Transporter 3 (2008) User Reviews

Not a shade on the first two Transporter movies and here's why

[mattys49 · 5/10 · 6 December 2008]

Read through all the reviews of this movie. Big fan of the first two myself and just got back from watching this. Pretty surprised that nobody has articulated the real reasons why this movie doesn't work.

Firstly, if you didn't enjoy the first or second movie all of this probably won't be very relevant. I would have thought that most people watching the third would have likely seen and enjoyed the other films in the series.

So, why is this the weakest film in the series? Anybody's review who criticises it based on a unrealistic plot or implausible action is missing the point. This might be obvious but there are numerous reviews citing these as the reasons for the film being average/bad. It's also an important part of the formula that worked well in the first and second films.

The reason this third effort doesn't work as well and is not as enjoyable is due to a variety of factors - TONE and PACING probably being the key reasons and also areas where it departs from the previous instalments.

By tone i mean a few things. Is there ridiculous over the top action in this film? Yes, most definitely, but the problem is in how it is being presented. The other movies made you laugh in their almost comic book presentation and stunts. This film is genuinely trying to sell itself as a serious action movie. They completely took the humour out of all the potentially very humorous moments through the more 'arty' editing, over the top score dramatic score (soundtrack definitely plays a big part of the different tone in the 3rd movie) and generally lousy script.

This leads on to the pacing, which is far too slow at times. Way too much dialogue between Statham and the girl. Yes we know the character fairly well but the movies were always about the action and less the dialogue. Jason Statham is capable but the script can't really be saved here.

So, a dramatically more realistic Transporter movie but sucked dry of all the humorous and fun tone that made the previous instalments so much fun. As I said there are plenty of silly and deliberately humorous moments but the way it was constructed and presented meant I wasn't laughing anywhere near as much as I was in the other films. This in conclusion is the main failure of Transporter 3 - 5/10 just for being a new movie in an otherwise cool franchise.

Entertaining Action Movie

[devonblue · 7/10 · 21 November 2009]

I do not fully understand why this film has been so severely slated. As far as action films go it ticked all the boxes, plenty of guns, car stunts, good fights, romance and even some corny humour, and has a happy ending .........what do people expect ..........Sir Laurence Olivier doing bloody Hamlet?

If you have had a crap day at work, and want to watch a good action movie which is not demanding then this is very good "action" film, if you require something demanding then watch a good foreign film.

I had as much fun watching this as I do watching a James Bond or Jackie Chan film. 8/10

Not as good as the first, better than the second.

[Cimta-1 · 7/10 · 22 November 2008]

I just went to the Premiere at Planet Hollywood last night, and if you enjoyed the ridiculous action seen in the first two, you will definitely enjoy Transporter 3. Jason Statham returns and kicks everyone's ass regardless of the situation, and the vehicular action in this one is better than ever. His new "girl along for the ride", played by Natalya Rudakova, serves as a humorously contrasting (and hot) addition to Frank's troubles, and she managed to deliver a half decent performance. Transporter 3 is over-the-top and cheesy at times, but if you don't mind those things in an action movie, then there is much entertainment to be found here.

W O R S T

[jack_o_hasanov_imdb · 6/10 · 14 August 2021]

The worst of the series, but one of the films that made Statham as Statham.

A Nutshell Review: Transporter 3

[DICK STEEL · 6/10 · 25 December 2008]

I'm beginning to see a pattern here, and I'm thinking that The Transporter, if it has the legs for more movies, could be the franchise equivalent of being a poor man's cousin to James Bond. Created and written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen for three installments so far, the character of Frank Martin is a roguish looking strongman with a penchant for suiting up when going about being the best of the best in personalized delivery, with no questions asked, no names, and a whole host of other rules which he will of course break during the course of the movie.

Like Bond, he drives a cool, sponsored signature car. While Bond has his Aston Martins and BMWs, Frank Martin traded his BM in the first movie, for the armoured Audi A8 W12 which he has brought over from the second film, and here, that sweet supercar got to be put through even more punishment. It also shows itself to be a cut about the rest in being waterproof too, and an occasional dunk in the river won't put out the powerful engine, with tyres that self-inflate too (ok, so just in case you don't realize, I'm pointing out mistakes).

