The Fugitive (1993)

This film is a classic of the action thriller genre, and a remake of an old 1960s TV show to boot. Directed by Andrew Davis (Under Siege) and written by David Twohy (Pitch Black), it has become an example of how to do this genre correctly.

Vascular surgeon Dr Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) returns home from being called into surgery to find his wife Helen (Sela Ward) has been fatally wounded but an intruder. He fights with the man, who has only one arm, who we later find out is security expert Sykes (Andreas Katsulas), but he escapes. Kimble is then arrested for her murder due to the absence of forced entry. He is later falsely convicted and receives a death sentence.

During transportation to death row, fellow prisoners attempt an escape resulting in the bus they’re on crashing. Kimble does his best to help the injured and escapes himself before a train crashes into the bus. He is on the run. This is when U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones in his Oscar winning performance) and his team are called in to track and capture Kimble. But Kimble is extremely intelligent and uses his knowledge of human nature and hospitals to aid in his escape and track down the persons responsible for his wife’s death and his conviction. To his end, he heads back to Chicago, and with a little help from Dr Charles Nichols (Jeroen Krabbe) and Dr Wahlund (Jane Lynch), and sets up to find the truth and avoid capture. The twist is a nice one too.

Ford is amazing to watch in this film and he holds your attention when he is on screen. Jones is just the icing on the cake, and almost steals the show. But it’s Gerard’s team and their inactions that I love. Joe Pantoliano, Daniel Roebuck, L. Scott Caldwell, and Tom Wood play Cosmo, Biggs, Poole and Newman respectively, and it’s a character actor buffet. Julianne Moore even pops up in a small role.

Davis’s direction, especially the action sequences, are well executed. The damn sequence alone is awesome. Michael Chapman’s camera knows where best to be and James Newton Howard’s score is beyond iconic. I must for anyone who knows what a ‘movie’ is.

U.S. Marshals (1998)

You have a hit, you make a sequel, and in 1998, The Fugitive got just that. U.S. Marshals is an action thriller directed by Stuart Baird and written by John Pogue and features Sam Gerard and his team of US Marshalls tracking down another fugitive.

After a car accident, Mark Sheridan (Wesley Snipes) is arrested leaving the hospital as his girlfriend Marie (Irene Jacob) is picking him up. There is a federal warrant out for his arrest for the murder of two federal agents, his fingerprints left at the scene. He is set to be flown back to New York where the murders took place.

After Sam (Tommy Lee Jones) and his team take down a pair of fugitives in Chicago, and as a result of a bit of excessive force, Sam has to fly on the prison transport to New York. The same flight Sheridan is on. And after a failed assassination against Sheridan fails, the plane crashes. Sheridan is out and on the run. He is on a mission to clear his name.

Sam and his team, along with DSS Special Agent John Royce (Robert Downey Jr.), hunt down Sheridan and along the way find out there is a plot to sell secrets to the Chinese government through a Chinese diplomat Xiang Chen (Michael Paul Chan), and a frame job against Sheridan.

The action in the film is quite well done. It is amped up a little from the original film due to the spy element and Snipes’ martial arts credentials. The stunt work is on par with the original too. The jump from a building to a subway train is a prime example. The cat and mouse intrigue is handled well too, and doesn’t go into parody or fantasy. Jerry Goldsmith’s score seals the deal.

All the members of Sam’s team return, Joe Pantoliano, Daniel Roebuck and Tom Wood, but L. Scott Caldwell is replaced with LaTanya Richardson’s Cooper character. And they are amazing as always. Kate Nelligan has a small role as Sam’s boss Walsh who is a force to be reckoned with, and Patrick Malahide as Lamb is his slimy best. There is a little tragedy in the film, but it stands as an example of a good sequel.

The Transporter (2002)

Apart from being a film director, Lus Besson has made a career writing and producing hyper-realistic action movies for over two decades. And none are more iconic than the Transporter franchise. The original, directed by Louis Leterrier with fight scenes handled by Corey Yuen, introduces us to British mercenary driver and ex-special forces soldier Frank Martin (Jason Statham) who lives in France and lives by three very specific rules. 1) Never change the deal, 2) No names, and 3) Never Open the Package.

When Frank, who is known only by The Transporter to his clients, is hired to deliver a package weighing 50 kilograms (110lb) to Darren ‘Wall Street’ Bettencourt (Matt Schulze), he breaks his own third rule after the package in the trunk starts making very human noises. Looking inside he finds a bound and gagged Asian woman named Lai (Shu Qi). Not wanting to get involved, Frank delivers the package. Before he leaves, he is given another package to deliver. Which blows up his car while he is getting refreshments. Frank, now on the warpath, heads back to Bettencourt’s mansion, takes out the thugs and rescues Lai, albeit reluctantly.

And then the bad guys blow up his house. So, he then helps Lai take down Bettencourt and her father Kwai (Ric Young) who are smuggling people into Europe through France in cargo containers. And he gets a little help from Police Inspector Tarconi (Francois Berleand), who believes his story and gives him all the time he can for Frank to bring down the bad guys with cars, trucks, feet and fists and rescue Lai and the trapped trafficked people.

