Entertainment
18 Years Later, Jason Statham’s 105-Minute Action Thriller Quietly Becomes a Free Streaming Favorite
Jason Statham’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s best ass-kickers has seen him perform in some of the grittiest action movies and franchises. From his impressive early work alongside long-time collaborator Guy Ritchie on the likes of Snatch to appearing in big-budget blockbuster franchises such as Fast and Furious and The Expendables, there are few action IPs the fast fists of Statham haven’t punched his signature style into. Another of his lesser-spotted franchise performances came in the Transporter series, beginning with a hard-hitting first installment in 2002.
After the first installment earned just over $40 million worldwide, that total doubled three years later by Transporter 2, and it was clear the French action thriller franchise still had plenty to give. The third installment, written by Luc Besson and directed by Olivier Megaton, might’ve earned $112 million worldwide against a reported budget of $40 million, but little could save it from a damning response from critics and audiences. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film’s critics’ score of 40% is barely improved on by its 48% audience rating. The critics’ consensus on the site reads, “This middling installment in the Transporter franchise is a few steps down from its predecessors, featuring generic stunts and a lack of energy.”
Despite this poor performance, Transporter 3 has continued to prove a popular rotation in the watchlists of action fans. Often appearing in the streaming charts, anyone yet to catch this underrated gem in Statham’s busy catalog will be able to do so this April. As of April 1, you’ll be able to watch Transporter 3 on Plex. A synopsis for the movie reads:
“Mob courier Frank Martin’s (Jason Statham) latest assignment pairs him with Valentina (Natalya Rudakova), the cynical daughter of a Ukrainian official. While her father ponders what to do with three boatloads of toxic waste, Frank must guard the problematic woman and prevent her from wandering too far from his vehicle, or risk triggering the explosive shackles they both wear.”
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‘Transporter 3’ Was Statham’s Last in the Franchise
Although Statham fans may have tuned out, the third Transporter installment wasn’t the last, with a fourth outing titled Transporter Refueled arriving in 2015. Alas, the third installment would be the last for Statham, as a reported dispute over pay and the commitment to future entries saw the action veteran decline the opportunity to reprise his famous role. This left Deadpool and Game of Thrones alum Ed Skrein to pick up the pieces as the lead.
Transporter 3 is joining Plex this April. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
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December 5, 2008
- Runtime
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104 Minutes
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