And it follows the Bond formula in having the Chick of the Flick highlight too. Shu Qi came on board in the first film as the vixen who traded her body to convince Frank to take the job. Then we had the good girl-bad girl combination for Part 2 with Amber Valletta and Kate Nauta respectively. Here, model Natalya Rudakova, with her very obvious freckles getting in the way, continues from where Shu Qi left off, being the flower vase who can't speak English fluently no thanks to her strong accent, and that's fine since their characters hail from a non-English speaking country.

Director at the helm has been round robin too (now by Olivier Megaton), with Hong Konger Corey Yuen crafting the first movie, before taking the back seat in every film by taking charge of how Frank Martin does hand to hand combat. So we do get to see some consistency in the technique that Jason Statham adopts in performing martial arts and various stunt work on his own, and Statham definitely has what it takes to fill up the void of having the lack of Western action heroes on the big screen. I suppose with more hits under his belt (pardon the pun) he could cement this status, and I sincerely hope that he avoids the plague of being relegated in his later years to the direct to video market.

As far as the story goes, it just provides a basic premise and an excuse to see how our hero gets to sit behind the wheel again. The Frank Martin now is more laid back, and spends most of his leisure time with the French detective Tarconi (Francois Berleand) whom he has befriended now. Until of course his reputation catches up with him, and in a Crank inspired moment, has to do what he does best for the bad guys, much against his wishes. The villains almost always seem to be part of what's topical at the moment, and this time Frank Martin has to contend with some eco-terrorists who are blackmailing a minister, involving some permit for industrial waste.

But who cares about any semblance of the plot anyway? We're looking for some adrenaline pumping, high octane action aren't we all? And here's where it takes a slide for the worse actually. Unlike Bond, there isn't anything new or refreshing to keep the audience engaged and away from the deja-vu feeling. For some reason, Besson and Kamen's story seemed to be stuck in a lot of drama and talk-talk-talk, giving our hero not much time to flex his muscles. And when he gets the chance to, it's the same old one-man-surrounded-by-thugs routine where he effortlessly dispatches them all with aplomb.

Such fight scenes are becoming common in The Transporter franchise, and Corey Yeun definitely needs to rejuvenate his action sequences designed for the franchise pronto. There are only two major fisticuffs scenes, and they all follow the same routine, which spells boring. And apart from that, we get the usual complementary car chases which seem to be rather standard with the usual camera shots and angles capturing the action too.

Fans of the series and of Statham will no doubt make a bee line at the box office for this, but I suspect that should there be any more thoughts on extending the franchise beyond the three films, then while the formulaic plot format can be kept, the action better be innovative because nobody likes seeing the same thing twice. Since different directors got a chance to have a go at the franchise, perhaps a change in action choreographers might give Frank Martin the lift that he needs.

Good and amusing third part with nonstop action and frenetic movement

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 26 September 2011]

Based on the characters created by Robert Mark Kamen and Luc Besson , this third entry deals with the former mercenary Frank Martin (Jason Statham), he is expert on deliveries of high risk , but he is now on holiday along with his friend Inspector Tarconi (Francois Berleand) . Two-fisted Frank is back and puts the driving gloves on when he becomes involved in the kidnapping of Valentina (Natalya Rudakova), daughter of a Ukranian government official (Jeroen Krabbe) to carry her from Marseilles to Odessa on the Black Sea . As a criminal organization forces him to undertake another deadly mission and adding an intrigue about nuclear waste . En route, he has to take on with a dangerous thug (Rob Kneeper) and ominous nasties who want to intercept Valentina's safe delivery and not let his personal feelings get in the trail of his risked aim .