Before the Fast and the Furious franchise when all bombastic, realism bending action films became ‘cartoons for adults’, we had the Transporter. The action and chase sequences are breathtaking, with the open chase through Paris a highlight. But it’s the Corey Yuen choreographed fights that are the remembered moments, full of kinetic energy and imagination. None more so than the fight in the mechanics where Frank uses motor oil and bike pedals to great effect. It’s not going to win any awards, but this fun popcorn movie gets the blood pumping and has enough memorable moments for rewatches and sequels.

The Transporter 2 (2005)

Director Louis Leterrier and writer producer Luc Besson (along with writing partner Rober Mark Kamen) returned for the 2005 sequel, inventively named The Transporter 2. Jason Statham returns as merc driver Frank Martin.

This time, Frank has taken on a favour to his old friend Tony, and becomes the temporary chauffeur for the wealthy Billings family in Miami, Florida. Frank quickly bonds with their son Jack (Hunter Clary), whom he drives to and from school, while playing a riddle game. Their bonding may have something to do with the marriage of Jefferson and Audrey Billings (Matthew Modine & Amber Valletta) being on the rocks due to the stress over Jefferson’s high-profile government job. Frank is preparing for the weekend with friend Inspector Tarconi (Francois Berleand) coming to town. But when Frank has to take Jack to the doctors for a check-up, Tarconi makes his way to Frank’s apartment.

At the doctor’s office, thugs masquerading as medical staff, lead by Lola (Kate Nauta), try to inject Jack with a mysterious liquid. Frank engages in fist-to-cuffs, and manages to escape with Jack. Only later to be forced at gunpoint by Lola to drive Jack to her boss Gianni Chellini (Alessandro Gassmann). Jack is taken and Frank is made to drive away with a bomb under his car. The authorities believe Frank to be involved in Jack’s kidnapping, and even detain Tarconi, who spends the rest of his vacation in US Marshal’s offices.

Jack is later released, but he has been injected with a virus which will infect all around him, and those around them. His dad’s government job will give the virus an interesting playground. It’s up to Frank to kick the bad guys butt’s, retrieve the antidote and clear his name.

The story is a more personal one than the previous, which raises the stakes on a narrative level, as does the ‘ticking clock’ plot element. The action is on top form again. The doctor’s office fight and the confrontation on a plane at the end are major highlights, in a film made of action highlights. The villain is slimy and portrayed well by Gassmann, as is his right-hand Lola, Nauta in unhinged femme fatale mode. Popcorn flick with more heart than the original.

The Transporter 3 (2008)

For the third film in the franchise, a new director took over from Louis Leterrier, who was busy playing in the MCU. In stepped a man with the coolest name ever, Olivier Megaton, of Taken 2 & 3 fame. And, of course Luc Besson is back with his producing and writing hats on.

Jason Statham reprises his role as Frank Martin, who has returned to France to continue his low-key business of delivering packages without question. After fishing with Inspector Tarconi (Francois Berleand), a Black Audi crashes through the front of Frank’s house driven by his friend Malcom (David Atrakchi), who Frank recommended for a job after he turned it down. This job, it turns out. The paramedics arrive and take Malcom away, just as Frank discovers a woman in the backseat. She tells him that the bracelets they are both wearing will explode if they move too far away from the car. Malcom and the ambulance go ‘BOOM’ and a thug knocks Frank out.

When the lights come back on, Frank is confronted by Johnston (Robert Knepper), who fits Frank with a Boom Boom bracelet, modifies his car, and strongarms him into driving himself and the girl Valentine (Natalya Rudakova) to Bucharest. Johnston has been hired to get a Ukrainian Politician Leonid Vasilev (Jeroen Krabbe, not playing a villain for once), to renegotiate with a corrupt company dumping toxic waste. And they kidnap his daughter, Valentine, to force him to do it.

Frank gets Johnston thugs after him when he veers off course to get rid of the bracelets. Also, Vasilev has sent agents after Frank, not knowing about the Boom Boom bracelets. So, while Tarconi is working with the Ukrainian authorities, Frank must stay alive and un-exploded, avoid pursuers, kick the bad guys in the nuts, save the girl and the day.

The action here is turned up to 11. And it is a sight to behold. The finale on a train is pure physics bending eye candy. The film never lets up and pushes the ‘high octane’ moniker for all its worth. Knepper is the perfect villain for the trilogy’s end and Rudakova is wonderful in her first film role. Those freckles will make you melt. As always, Statham is the man.

The Transporter Refueled (2015)

This 2015 action film serves as a reboot of the Transporter franchise. Directed by Cammille Delamarrem written by Bill Collage, Adam Cooper, and Luc Besson (also returning for producing duties), it recasts our hero and ups the adventure/James Bond qualities of the previous entries.

Frank Martin Jr. (Ed Skrein) lives in France and acts as a mercenary driver and transport expert, full of fist to cuffs and thrilling car chases. He has a strained but friendly relationship with his father Frank Martin Sr. (the late Ray Stevenson), a retired special agent.

