Transit (I) (2012) User Reviews

Not Bad.

[rdbrown-zeteo · 7/10 · 14 March 2012]

I never heard of this movie. I really like Jim Caviezal as an actor. Coming into the movie, I suspected mediocre acting at best, a semi-terrible script, and illogical actions and decisions from the characters - keeping in mind that I had never heard of this movie until I stumbled across it by chance.

The acting was better than I expected. Plus. The basic story-line and subplots were interesting. Plus. The script was not great but still good enough where it didn't even matter. Plus. The characters did things that seem implausible - but the action and suspense of the movie was so well done that that simple flaw was easily ignorable (for me anyways). So, plus. Sure, Jim ended up seriously handicapped... but keep in mind that some fathers would fight for their family's safety despite their injuries or pain. In reality, people have been known to do pretty amazing things despite their lack or military training or fighting expertise.

So, if you have stumbled across this film and wonder if its worth giving a try but don't know because this movie is one of those that never made it to the big screen, this is my opinion. Try it anyway. What this movie has to offer is simple entertainment in the form or action and suspense, despite a few possible shortcomings.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. And no, I'm not getting paid to write a good review for this movie..... :)

Close Ups Overload

[GearMaven · 7/10 · 19 October 2012]

Not a bad film...lots of action, but what's with the director and cameraman? It feels as if EVERY shot is a closeup. Really way overdone with the faces filling the entire screen, wheels spinning in full screen when a panning shot of the chase scenes would have been great. Whenever the camera pulls back and gives us a long shot, the scene works and keeps us interested. I mean so many scenes of those sweaty faces up close...Ugh! Caviezel is good as always. Liked this film, but not the filming! Wondering if this is a habit of this director or cameraman? Will have to check their resumes to see whatever films they've worked on...to avoid them. Shame...this could have been a very good film.

Decent

[born_naughty · 7/10 · 16 January 2012]

A gang of 4 people just robbed a money transport. They stole 4 million dollars and got it in a bag. To get past a road block they hide the money in a family car. The car belongs to a family with 2 children who are going camping together. The plan was to get the money back from them when they pas the road block. This isn't as easy as they thought...

The movie focuses mainly on the robbers chasing the family, while also shining a light on the personal problems of the father and their marriage.

The story is decent. It isn't going to win any awards but it's not a total cliché either. The same can be said about every other aspect. The acting is good. The movie does nothing really wrong and doesn't do anything great either. If you're looking for a fun crime/drama/thriller that isn't a total cliché, this is what you are looking for.

Some small annoyances at the ending. One of the biggest mistakes of them all: always check if your victim is dead. Luckily, this only happens once. At one point a woman takes cover from gunfire behind a tipped table. The (wooden!) table gets hit with shotgun and assault rifle fire. The table seems to be indestructible, there is not a scratch on it.

Besides these faults, there's not much else to tell. I give it a 7 out of 10, key word being "decent".

It's a Muscle Car Movie

[StaggerinLee · 7/10 · 16 November 2012]

If you like Detroit Muscle, you'll probably like this movie. The director knows what guys like in a movie, (and it's a guy flick) and puts it on the screen in style. There's a couple of brutal fights, a bit of blood here and there, (no boobs though) and then there is the murdered out Chevelle. There are burnouts, mad driving in traffic, it gets sideways, it does high speed 180's. It sounds wicked and the driver likes to push it to it's limits. Makes ya want to look on craigslist and buy some old muscle car and show the kiddies what a real tire-smoking, gas guzzling machine is supposed to sound like. lol. The plot was thin but tolerable, the acting was decent, the car was great. Nuff said.

Keeps you interested but really dumb characters

[brian-harte76 · 6/10 · 7 January 2012]

I have to say I am a fan of Jim Caviezel and his acting performance was fairly good but the intelligence of the characters left a lot to be desired. If any of the characters had half a brain the film would have been over in about 20 minutes. I suppose the fast pace of the storyline keeps you interested but the storyline itself is pretty pants. The Acting performances were actually OK. It's the screenplay itself that lets it down.