This exciting picture gets noisy action , suspense , tension and lots of violence when the thrilling fights and murders take place , being pretty entertaining . Chases galore abound with breathtaking velocities and rousing pursuits where the cars leap and fly . It's a run-of-the-mill action film as from the beginning to the end the action-packed is interminable . In addition , incredible struggles with bound and leaps by the trainer master Corey Yeun as martial arts choreographer and main artificer of spectacular choreography from Hong Kong cinema . Overwhelming race cars and impressive pursuits are made by authentic stunts and computer generator especial effects . Jason Statham is top-notch as action hero who specializes moving goods of all kinds ,he's a tough man fighting stunningly . Rob Kneeper is excellent as an extremely clever villainous . Lively , stirring musical score fitting to the action by Alexander Azaria and shimmer , colorful cinematography by Giovanni Fiore . This frantic , adrenalina motion picture is lavishly produced by the French producer and director Luc Besson with his production company called Europacops o and well directed by Olivier Megaton (Colombiana , Red siren) . In conclusion the film provides fast and furious entertainment and action unstopped with no sense and developed with continuous movement and fast paced . It's a must see for action lovers . This is a superior installment , being preceded by ¨Transporter 2¨ also by Louis Leterrier with Alessandro Gassman , Amber Valetta and Jason Fleming ; and being the best the original ¨The transporter¨ by Corey Yeun and Louis Leterrier with Qi Shu , Matt Schulze and Ric Young .

Statham Strips and Kicks Ass (Sometimes at the Same Time)

[evanston_dad · 7/10 · 29 November 2008]

More fast and furious action from Jason Statham, directed in this outing by Olivier Megaton (is that name for real?)

The "Transporter" series is the bargain bin version of the James Bond films, but I enjoyed this film way more than the latest Bond, "Quantum of Solace." This installment exists as nothing more than a Jason Statham fetish movie. We see him kicking ass shirtless while the female in peril this time around ogles him. She later makes him perform a striptease much to her delight and -- let's be honest -- the audience's. You don't have to be female or gay to admit that Statham is a fine specimen of a man; most guys would kill to look like him.

And as someone who's follicly challenged myself, it's nice to see someone bringing sexy back to bald.

Grade: B

The Worst in the Series

[ultimatenexus · 4/10 · 8 August 2014]

This is a sequel with no energy and a plot that focuses on all the wrong things. The girl that Frank is stuck with for most of the movie is obnoxious and a frustratingly horrible actress.

This could have been a good movie. I mean, it's got Frank having to drive a girl around, with an explosive anklet that'll blast him to smithereens if he's separated from his car. And she's the daughter of a politician who's being blackmailed into signing some document to allow chemical ships to get into the country without a hassle. Oh, and it's got Robert Knepper, an underrated actor, playing the villain.

Where did it go wrong? Maybe it was the fact this installment didn't match or surpass the fun ridiculousness of the first two (with the exception of Frank driving his car onto a train--and then THROUGH the train--to get to the bad guy). Or maybe it was the fact that the fight scenes were sped up (they literally fast-forwarded through some of the fights!) and blurry, with too many close-ups for you to tell just what the hell is going on. Oh, and that girl. That girl was terrible.

Some people may enjoy this, but for me, it was a huge disappointment.

I liked the Movie

[bryanleslie44 · 8/10 · 28 November 2008]

I read many of the reviews on rottentomatoes and almost did not go to see this movie. What a mistake that would have been. If you want to go to a movie,sit down and be entertained for 1 hour and 40 minutes with non stop action then this is the movie for you. I am not a serious movie critic I am just an average guy who wants to go to a movie that will be enjoyable. This movie is fun to watch from the beginning to the end. I asked others that were sitting near me what they thought of the movie and they all liked it. I thought that Jason Statham was perfect as Frank Martin. I wish that I had a body like that, I would do a striptease for a living. I enjoyed that the French Inspector was more involved in this movie over the last 2. He brought a lot of humor. The girl at first was annoying but she kind of grew on me and by the end of the movie I liked her.

Gets on the nerves sometimes

[extremyo · 6/10 · 8 September 2020]

I would have given 5 stars, but out of respect for Mr. Statham I'm giving 6 stars.

The actress has been 'beautified' to such an extent, it looks gaudy. Absolute trashy would be another good description. Men like redheads, but not of this kind please. In fact, her character that has been written is of a very low standard. In the whole movie, her hair is a fiery red, but during the flashback of her abduction, you can clearly see her hair was black. But wait, there's more..

The part where she is teasing and annoying Frank is stupid and sets a bad precedent for future movies. And if you watch the Transporter: Refuelled (2015) you will get to know exactly what I mean.

