fight scenes. I gave "The Transporter" a 3 in my scale of 1-10 and pretty much forgot about it. When I heard that a sequel was being made, I was shocked. The first one was profitable, but only because of the success it found on home video. When I finally saw the trailer, I have to admit, I was impressed. It looked really cool. Sure, it looked silly, but how could a sequel to "The Transporter" NOT look silly? Also, it was shot in my hometown, Miami, and I have to support local filmmaking!
I decided to see "The Transporter" again, to prepare myself for the sequel (which is actually unnecessary... the sequel has very little to do with the original), and a funny thing happened; I liked it! Maybe it's because I already knew what to expect, but the second time watching "The Transporter" was much better than the first time. Also, the fight scenes, which I mostly liked the first time, were even better the second time. That fight scene in the oil is really incredible.
When it finally came time to see "Transporter 2" (for the sequel, they dropped the "The"), I was ready for the stupidity. I even kinda welcomed it. As it turns out, the dialogue isn't nearly as bad as in the first film, and I got something I didn't expect: some of the most far-fetched action sequences I've ever seen. Remember when Vin Diesel outraced an avalanche in "XXX"? That's nothing compared to some of the stuff in this movie. It borders on absurdity, really. I didn't mind, though. What I didn't realize while watching the "The Transporter" the first time is that the movie is pure camp. I expected camp and silliness with "Transporter 2," and I ended up liking it. It's not gonna win any awards at Oscar time, but it's a fun movie to sit through.
Trying to find out who directed "The Transporter" isn't easy because the only one credited is Corey Yuen (he directed a bunch of great Jet Li movies from Hong Kong, including "The New Legend of Shaolin"). However, when I was reading up on the recent Jet Li film, "Unleashed" (which was directed by Louis Leterrier), I learned that Corey Yuen directed the action sequences in "The Transporter" while Louis Leterrier, under the credit of "Artistic Director," directed all of the dramatic character moments. After I saw "Unleashed," it was clear that Leterrier could direct dramatic scenes as well as action scenes. I guess that's why Leterrier is given a full "Directed by" credit for "Transporter 2" while Corey Yuen is reduced to Second Unit Director and Martial Arts Choreographer. Louis Leterrier is a hell of a director. I liked "Unleashed," and I liked "Transporter 2." It'll be interesting to see more of his work. By the way, "Transporter 2" was written by Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen, who also wrote the first film together. They also wrote "The Fifth Element" (which I liked) and "Kiss of the Dragon" (which I didn't like).
The only cast members returning from the first film are Jason Statham and François Berléand (he played the cop to Statham's semi-criminal, though they have a strange friendship that borders on gay... and that may not have been accidental). Statham has starpower, and he's fun to watch. François Berléand is very good, but his role is small, and kinda irrelevant. The film also has Amber Valletta, Matthew Modine, and the one who practically steals the film, Kate Nauta. I'm sure you've seen her in the trailer. She's the hot chick wearing almost nothing shooting at Jason Statham. She's a singer and model, and "Transporter 2" marks her acting debut. She has a striking look and a powerful screen presence, so we might be seeing more of her in the future.
I'm not gonna sit here and say that "Transporter 2" is a great movie, 'cause it's not. In all honesty, it's a piece of shit, but it's a very entertaining piece of shit. If you're a film snob who demands that every movie is a masterpiece, then don't bother. Go watch "Wings of the Dove," or something like that. But if you can turn off your brain for 90 minutes and be entertained by an unpretentious, silly, and even absurd action film, than this is exactly what you need. Besides, if you don't like it the first time, you might like it the second time.
Scale of 1-10: 8