Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Transporter 3

How often is a three-quel any good? And how often is a summer movie released in the fall any good? Well in this case, at least once. The Transporter 3 is an excellent continuation of the Jason Statham series in which Statham gets to drive cars fast and beat people up with his hands, feet, and in amazingly his coat, shirt and tie. A satisfactory plot line, the requisite evil guy who comes up with the obligatory plot restraint (don't go too far from the car or you blow up) that was made very popular by Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in Speed, and the creative (and almost believable) defy-all-odds escapes. And yet it all holds together. Comparing this film to Daniel Craig's Quantum of Solace, I would actually have to say that this is a better summer action movie. And while that may have to do with the inherent expectations that come with a Bond movie, I am going to stick with recommending this over the Bond film, if you have to chose only one.
3-stars

[Get on Soapbox #1] Someday, would someone please make a film in which a car goes over a cliff, crashes into the valley below, and does not explode in a fireball of destruction.[Step down off Soapbox #1]

[Get back up for Soapbox #2] Requisite evil guy actually delivers the line "You know, at heart I am really a pacifist" and follows with some explanation about how he tried to plan to avoid death but outside of his control, everybody just seemed to fight back. Let's clarify that a pacifist isn't someone who just tries to avoid violence unless someone fights back. A pacifist is someone who plans to avoid violence, and does avoid violence. Even when someone perpetrates violence against you, or in your general vicinity, or in a way that interferes with your desires, a pacifist so wholly abhors violence that they always seek an alternative action. Never is violence the only option. And we must not be so naive to suggest that there is always a happy ending to seeking alternatives to violence. Seeking peace and avoiding violence is often ugly (and often for the seeker and avoider). But it is always right. Just want to make sure that the general public does not confuse pacifism with avoidance of violence when it is convenient. [Step down from Soapbox #2]

2 comments:

ben wideman said...

ah Ty, you had me rolling on the floor with this one. Brilliant. Thanks for sharing.

Juhie said...

i'm jealous you saw it today. i like your comment, and i will definitely see it.