Overall I would say if your bored and don't have much better to watch then, sure give it ago, it's not the worst film in the world, just could have been a lot better. If I could I'd have gave the film a 5 1/2 but I can't so I'll give it a 6 even though I grudge it a wee bit.

Are people getting paid to review this on IMDb??

[hohum_ · 2/10 · 9 January 2012]

I don't agree with all the reviews that are claiming there are plot twists. Not at all. This film was extremely linear, predictable and full of moments where you were wondering how 4 criminals, who planned a decent heist, would be so idiotic when it came to retrieving the bag of money. So if those moments were the plot twists the reviewers were referring to, then by George's beard, they're on to something. Maybe I should get some stock tips from them too, huh?

Seriously, there were too many times one had to suspend disbelief, especially on how a white collar criminal and his suburban wife could overcome hardened criminals. Sheer luck?

I'm giving this an extra star just because it somehow managed to keep me wanting it to get better, all the way to the end. It never did. Please don't make the same mistake I did. Trust me. I took the trouble and time to tap this review out on my Bionic, just to warn you.

Watch it if you can watch it free.

[magicbymiketurner · 6/10 · 12 March 2019]

I'm always looking for movies that I have missed. Never even heard of this one until now. I gave it a 6 only because I watched it free. Caviezel is ok. Rest of characters are somewhat to be desired.

Seen it all before oh so many times!

[Grassy1 · 1/10 · 27 January 2012]

This was one of the most terrible movies I have seen in a long time, copied from so many others. There was no wondering what would happen next and the camera-work was deplorable. Some scenes were totally unwatchable to the point that I had to look away. I understand that close filming and wobbling the camera while filming can produce a more dramatic effect however the camera all but touched the actors.

The acting was OK,definitely no awards though. A couple of scenes had some great acting that was believable.

I guess it is also the unbelievable coincidences that make these style movies so hard to watch. The tree with the perfect place for the bag to sit and then the man in the boat that went straight past and would have no idea at all that the bag was put in the tree somehow finds it. Or how even after being attacked and dumping the husband onto the road knowing full well that the criminals are after them continues on the same road. Maybe only the writer of this movie would do that as only he/she could be that stupid as shown with this script.

Overall I am disappointed with myself for watching the whole movie. My best advice is only watch this movie if you like predictable movies with unbelievable events and copied events for other movies.

A Solid Entertainer !!!

[nil_bikram-25-862427 · 7/10 · 5 January 2012]

Lets get straight to the point . I had no idea what this movie was all about because i couldn't find a decent review online, i was expecting a cheap flick with some action here and there. But boy !! i was totally thrilled by the pace and the some pretty cool action. The movie picks up the speed pretty early and never let you settle down.

Without giving away any of the storyline ( there isn't much anyway ). I give this movie something between 6 and a 7 . A solid entertaining flick with quite an adrenaline rush to it .....

I will strongly recommend this movie to any movie lover .....An all round ENTERTAINER !!!

Utterly stupid

[doorsscorpywag · 1/10 · 1 February 2012]

A gang pull of a well planned heist on an armoured truck and grab a huge sack of cash. They then realise that the roads are blocked and the cops are looking for them. So they cleverly stash the cash with a families camping gear on the roof of their car. Now all they need to do is wait for the family to stop and retrieve the cash. Simples! Well not quite as after displaying a lot of smarts they begin to do the most idiotic attention drawing things to get the cash back. Such as trying to run the family off the road when a cop car is behind them and making lots of noise smashing up a hotel where the family take refuge. They trundle from one insane mis-adventure to the next eventually ending up half dead and getting their asses kicked by a real estate Ninja who even with half a hand, after his fingers are chopped off by one of the bad guys, is a match for hardened criminals. His family too seem to have special forces training as they hunker down behind a bulletproof wooden table in an old shack and cause all sorts of grief to these formerly intelligent criminals. The first 5 or 10 minutes were decent but the rest is awful and we are asked to believe that this criminal gang would be so stupid after displaying such a lot of sense. Even by Hollywood standards this is one dumb bunch of idiots. The acting is OK but the whole premise falls flat on it's ass as soon as the bad guys start re-enacting Duel. A decent idea but a truly hopeless film.