Frank is breaking his rules left and right, unless previous movies, where things went along with a little more intent. There is a lot of unnecessary dialogue as has been rightly pointed out by others. This movie lacks nuance in essence. For eg. during a fight scene Miss Redhead is watching Frank fight off some buggers, the camera switches to her and her expression is like what you would expect out of a 3rd grade movie. She could just have watched with an intentional look without any expression and people would understand what's going on in the head of the character. But, they cheaped it out big time. I would blame the director for this of course.

The car chase where you have a Mercedes and Frank's Audi on the highway is really bad. The movement's have been sped up and it looks quite amateurish. Unlike the previous movies where they were a lot better. The action sequences were however, not too shabby.

Policeman Mr. Tarconi brings some relief to the script. But he can't investigate a poorly written script now, can he?

Overall: Only the Transporter series/Mr. Statham fans should really watch it. Others can find something better.

Another great franchise With a tragic ending.

[ruff_ryders · 1/10 · 17 July 2017]

I Am a huge fan of Jason statham and seen most of his movies, this one however was one that i just watched Last Night, i loved the first Transporter and The second was OK and enjoyable But this one.... Omg. i figured that this Megaton or Whatever this dude's name is...is one Bad and stupid dumb*** of a director, not only ruined the Taken franchise But The Transporter one as well, I mean what the F***, Bad director, Bad dialogues, Bad camera work, huge waste of talent (Jason statham), and probably the worst no talented and sexy whatsoever lead actress i've ever seen in my life, lets see what else Megaton will destroy ahead, do Yourself a favor, only watch the first and second.

Alright 3rd installment

[KineticSeoul · 6/10 · 30 July 2015]

There is some aspects about this movie that I liked more than the previous 2 installmentsm, but there were some parts that I felt that it was weaker. What I liked about this movie is how they creativitely utilized the scenerios and action. When it comes to the protagonist having a bomb strapped around his hand. Which explodes if he is too far away from his car. So yeah, I thought the concept was cool, especially near the end. But it lacked the entertainment value, the previous two installment was over the top and ridiculous and this installment isn't as corny as the first one. But I just didn't find it as entertaining. But it still had my attention for the standard 1 hour and 30 minutes runtime. It still a watchable action movie for a rental.

6.3/10

Sexy

[KnowOne1988 · 7/10 · 15 December 2008]

I didn't give this movie a seven out of ten because i thought it was really good or anything. The movie is nothing fantastic. The plot line was typical of any standard action movie ,fast driving, fighting, sex, exc, but it was entertaining. It made me laugh. The characters are really engaging to watch, specially the red head. She was very beautiful. This movie is worth watching because it keeps you on the edge of your seat, it's never dull, and a lot of the scenes are humorous. I recommend this film, specially since a lot of the movies out right now are crap.At least with this one, i didn't feel like i wasted my time and money.

Disappointed in the director

[Ana_K_71 · 4/10 · 29 November 2008]

I loved both Transporter and Transporter 2, and I couldn't wait until opening day of Transporter 3. I recruited a few of my friends and we made a girls' night outing to see it. My big disappointment was with the director's comic fast-frames in the fight sequences. Jason Statham moves so fluidly in fight sequences, that it's both beautiful and a turn-on to watch. However, with jerky camera movements and the ridiculous fast-forwarding, the elements of grace and power were lost. The director tried to substitute plenty of still moments with a shirtless Statham in an attempt to give us some eye candy, but none of this did Jason justice, nor was it a fitting substitute. Natalya Rudakova was much too young for him as a romantic interest (kind of creepy), and I was unconvinced by her cheesy accent and her character's incongruent language mastery. Her character went from describing gourmet delicacies in perfect English to saying "what means ____" (insert basic word).

I loved François Berléand again, and of course Jason put in another outstanding performance. Natalya could have been a fun character, without the bad accent and romantic twist to the plot.

Please give us a Transporter 4 more in line with the previous two films!!

Excellent

[bob-rutzel-1 · 7/10 · 27 May 2009]

Frank (Statham) is hired to deliver a package to Odessa on the Black Sea. He has a passenger, Valentina (Rudakova), and he doesn't know why she is in the car with him. They both have bracelets on them that will explode if they are so many feet from the car. This can't be good.

