"THE TRANSPORTER" (2002) (Jason Statham, Shu Qi) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Mild Extreme Moderate Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None Heavy *None Moderate Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Mild Mild Mild Extreme QUICK TAKE: Action/Adventure: A solitary man known for his efficiency in transporting illegal goods decides to get revenge on his latest client who just tried to kill him. PLOT: Frank Martin (JASON STATHAM) is a solitary man living in the French Mediterranean known for his efficiency in delivering illegal goods for all sorts of people without getting caught or drawing undue attention to his clients. That's been a source of frustration for Inspector Tarconi (FRANCOIS BERLEAND) who knows and often converses with Frank, but has been unable to prove or catch him doing anything wrong. Frank's next client wants him to deliver a large package to a wealthy criminal by the name of Wall Street (MATT SCHULZE). Breaking his own rule of never looking at the package, Frank's curiosity gets the better of him. Accordingly, he looks into the large bag that was put in his trunk and finds Lai (SHU QI), a young woman who's bound and understandably panicked. After giving her something to drink, he delivers her to Wall Street, who asks Frank to deliver a new package for him. That turns out to be a bomb that nearly kills Frank and the irritated transporter then returns for some revenge on those who tried to kill him. He then ends up unwillingly rescuing Lai and learns that her father, Mr. Kwai (RIC YOUNG), and Wall Street are working together to illegally move Asian immigrants into the country. From that point on, and while trying to elude Tarconi's attempts to catch him in the act and others trying to kill them, Frank then sets out to stop the criminals and their plan. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're into high-octane action films, they probably will. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For violent sequences and some sensuality. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: JASON STATHAM plays a man who transports illegal goods for criminals in exchange for pay. A loner, he reluctantly rescues Lai and attempts to get his revenge on those who've wronged and attempted to kill him. He uses some profanity and fights many bad guys, killing some of them. It's implied that he sleeps with Lai. SHU QI plays the young woman who Frank rescues and is trying to expose her father's plan of illegally smuggling immigrants into the country. She uses some profanity and it's implied that she sleeps with Frank. MATT SCHULZE plays a wealthy criminal who's involved in that smuggling and attempts to have Frank killed. He also kills one of his own men. FRANCOIS BERLEAND plays a local cop who tries to catch Frank in his criminal ways and then lets him loose to handle the villains. He smokes several times. RIC YOUNG plays Lai's father who's criminally involved in the smuggling of those immigrants. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this action/adventure film that's been rated PG-13. Violence consists of various people being shot to death; other killing/deaths and attempts on others' lives; scenes featuring martial arts fighting with brutal punching, kicking and hitting of others; and property damage and destruction from gunfire, car chases and explosions. Some of that violence has bloody results, the martial arts fighting and stunts might be enticing for some kids to imitate, and some of those scenes might be suspenseful to some viewers, albeit in an action/adventure sort of way. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (with the hero also being a criminal), while some drink and some smoke. Profanity consists of at least 9 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. A partially undressed woman and man fool around and it's suggested that they have sex If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Some people drink beer in a bar. Some goons have beer. BLOOD/GORE A criminal vomits out a car window. Frank cleans some blood from his back car window. A man has some blood on his face. We see a bullet hole in a man's shirt and then see some blood soaking into the fabric. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Frank is a transporter who transports various items for various criminals and receives payment for that. Some men have robbed an establishment and the leader shoots one of his own men dead so that Frank will be their getaway driver. Wall Street and Mr. Kwai have bad attitudes for illegally smuggling in Asian immigrants and killing or attempting to kill people. Frank and Lai lie to Tarconi about their actions and whereabouts. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may also be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers. An extended car chase sequence - featuring lots of close calls - could be intense for some viewers. Lai tries to elude Frank in the woods. After leaving Lai tied to a chair in the middle of the road, Frank puts his car in reverse and rapidly drives toward her, stopping just inches from her. Lai tries to find files on Tarconi's police computer before he returns (and we see him heading that way). As Frank holds on to the side of a tractor trailer, the driver tries to bash him against signs, etc. on the road. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Machine guns/Shotguns/Rockets/Car bomb: Used to threaten, wound or kill people and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "What kind of sh*t am I in?" "Deep sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "You dumb sh*t," "Screwed it all up," "Nuts" (crazy), "Go screw yourself" and "Bastard." All of the martial arts fighting and wild driving might be enticing for some kids to imitate. Some criminals give the cops "the finger." JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A heavy amount of action-oriented and some suspenseful music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None that we heard, but some songs had lyrics that could not be understood, thus offering the possibility of them containing potentially objectionable material. PROFANITY At least 9 "s" words, 1 ass (used with "hole"), 1 damn and 2 uses of "G-damn" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY We briefly see an overhead shot of a woman floating in a pool in a small bikini. After making a scuba diving escape and then breaking into an empty house, both Frank and Lai begin to strip off their wet clothing. We see him shirtless and then see the camera pan up her bare legs to her panties that show part of her bare butt. She approaches him and states that she wants to make up for the trouble she's caused him (she's in a tank-top and panties). She kisses him and he's reluctant, but she kisses him again and he then gets on top of her on a table and the scene ends there (but it's implied they have sex). Lai says that Frank is always complaining, "Except when we make love, than you say nothing." SMOKING Tarconi smokes several times, while some miscellaneous people also smoke. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Lai and her father obviously have strained relations (due to his actions and criminal behavior) and he smacks her after she tells him that she hates him. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Anti-heroes and how the film gets the viewer to root for a criminal due to him and his actions being less unsavory than that of the other criminals. Immigrants being smuggled into the country. VIOLENCE A criminal boss holds a gun to Frank's head, demanding that he drive the getaway car as previously arranged. Frank states that the deal was for three passengers and not four, so after some tense moments, the boss shoots one of his own men and the body is then pushed from a car (no blood on him, but Frank is later seen cleaning some from his back window). During an extended car chases sequence, a police car drives through various tables and chairs while in pursuit. After landing on top of a flatbed truck carrying other vehicles, Frank uses a gun to shoot a lever that deposits various cars on the road, resulting in many cars colliding with others. Moments later, a cop repeatedly shoots at Frank's car, but doesn't hit it. Carrying Lai back to his car, Frank encounters two cops. He throws Lai into one, repeatedly strikes and kicks the other and then kicks the first, rendering both of them unconscious. A bomb inside Frank's car explodes, destroys the car and knocks Frank backwards against another car (and is arm is briefly on fire). Frank runs up and kicks down a door onto a man and others open fire on him. He fights with many of them delivering punches and kicks, and shoots one in the leg. More fighting ensues and Frank shoots two men dead. Two men then try hitting Frank with large axes and he kicks and strikes these men as they keep trying to hit him. Another man then comes up with a machine gun and opens fire, but Frank runs up and kicks this man. Rather than shooting him, Frank then riddles the walls with machine gun fire. Frank drives a stolen car through a garage door and then a main gate as he flees a criminal's compound. To prevent one of his injured men from possibly talking, Wall Street jams something into the man's mouth, suffocating him. A rocket blows up an observation tower in Frank's home and he barely gets Lai under a table before wreckage falls down onto them (they're unhurt). Men then riddle the house with machine gun fire, another rocket blows up part of the house and yet another rocket then causes a huge explosion (Frank and Lai get out unhurt) and destroys the house. Frank punches Wall Street and then pulls out a gun that he holds on him. Lai then holds the gun on him and counts down to when she's going to shoot him (but she doesn't). Her father and his goons then come in and hold guns on them and she then holds a gun to his chest. She eventually gives up and one goon then holds Frank's arms behind him, allowing another person to hit him, knocking him out. Frank holds a gun to Tarconi in a hostage-like scene, but we know that it's all staged to allow Frank to leave (other cops hold guns on him). Lai's father smacks her. Frank shoots a man dead and then another in the leg. Wall Street then knocks the gun aside and the two get into a martial arts fight with Wall Street eventually hitting him with a large pole. Frank punches and kicks more villains who try to attack him. As Frank holds on to the side of a tractor trailer, the driver tries to bash him against signs, etc. on the road. More fighting ensues with more punching and kicking in several scenes (done in a Jackie Chan style). Frank kicks a man out through a bus window and various goons then try to hit him with pipes (he hits and kicks many of them, and throws a knife that lands right in front of a man's crotch). Frank fights with another man and hits him several times in the crotch. That man then gets Frank in a chokehold and he must fight others who approach (kicking them). Frank head-butts a man backwards and then kicks many people while covered in oil and sliding across the floor. He hits and kicks more and a man then opens fire at him with a machine gun. Frank uses a man as a shield from that gunfire (his body is hit with bullets, but no blood). The two are then blown backwards through a window and the goons fire machine guns down into a body of water into which they've fallen. They then throw an oil drum into the water and shoot it, resulting in a fire on the surface. Frank hits and kicks a car that breaks down on him. Frank holds a gun on a pilot. Some cars crash into each other and explode (presumably killing the people inside). Frank kicks through the drivers-side window of a tractor trailer, nearly knocking the driver out the other door (he holds on). He then kicks him again and the man falls down onto the highway (on the door) and slides across the road and flies over a guardrail (we don't see the impact). A guy fires a shotgun at Frank, while Lai's father also shoots at him. Frank jabs a broken mirror piece into a man's hand and the two men then punch and hit each other in a truck. That man then gets Frank in a chokehold and Frank tries to drive with his feet. More fighting follows with punching and kicking, with the man eventually kicking Frank out through the windshield. We then see Frank hanging beneath the truck in motion. Lai's father attempts to shoot him there, but Lai grabs him and the shots miss. The father then pushes her back into the backseat and Frank throws a tire iron into the trailing car and hits the driver on the head (the car goes out of control). Frank flips down into the cab of a tractor trailer and kicks the driver. He then has his legs choking him and then throws him from the truck (and the man hits the road quite hard). A man holds a gun to Frank's head. We hear a gunshot in the distance (and a person is presumably killed). A person shoots and kills another person. Reviewed September 10, 2002 / Posted October 11, 2002

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