An outstanding B movie that could have been an A.

[TdSmth5 · 8/10 · 8 January 2013]

A bunch of thugs orchestrate an armored car robbery, killing the guards in the process. The next morning on the run with the money, they find out through their police scanner that there's a roadblock ahead so they decide to park at a rest stop. When an SUV packed with luggage on the roof parks nearby they get an idea- exchange their package with a piece of luggage from the SUV, follow the owner and later pick up the money. The plan works well, the SUV goes through the roadblock and so do the bad guys despite misgivings by the police.

But when it comes to getting the money back, the bad guys get impatient and lose it. They try to drive the SUV off the road at a speed trap. The driver of the SUV is caught and because he's on parole, he's jailed. His family rents two rooms in a motel. The bad guys break into one of them but it's the room that doesn't have the money. The police arrive and the bad guys leave. Once again they have to catch up with the family later to get the money. When the wife by accident discovers the money, she blames the husband who was previously jailed for white collar crime. She leaves him with the money in the middle of the road and drives with the two sons away. He hides the money and has to figure out how to get his family back with whom the bad guys have caught up.

Transit is one of the better movies of the genre. It has plenty of good action and violence but it's also intelligent as the father and his nemesis figure out ways to outsmart each other. The cast is excellent: Caviezel, Röhm, Frain shine in their roles. The bad guy is bad and you can't wait for him to face justice while Caviezel is immensely likable. This is a B movie like they used to make them decades ago- a good cast, good story, well-made-- just barely below an A level movie. I enjoyed that almost the entire movie takes place outdoors in Louisiana.

Roller Coaster

[ali-79-997033 · 7/10 · 11 January 2012]

From the very first minute till the climax you are on the top of your seat although the budget was low but director did a great job...thumbs up to the whole crew. Really enjoying and a true thriller...

With movies like these most of the times you enjoy them but at the same time its very much predictable but as far as Transit is concerned most of your guesses would be wrong as i already mentioned its a roller coaster and you will enjoy every single bit of it...... keep up the good work and i must mention the lady who played the mom of the family done a superb because most of the times the hero seems to be very plain and expression less while the lady who played his wife did an awesome job.

Bravo ***

This film is enjoyable and utterly forgettable.

[urbanheat · 5/10 · 8 January 2012]

This film is enjoyable and utterly forgettable. It's not exactly a good film, and it's nothing new -- it has all the architecture of a predictable thriller flick; one man and his family, road trip, and modern-day bank- robbing pirates. And of course they never kill off the children. God forbid. Whiny children are lovely and pure and they do not deserve to die.

A family of four (despite no apparent history in the art of violence) manage to somehow take out and kill a dangerous ensemble of armed robbers. It's as if the film was sponsored by the Catholic church because obviously a strong family bond is deadlier than a gun. Take your children to see it, bring the family dog, and we can all laugh in the face of villainy.

Much better than the negative reviews

[Thrill_KillZ · 7/10 · 5 January 2012]

I really didn't know what I was expecting getting into this but I really can't remember when I've gotten a shot of adrenaline like this, it truly was a good film. The acting was superb all around, the overall production value was great. The plot is very thin which leaves a lot to be imagined and they did fill it in with enough twists and turns. Jim Caviezel is a great actor and was a fine pick for the dad in turmoil as was the acting of the entire family. James Frain cast as the leader of the four murderous thugs was also good in this, he really jacked up the intensity as his desperation reached greater & greater heights. The choices made by the gang are a bit ridiculous so there is a need for suspension of disbelief. I know a lot of people are bashing it for that reason but I believe that if you just go with it as an action film it will deliver enough to satisfy. I recommend this to action/thriller fans. As for the bunch of genius's who are bashing this, it's action, things don't always have to be perfect in this genre(you know,shut down your brain a little). Start naming other recent action flicks that go perfect with life, ridiculous explosions & never ending bullets & clips for guns,short list.

