‘The Transporter: Refueled’ runs out of gas halfway

“The Transporter: Refueled,” directed by Camille Delamarre, starring Ed Skrein and Ray Stevenson, serves as an average action film, if you enjoy lesser sequels.

Action movies are not very smart. There are films like ‘Casino Royale,’ but those are the exception to the rule. 

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‘The Transporter: Refueled’ definitely falls under the simple, but not too dumb category.

It’s about a gang of former forced prostitutes fighting their former leader’s gang. It’s nothing complicated, but it’s perfect for a character like The Transporter.

Frank Martin,The Transporter, is not like James Bond. He is not an agent being sent on missions, he is a character who falls into others plots and helps as he can. While uncomplicated, the story works for this movie.

This is a reboot of “The Transporter” — a chance to be different from the old Jason Statham beat ’em ups. They could have changed the character in numerous, better ways; Instead, the filmmakers rehash the same old thing.

It would have been better if Martin was more vulnerable. Normally, the character is pretty much good at anything.  He is the best driver, the best fighter — it is constantly hard to put up stakes for this kind of character.

The acting across the board is very bad. The performances pretty much wreaks of a cheap, Luc Besson action film like ‘Lucy’ or ‘The Fifth Element.’

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While he is not the worst actor in the film, Skrein is the easiest target to blast. 

A lot is done well with him as Martin, but his constant use of a Christian Bale “The Dark Knight” voice ruins it all. It is noticeable, annoying and infuriating.

Stars: 2.5 out 5     

Jacob Pierce can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JacobPierce1_DE.  

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