Like the Die Hard movies, this Transporter series just gets better and better. You know what you are going to get especially if you saw T1 & T2. And, I was not disappointed. The stunts, acting, and dialogue are first class. In fact, even the music gave the movie the kind of status you would expect with a Bond, Bourne or a John McClane (Bruce Willis) movie. It was really good. The editing was superb and the story moved along at a very good pace.

The story gets somewhat complicated so pay attention. Hard to believe, I know, but the Transporter Series is taking a step up.

Yes, there were a couple of fights where Frank had to deal with about 12-goons at one time. Hey, this is a Transporter movie. Frank can handle himself. You know that. It's his schtick or something. And, yes, there are some outlandish, possibly unbelievable stunts with the cars, big trucks, a train, and maybe a little CGI, but hey, it's a Transporter movie. We expect those stunts. And, they were more than great.

Robert Knepper as Johnson did a great job as the big bad boss now that he is finished with that finally done Prison Break TV show (great show btw). And, Natalya played her part to perfection and she is very pretty and sexy. And, Jason himself just gets better and better and you can see this by his getting more lines to speak. He's good. Deal with it.

Hey, this is an action movie thriller, not Shakespeare. Deal with that too.

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: No.

THE WORST OF THE TRILOGY & THE GINGER CHICK RUINED IT!!!

[lukem-52760 · 1/10 · 4 May 2020]

I love Jason Statham as a new but also old school style Action hero & i love most of his films & yes i liked the first two Transporter films but this 3rd is terrible. Now Statham is fine & does what he does & is good in his signature role as Frank Martin but the whole film is feels like a mess really, it's a road movie with the most annoying & unattractive women I've seen in a movie for a long time!!! The stupid horrible voiced, skinny & boyish Ginger chick that he gets stuck with, she looks like a vile junkie & i hated her character & she's the 2nd main lead here!!! Statham is ruined by being teamed up with her & all i wanted him to do was shoot her in the head & kick her out of the car!!!

A wasted Transporter film & one to not watch again

Unexpectedly good!

[Affirmative_Dave · 9/10 · 6 February 2010]

Ready to watch an average entertaining movie, I didn't expect to see the best of the Transporter sequels.

For once the script has been designed carefully, action and fight scenes happen logically, there is true suspense and we believe in the story. This is not the regular high-budget low-brained film we have been taught to expect.

Valentina (Natalya Rudakova) has a nice touch of "Nikita", and plays wonderfully the captive girl half romantic, half moving. A very promising actress. Jason is excellent as usual, and, for once, gets his performance highlighted thanks to a riveting story. Fight scenes have something from the legendary Jason (Bourne) movies. Camera effects give fights some necessary depth, compared to other movies.

The best of Luc Besson back at work.

Do not pay too much attention to the low rating: It looks like the Transporter aficionados - used to pure raw action/no story "Chuck Norris" like - were disappointed. Well, this is probably the best thing that could happen to this movie: Transporter 3 definitely got its level upgraded and targets a different audience.

My advice to the producer: keep on the good work, and create a new movie based on the same pattern, but just don't name it "Transporter 4", so that you don't disappoint the "Missing in action" fans.

Jason should be the next James Bond!!!

[ramchandar_gl · 6/10 · 6 December 2008]

In bollywood (Indian movies) it is a general belief that a few film makers call up the actor and tell him that their new movie will have 5 songs, 4 fights, 2 romantic scenes and 1 emotional scene. If the actor agrees, then the producers look for a script writer. If someone was ever searching for a similar style of movie making in Hollywood...we have our WINNER!!!

And nobody breaks any sweat over the story for Transporter 3. Since the audience like Jason Statham and the car, they decided to make them inseparable. "The hero cannot leave the car while transporting or else he will be blown away". And so he takes the car everywhere he goes - even when boarding a train or swimming in a river :-)))

And there is this pointless romantic angle which just looks like a filler between the action sequences.