It didn't state these thugs were smart people, so obviously they are going to make stupid mistakes, I heard of a bank robbery a few years back where the robber left his driver's license on the counter. Is that believable? Well sadly it was.

I find the movie quite educational.

[Zoe-du · 7/10 · 28 March 2018]

1 Do not leave your belongings unattended in public places. 2 Keep communication open to reach 911 or ambulance just in case. 3 Even your untrusted half deserves a chance to self-justification, before you decide to dump him/her in middle of no where.

Dumb and predictable

[carlosfvs · 1/10 · 21 February 2012]

I had to give a 1 out of 10 because the current 5.9 is an extremely high rating for this movie. It actually deserved a little more, due to Caviezel's acting, but the script is just plain dumb, to the point it made me angry every time the gang outsmarted themselves in a loop of idiotic decisions that I just couldn't believe were part of a (supposed to be) serious movie. Worst of all, this piece somehow gets your hopes up that it will get better at some point, but It doesn't... and Voila! You just wasted 90 minutes of your life. The idea of the movie wasn't really that bad.

Don't waste your time.

Glad I trusted the reviewers saying it was good

[ocnav87 · 7/10 · 14 July 2017]

Kept me engaged. Good action, quite gritty overall and high energy. Quite a few in-your-face surprises. My only criticism is a couple of times the characters made a decision I thought was a bit dumb, but seriously, most movies are like that and this movie was no worse. Definitely worth a watch. Just a random point - what's funny is pretty much the only 2 movies James Frain has been in they've also had Jim Caviezel (this and The Count of Monte Cristo).

Weak as a candlestick but unyielding

[jpgonc · 4/10 · 30 January 2012]

Although the script is somewhat original, the whole story is a portrait of an exhausted ever seen scenes in other movies. The cast is quite good and the pace satisfactory but as you progress in the story you start to realize this is just another movie packed with a common story with guns, speedy cars, violence and sort of expected ending. I got the impression that the neat family was rather more tough and resourceful than the bad guys. Cavaziel plays a real-estate fraud convict father on parole who plans a trip in the field to compensate and promote positively the family bounds which clearly was disintegrating. The whole family will frustrate the bad guys' plan in retrieving their stolen bounty from them. I don't remember if Cavaziel's wife in the film was a ex-CIA or ex-FBI or something, but what it looks like a pretty and normal woman, she unexpectedly manages to escape of a motel room within millimeters from the bad guys' grasping hands and later in the movie we'll see her holding and fully operate an old Kalashnikov that would make Rambo blush big time. The flick was kind of normal to assist but it didn't exposed nothing out of the ordinary - just a plain storyline full of clichés and reiteration of what was already accomplished in a thousand movies yet produced.

Truly a transit that will keep you at the edge of your seat - 7/10, A must watch!

[leonistic · 7/10 · 7 February 2012]

I went into this movie without a single clue as to what this film is about and came out with a satisfied time well spent. This film makes a great example and proves that you don't need to have a huge budget to make a good movie.

The story is in a nutshell, about a family attempting to get to know one another again after going through a ordeal prior to the events of the movie by going on a road trip despite the reluctance of Shane, the elder son. While en route to their destination, they find themselves getting stalked by a group of criminals who had stashed stolen Benjamens' in their car from a heist.

The character development with the protagonists are great, a family trying to get through a tough ordeal while trying to evade the criminals and protect one another from the criminals, a non-violent man that slowly turns into Mr. Reese in order to protect his wife and kids. What's lacking in this department is with the rationalization of the criminals' actions and the development of their characters. The acting was good. Taking into consideration that the actors portraying their characters did not have much to work with and you might find asking yourself why are they doing something like that when they could have easily solved their predicament by being a little more patient.

