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Movie - 4.0
I really like the Transporter franchise. Its B-movie nature from the mind and pen of one Luc Besson has always been an entertaining escapist romp for me. The series has always been quasi-serious, but often silly enough that we realize it's all in good fun. Whether Frank Martin is saving Chinese refugees or stopping an archetypal Colombian hitman from unleashing a deadly virus, he always does so in such style thanks in huge part to the cool cars he drives, his spiffy suits, and the always-welcomed martial arts choreography of Hong Kong legend Cory Yuen. However, Transporter 3 takes somewhat of a different road in terms of its tone. One of the things I noticed from the first time I saw the trailer was the cinematography. With that said, this 3rd installment is easily the darkest so far. Don't let that fool you, though. The film still has its campy elements and occasional cheese. We see Frank do his thing having to transport more human cargo, getting into situations where butt-kicking is required, make a few wise cracks, and even get some cool chase sequences in and out of the car. But the big difference here is the philosophical approach it tries to take as represented by the interaction of Frank and Valentina. Throughout the franchise, we've seen Frank as a man of rules and principles. Here, we see the opposite in a young, unabashed, free-living Valentina. I actually like what her character's purpose is in trying to open Frank up a little more as a person (like Lai in the first film), but I seriously wish they had picked a different actress. Contrary to the cute and perky innocence Shu Qi has in Transporter 1, I often had a hard time accepting Natalya Rudakova's performance. It's not the Ukrainian accent and broken English, or even the crazy amount of freckles that bring her down, it's the angst. Granted, rich and spoiled teenage brat characters usually are angsty, but refer back to Shu Qi's performance (which is unequivocally the same role), and the comparison should speak for itself.
Video - 5.0
It's sad that the first two films fell under the MPEG-2 encode when they were released as some of Fox's flagship titles. Thankfully, though, Blu-ray has come a long way since then, which is reflected in the video presentation given to us by Lionsgate. With the movie itself being very recent and the current availability of MPEG-4 AVC, we get an absolutely pristine picture. Colors aren't too vibrant, what with the darker tone and photography, but it's more than made up for by everything else. Black levels are among the deepest I've seen to date. Frank's suit, the sleek paint on his Audi A8, even the tread in the tires all carry a great level of detail and delineation between one texture and the next. Contrast is just right in keeping other image details visible, while still maintaining the film's gritty look. And while flesh tones do appear reddish, it's not nearly as bad as the first movie, and in my opinion, actually helps in accentuating some of the finer details such as the face-stubble and ripped muscles of Statham or the heavy eyeliner and freckles of Rudakova, even through that fine layer of theatrical grain. No image enhancements or manipulation are apparent either, making this a showcase BD.
Audio - 5.0
The interesting thing about this 7.1 DTS-HD track is its spaciousness. Normally, a typical sound design will have 3 elements: dialogue in the center channel, music and sound effects from the fronts and side, and LFEs in the subwoofer. Here, we actually have the sound design separated into 4 different channels individually: music from the rear and sides, sound effects from the front, dialogue in the center, and LFEs in the sub. As a result, it creates a very unique kind of immersion. One factor I've always liked in the franchise is the music, not so much the score (which still isn't bad), but the Euro-techno stuff playing in the background, which is displaced perfectly throughout the back 4 speakers. Dialogue is clear and never a problem from the center, though some viewers may find it awkward that the sound effects are limited to just the front of the sound stage. However, bass levels are surprisingly thunderous and help make up for that, particularly the thuds and thumps when Statham kicks a guy right in the gut. I don't think I've ever had a sound effect outside of an explosion or piece of machinery make a sound like that, which is pretty invigorating. Then of course are the cars, gunshots, etc. that also sound flawless just to top things off for an otherwise, reference track.
Extras - 3.0
Also a new addition from the previous Transporter BDs is the presence of some actual special features. It's not much, but the commentary from director Olivier Megaton, and the two behind-the-scenes featurettes are appreciated. Throughout his commentary, Megaton breaks down the overall filming process very well and makes the movie much more appreciable than I initially felt before giving it a listen. I just wish they turned a lot of his commentary into a more in-depth making of-segment as opposed to a vocal-only presentation. The "Real World Transporter" feature is interesting, but a bit of a downer. It essentially de-glamorizes the concept of Frank Martin's character and tries to instill this feeling of rough and tough, but with absolutely no benefits to the lifestyle whatsoever. The "Making of Transporter 3" is more or less what Megaton covers in his commentary, which I still think is a little short in length in itself. But then again, any kind of extras for movies of this caliber are better than nothing.
Overall - 4.5
I think this 3rd installment actually could've been the best of the franchise. It still carries enough of the B-movie campiness and charm, but takes it up a level by trying to make the atmosphere much darker. Unfortunately, the female lead doesn't quite make it as enjoyable for me as I would've liked, but still think it's a good movie for what it's worth. Can they make another one? Sure. But given the mixed levels of critical response and the fact that most movie franchises like to do things in 3s, I wouldn't be surprised if Statham decided to move on, if not for one more appearance as Chev Chelios, then at least beyond his role as Frank Martin into another action role. With reference A/V quality and a decent amount of extras, Transporter 3 comes recommended to fans.
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