Having read all this, if you are wondering why you should watch this movie. Its because Transporter 3 is one of those movies where you don't have to involve and trouble yourself with anything thats happening on screen. Its like sitting in a roller coaster and just enjoying the ride - if you can. The action scenes are very well done - probably because that's all they wanted to do. The car-cycle chase in Budapest is an example (although I wonder how the hero knows every road and building plan of that city). Jason Statham is as good as any other action hero out there and is certainly worthy of a role as 007. The rest of the supporting cast (barring the girlfriend) do their jobs given to them.

So what are the pain points? One certainly were the scenes were Jason was not fighting. There was no humour in the dialogues. And there is no proper buildup to the climax. Even Jason doesn't know for the most part why he is fighting and what he is transporting.

The other disappointment is the girlfriend. If ever there was a lead actress with no characterization at all, she will take the cake. She doesn't talk much when Jason asks about what happened to her and you feel for the hero because of this muted reaction from the girl. Ten minutes later you wish she never had a mouth!!! Its a complete U-turn for the character and she ends up annoying Jason more than the villain.

If you can somehow keep your spirits up during the romantic and emotional scenes of the movie, you might end up enjoying the Transporter ride!!!

6/10

Fight scenes are shot & edited so poorly

[udar55 · 1/10 · 18 March 2009]

Honestly, I thought I was going to have an epileptic fit from the fight scenes. No joke - in a one minute fight scene there are almost 50 cuts. Can you imagine Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan or Tony Jaa doing that? No way. The point of an action film is to highlight cool action scenes. You can't do that when this Michael Bay-influenced rapid fire editing.

I liked the first two entries in this series, but this one is really, really bad. I think the blame lies with director Olivier Megaton who seems to not know how to shoot or edit a fight scene to save his life. Seriously, why hire Corey Yuen to do your fight scenes if you are going to cut ever half second? Just a complete mess. The sad part is that nearly 60% of the movie is edited like this. Honestly, do we need three flash cuts when you are just showing a picture on a passport?

A treat for Gordon Ramsay

[darren-foley · 6 January 2009]

This film was brilliant. One of the best films I have seen in the past decade. Im only joking. It wasn't.

If your an aspiring chef, definitely watch this film. There are so many comments about different foods, different restaurants that you kind of get the feeling that the female character is a wikipedia for recipes. If your an avid BMX fan, then you can learn some swift new moves from Jason. Overall, this film was about as entertaining as a microwave meal. Oh, and the sound quality was terrible. In a cinema, I expect to hear things clearly. When the Russians or whatever they were spoke, it sounded like they were talking Jelly baby. As a side note, I've learned how to make a lobster thermidore.

Also, if the bad guys had watched the other 2 transporters, then they would have surely realised that Jason CANNOT be beaten. Even by a group of 10000000 guys. The guys a soldier. You have to give him that.

Exciting film

[olivia-itc · 7/10 · 18 March 2009]

I saw Transporter 1 and Transporter 2. Serise 2 is the most exciting of the Transporter series. So, I'm looking forward to Transporter's last mission. But the film...is so-so. I was a little disappointed. The action & story is the same. The action is wonderful!! Exciting!! The fighting like a show. Main actor has nice muscles, a nice face and a nice voice. He is stronger than the other people. But he is weak for a woman....... He fell in love with a woman. Maybe one minute later he was dead. But the love??? It's impossible.. The movie is ACTION! Why did he fell in love with the woman? It's not a romance movie, but the action is perfect

Boss, can I say something? Transporter 3

[jaredmobarak · 6/10 · 12 December 2008]

Was Transporter 3 really directed by a guy named Olivier Megaton? I mean how perfect is that? In a film, let alone a series, that seems to enjoy using as many accents to confuse the audience as possible and action that diverts us from actually thinking about the thin plot, this guy has it all—European flavor and what seems to be the amount of explosives used on the film. Really, though, what does one expect going into a film like this? Myself, I look forward to the action, the one-liners, Jason Statham oozing cool, and attractive women who may or may not be able to kick butt themselves. Does the third installment deliver on those promises? Of course it does, and, truthfully, does it better than the last one. I will never say that this film is anything close to realistic or believable, but compared to the insane stunts utilized in Transporter 2, this thing is steeped in realism. I think grounding it in some semblance of authenticity helps keep interest without giving the audience those moments of, "give me a break". But again, you don't see these films for true-life lessons; you see them to pump the adrenaline and live vicariously through a guy like Statham; the kind of guy you wish you could be, if only you had that commitment to a workout regime.