Well, there goes the saying that 'Patience is a virtue!' How true. The story is not original, but it is by far, better than most of the crappy thrillers with a bigger budget. It's just a shame that the film isn't getting the right advertising and marketing it deserves.

7/10 for the roller coaster ride, I'd have given it a higher rating if not for the sloppiness done with the decisions of the antagonists. It could have had a better script to their actions. But then again, the plot wouldn't have worked if that were to change.

Having said that, 'Transit' is truly a transit that will keep you at the edge of your seats for 120 minutes. To summarize everything up in 3 words, go catch it.

little extra was needed to make this quite good

[hhcosmin · 3/10 · 13 January 2012]

as others said... there is potential to this. 4 guys (3 dudes and a chick with big top) plan a heist and drive a bad ass car. they have the idea to make some tourists piggy back the loot... not sure how they stashed 4 mil in that bag... then they decide to run them off the road in plain daylight... when the family had no idea. this is where things get ilogical and stretched badly. they attack the woman, who is alone in a hotel room and she manages to fight them off. she also knows how to shoot a ak47 but this is another story. this somehow managed to keep me till the end hoping it would get better... it did not. the story has twists and turns but they are forced, some are quite interesting, but then they exaggerate and spoil the fun. thing is that this movie could have been quite good and it wasn't missing much, but they could not resist and traded good story for blood, violence, highly implausible etc.

Very Surprised

[low_key12 · 8/10 · 7 January 2012]

I wasn't expecting much when I heard about this movie. I thought it would be a B rated action flick that had a typical B rated plot. However, I was surprised by the countless twists in the plot. There was suspense and action from the first scene till the end. Although it was a low budget film, the director did an amazing job making use of the budget. I think the movie is well worth watching.

I am the type of person that watches a movie and likes to make guesses as to what will happen throughout the movie, but surprisingly most of my guesses were incorrect.

Watch it!

entertained me from minute one until the end credits

[trashgang · 7/10 · 21 June 2012]

I came across the trailer of Transit while waiting to start watching another flick but somehow I was immediately attracted to this flick. And I was right, it entertained me from the start until the end.

I had seen another flick from director Antonio Negret, namely Seconds Apart (2011), some kind of horror but I liked it and here he showed us that he can carry a road movie too. i like to say road movie with an thriller overtone because most of the action takes place with chasing cars.

The acting was rather okay but one face took my attention, James Frain (Marek). There's something special about his face and I have seen him so many times in series like True Blood, Fringe and Flash Forward. He did very well here. Of course it's a flick that won't be winning prices but if you like good old grindhouse flicks then this is surely one for you. There's not that much blood to see and when they hit with machetes into flesh it's done off-camera. But I took it.

A low budget flick that I would file under the same genre like Drive (2011) but without the arty shots although there is excellent camera work to see and original shots like for example a camera mounted on the opening door of the car.

Straight in your face flick that will entertain from minute one until the end credits and okay, so may say that there are plot holes and the wooden table were no bullet came through are mistakes but hey, admit, you enjoyed it after all. No special effects used.

Gore 0,5/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

Intense Action

[TroyeEvans · 4/10 · 22 February 2012]

A breathtaking thriller is what this is. It is a powerful thriller that can excite you from the beginning minute and the very last minute, not to mention it is a movie filled with action including great car chasing and fighting scenes. Behind the action, of course, is a interesting and possible story. The psychological aspect is also handled well on both sides. As the movie gradually progresses, you can witness some confident criminals with a "great" plan turn worried, and ultimately desperate. The family is portrayed from a sense of disconnection to a sense of connection.

Transit is a one-and-a-half-hour-long thriller that appeals to the audience from the first moment; it is full of intense action and exciting moments. This should perform well if it were considered for a wider release. Nevertheless, despite the current lack of much popularity, it is still an amazing movie.