When Frank takes a job from the mysterious femme fatale Anna (Loan Chabanol) and her crew of ex-sex slaves Gina, Maria and Qiao (Gabriella Wright, Tatjana Pajkovic & Yu Wenxia) hell bent on taking down their former captures, now a major crime syndicate, led by Arkady Karasov (Radivoje Bukvic), He quickly finds he is in over his head. Fearing Frank not helping past the initial transport job from their bank heist, the girls kidnap Frank Sr and hold him to ensure Frank’s cooperation.

After Frank finds out they are up against Karasov, whom Frank has a history (and not a pleasant one), and hearing the girl’s story, he and his dad (in smooth super spy mode) help the girls kick ass and make all that is wrong right again. But our heroes do pay a price.

Honestly, I actually like this flick. It got me excited like the first Statham entry did. Cool characters (sometimes just a ‘type’) are written well and acted more so. The film is full of ‘mini-missions’ the girls and the Martin boys have to go on to achieve their final goals, and it feels like a more fleshed out story than the two previous sequels. The traumatised girls not trusting Frank is a nice piece of character development that is not usually included in these films. And Ray Stevenson is flawlessly cool in the role of Frank Sr. I would have liked to have seen the film with him and Skrein and father and son. Where the film falls down is weakly written, almost clichéd villains. But there is enough action, high-speed vehicle carnage to plaster over the flaws. And yes, I rate this higher than 2 & 3.

Jack Reacher (2012)

Jack Reacher is a 2012 action thriller from writer-director Christopher McQuarrie based on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novel One Shot.

In Pittsburgh, a sniper shoots dead six people one morning from a parking structure and flees the scene. Police investigations use the evidence and soon Ex-military sniper James Barr (Joseph Sikora) is in custody. He says nothing in interrogation, but writes the words, ‘Get Jack Reacher’ on a legal pad. Meanwhile, in Miami, Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) , seeing the news report on television, makes his way to Pittsburgh to fulfill a promise to put Barr away if he ever steps out of line again.

Upon arriving Reacher meets Detective Emerson and DA Rodin (David Oyelowo & Richard Jenkins) to talk about the case. He asks to see Barr, but he was beaten in police custody and is in a coma. He meets Barr’s attorney Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike). She convinces him to look into the case as they both feel there is something that doesn’t make sense. Soon, thugs target Reacher, which he uses his military training to avoid or knock down. Reacher’s involvement is of a concern to the mysterious crime lord known only as The Zec (Werner Herzog) and his unhinged second in command Charlie (Jai Courtney). They try to take Reacher out of the picture and stop his own investigation every way they can from intimidation, direct attack, and framing for murder.  When they kidnap Helen, Reacher goes on the attack. And God isn’t helping these guys. Oh, and Robert Duvall plays the small role of Cash, the owner of a shooting range that helps Reacher out.

This film is a pretty good action thriller, and is put together better than you would expect. Especially considering fans of the book series bad-mouthed the movie for the casting of Cruise. But McQuarrie’s film is a taught film. The cinematography by Caleb Deschanel is a true experience. He makes a rock quarry look like art. The fight scenes are some of the most accurate and well shot I’ve seen. And the unique use of camera work during the chase scenes will leave an impression. In the end it is the performances that sell the film. And sell it did. I bought it.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)

When you have a hit, especially one based on a series of books featuring the same character, you make a sequel. And that is exactly what happened. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is an action thriller directed by Edward Zwick, which he co-wrote with Richard Wenk and Marshall Herskovitz, based on Lee Child’s novel Never Go Back.

After helping the 110th US Army CID Military Police, his old unit, take down a corrupt sheriff engaged in human trafficking on land owned by the US Army, Reacher (Tom Cruise) heads to Washington D.C. to actually meet Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), who Reacher collaborated with via the phone on the case. Upon reaching his destination, he finds out that Truner has been arrested and imprisoned for espionage. Seems evidence has turned up showing Turner was involved in the murder of two Military investigators in Afghanistan. Smelling a rat, Reacher starts looking into it. In doing so, he finds out that he may have a daughter named Samantha (Danika Yarosh), who he also checks in on. After a man known only as The Hunter (Patrick Heusinger) kills Turner’s lawyer Colonel Moorcroft (Robert Catrini), Reacher is framed and sent to the same prison as Turner, escorted by MP Espin (Aldis Hodge). Reacher breaks out both himself and Turner, and they start tracking down those responsible. When they get too close, another MP is killed, framing them both and puts a target on their back and that of Reacher’s maybe daughter Sam. The three go on the run from Espin and the MPs and the bad guys led by Gen. Harkness (Robert Knepper) who runs a private military security company. And to this end, our trio head to New Orleans for the climax.

I wanted to like this film; I really did. But it just didn’t land as well as the first. Even though there is a lot going on, it seems slowly paced. There seems to be too much and too little going on at the same time. I don’t know how that happened. Oliver Wood’s cinematography makes every look great, and Henry Jackman’s score does most of the heavy lifting. Everyone except for our three leads is bland. Basically, an expensive TV movie.