If you sit down in the theatre ready for a taut story devoid of plot holes, why are you even leaving the house? Honestly, I don't think you are in any shape to drive yourself anywhere—commit yourself to a hospital and get better. The Transporter series works for me because I know going in that my brain has been left at home and I'm ready to sit back and enjoy some mayhem. I'm not alone either, I'm sure. How do we get a third one if that was the case? And how does Luc Besson, a highly regarded writer/director, stick to his guns and continue writing them? It's because men do need a little escapism once in a while … and I'm sure the ladies don't mind a shirtless Statham running around saving the damsel in distress either. Admit it girls, you love him.

With that said, if you don't know what capacity our leading lady plays in the story after the first second, you REALLY left your brain at home. The "revelation" of who she is and what she stands for around the three-quarters mark should not be a surprise, and shame on you if it is. The real question is how long will it take our man Frank Martin to take down the bad guys and help his favorite French Inspector Tarconi apprehend the bad guys. We don't need stellar line delivery or emotive faces. Statham is the best actor of the bunch and he just utilizes a stone-cold, blank canvas stare through the entire thing. That stoicism says it all. But I lie, he isn't the best actor involved, that award goes, by far, to Robert Knepper as the man behind the dirty deeds, Johnson. If you know him from "Prison Break" you should be in for some enjoyment. He takes the evil core from his T-Bag character, strips off the Southern hick mentality and accent, and delivers straightforward villainy. His trademark lip licking stays intact and his penchant for feeling nothing at the hand of random killings shows his true colors, despite calling himself a "Pacifist".

It all revolves around some conspiracy pertaining to large amounts of waste, toxic garbage that needs to be stored/disposed of. Whose country is the culprit? Why should the Ukrainians take care of it? Why should we as the audience care? I have no clue to any of these questions, and the beauty is, you don't need to know either. The impetus behind the mission and bloodshed is completely irrelevant, serving only as a catalyst to get high-speed car chases and bare-fist brawling with ten against one odds—always favoring the lone man when Frank Martin is in attendance. The fight choreography is great as usual, even if it seems a tad redundant from the past two. And the car chases? That's the only reason I even want to see these movies, and I hate the car world. Thankfully product placement reigns supreme and we only had to deal with Audi, Mercedes, and Range Rovers. Even I can keep track of three models.

As for the acting, well the opening scene on a ship transporting the elusive waste says it all. These extras are so bad you have to cringe for them. Not only that, but the next scene introducing Statham and François Berléand's Tarconi is kind of painful too. It is edited weird; Statham's playfulness is stupid with his "Please Tarconi? Please?" at the end; and Berléand himself is almost unintelligible. Thankfully it is cut to a car chase to help alleviate the pain. But, as I said, the primary players are up to snuff and young Natalya Rudakova is introduced to the world with success. She really doesn't have to do much but look sexy, and well, she does. And really, that level of superficiality is what's needed for a film of this ilk to succeed. All I can say is that the surface was sleek enough to keep my interest and if for some reason the world needs a fourth installment … yes, I will probably be there for the fun again.

it was okay

[JacksonW0523 · 6/10 · 7 April 2020]

Not as good as the previous films but still enjoyable to some degree. Jason Statham once again doesn't disappoint with his badass action scenes and he's really that awesome action hero but the fight scenes in this movie is shot in ways where there's sped up shots and shaky cam which wasn't necessary. I liked how the story plays out with first something happens and then it is revealed later on how they're all connected. I didn't really buy that romance between Transporter and the main actress. There was this awkward love making scene. This movie suffers from something that the other films suffered from, which is the villain is kind of weak and forgettable.

"Transporter 3" is a great example of good, "dumb-fun"... Not to be taken seriously, this sequel will leave you breathless with awesome action... A worthy follow-up...

[TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness · 8/10 · 26 November 2008]

Riding on after the fun and at times hilariously over-the-top "Transporter 2", Jason Statham is back as Frank Martin, aka, The Transporter in "Transporter 3." And, if you enjoyed the previous films, I can guarantee you will love this ride of mayhem.