An Exhilarating Road Movie

[zardoz-13 · 7/10 · 27 July 2012]

"Seconds Apart" director Antonio Negret generates some genuine adrenaline-charged thrills, chills, and spills in his second feature length release. The Louisiana-based crime thriller "Transit" qualifies as an exciting road picture about four murderous thieves who tangle with an innocent family in rural Louisiana over a fortune in stolen loot. The chief shortcomings of this above-average but formulaic melodrama is its idiotic villains and the lackluster ending that deprives the protagonist of any reward for his heroic deeds. The villains aren't the brightest bulbs in the box, but they manage to be menacing. Fortunately, the cast is convincing, particularly Jim Caviezel as the devastated dad who only wants his family together again and James Frain as the desperate villain. The parish authorities are clueless about what is happening between the heroes and the villains. Ironically, the lawmen only complicate matters and imperil our hero and his family. Frain looks exceptionally degenerate as the sleazy gang leader, while Harold Perrineau registers intensely as a trigger-happy henchman.

"According to Greta" scenarist Michael Gilvary has cross-stitched the plots from the Dana Andrews' opus "Hot Rods to Hell"(1967) and the white-knuckled Audrey Hepburn epic "Wait Until Dark" (1967). In 'Hot Rods to Hell," rebellious teens terrorized a family on a deserted stretch of highway. In "Wait Until Dark," a deadly drug dealer stashed his narcotics in the blind heroine's luggage for a transoceanic flight. After she landed, the villains invaded her New York apartment to retrieve them. In "Transit," a quartet of reckless armored car robbers need to get past a police roadblock. They replace the camping gear strapped down to the top of the Sidwell family SUV with their ill-gotten gains. Initially, our heroes have no clue about the dastards after them. Marek (James Frain of "Titus"), Arielle (Diora Baird of "Wedding Crashers"), Losada (Harold Perrineaus of "The Matrix Revolutions"), and Evers (Ryan Donowho of "Broken Flowers") have fooled themselves into believing that they can retrieve their loot from the unsuspecting family before they realize that they've been used as a mule.

Naturally, nothing goes right for either side, and those moments are the most dramatic. The conflict arises from this predicament but there is more at stake than the loot that the felons have stolen. Our hero Nate (Jim Caviezel of "Outlander") has just been paroled from prison. He served time for real estate fraud. Now, Nate is struggling to get his wife Robyn (Elisabeth Röhm of "Abduction") and sons together for a vacation when they run afoul of the bad guys. Robyn isn't entirely happy with Nate and she isn't sure that he has changed his way. Indeed, some of the action will take you by surprise. Neither Negret nor Gilvary make it a picnic for either the heroes or their adversaries. No sooner do the villains have the loot than they lose it. Not long after the hero appropriates the millions, he loses it in the swamp. Never hide a bag of loot in the hollow of a tree. The black 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle that the villains careen around in assumes a character of its own, and the long shots of Chevelle hauling down the highway look as cool as the spinning tire shots. Negret handles the chase sequences with aplomb. The car crash involving the Sheriff Deputy's Crown Victoria is awesome. "Transit" never wears out its welcome.

A simple thriller with all the fat trimmed off

[lojitsu · 6/10 · 22 August 2012]

Here's The Lowedown on "Transit" (A Thriller DVD review)...LIKED IT!!

Become a fan of The Lowedown on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Lowedown/386583633764

Genre: 8 Movie: 6

What's it about? The camping trip was meant to reunite the Sidwell family. When they are hunted and terrorized by violent bank robbers, their very survival will depend on working together.

What did I think? I threw this in my player not expecting much. Then my alarm went off and I woke up to an intense thriller with all the fat trimmed off. Sometimes you want a simple, straightforward approach to a film with no complications or unnecessary twists. When you're in that mood...put this one in your player.