This time around, Martin has been kidnapped and forced into his new job by Robert Knepper's character, the villain known only as 'Johnson.' Johnson has slapped a chemical-bomb-bracelet onto Martin which will explode if he strays from his car by more than 75-feet- an insurance policy to make sure he completes his task- transporting a sexy young woman named Valentina (Natalya Rudakova) and two mysterious bags throughout parts of Europe, for reasons unknown. There is a plot involving Valentina being kidnapped, and being used by Johnson to blackmail her powerful father, but it isn't very important to the overall story, it is just there to justify the action.

And action is something this movie doesn't skimp out on. While not as show-offish as the previous film, which had action in every-other-scene, this entry in the series definitely has its share of fist-fights and car-chases, explosions and gun-battles. Director Olivier Megaton (no, I'm not making that up), takes over for Louis Leterrier (co-director of the previous two entries) and does a good job at maintaining the mood set by previous films, and he does great with the action. Though I will say the camera-work is sometimes sub-par, and sometimes a little too "Jason Bourne Shaky." But overall, if I wasn't told any different, I'd assume Leterrier was still directing, which is good, because a series like this should generally feel consistent.

The story itself (written by "Transporter" and "Transporter 2" scribes Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen) is halfway decent for a silly, PG-13 action-fest, and ends up being much better than most will give it credit for. I've already seen the comments of the film being bad, but we all know that those aren't the type of people to be listening too. If someone accuses the third film in a silly franchise like this of "sucking", and then complains about the plot or the characters, then that person is taking it too seriously. This ain't a serious movie, this is a "brain drain" movie... where you let your brain shut off and you drain your IQ for the 100 minute running length while letting yourself be thrilled, before exiting the theater and turning the ole' noggin back on.

This is "dumb fun" at its finest.

Also returning as Inspector Tarconi is Francois Berleand, now given much more screen time as the comic relief and the guy who gets to piece together the story for the audience. He does wonderful, as always.

A large portion of the film involves the love-story between Martin and Valentina, and this is where the movie may become hit-or-miss for the fans. Essentially, Valentina is the "Anti-Frank Martin"- she is fun-loving, spunky and very open to anything. Frank finds her annoying at first, but you can tell he almost envies her lifestyle compared to his own strict life, which he now is starting to realize has been holding him back. You can tell they are a good match for each other because they even each other out. And Rudakova does a good job with the role, though the audience may think she goes a little too far during certain scenes, where her antics go wild. Still, she adds a lot to the plot, and keeps the story fresh- after all, we can deduce that Frank was never able to keep his connections with Lai, or "go anywhere" with Mrs. Billings from the previous films. And hey, Rudakova made me fall in love with her (and her character), so thats gotta count for something.

One last comment on Jason Statham, the star of the film, before I wrap this up. I truly think this series has proved he has what it takes to make it as a big-time star. He has had to show emotions through a character that likes to ignore or disregard them, and he has proved himself physically. He's also a decent actor. I think this series, and particularly Statham, are not getting the attention they deserve.

All-in-all, I liked "Transporter 3", it was a great ride filled with good action, cool characters and a silly but decent, cliché-ridden story. And hey, clichés are clichés, but they work! I give it, as a fan, an 8 out of 10.

Old Wine, New Bottle

[sauravjoshi85 · 6/10 · 29 September 2020]

Transporter 3 is an action thriller movie directed by Oliver Megaton and stars Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova, Robert Knepper, Jeroen Krabbe and Francois Berleand in the leads.

The best to describe this movie is old wine in new bottle as nothing seems to be new in the movie including action scenes. But for the die-hard Transporter fans the movie again has the same high-adrenaline action scenes with some high octane car chases and some great action scenes.

The plot of the movie is not new and to some extent is predictable, Jason is one of the safest bet when it's comes to action movies and he will not disappoint you. Screenplay is fast paced and some of the actions scenes are marvelous and required a strong applause. Climax is predictable yet entertaining. Acting is good by the characters and direction is average. Cinematography is good. Background music is not fresh and seems to be similar like it's previous two movies.

Overall the movie has nothing new to offer and with some of the same chases and barring few action scenes most of the action scenes are similar to it's last two movies but still be rest assured the movie will not bore you.