Ex-Special
Forces operator Frank Martin lives what seems to be a quiet life
along the French Mediterranean, hiring himself out as a mercenary
"transporter" who moves goods – human or otherwise
– from one place to another. No questions asked.
Carrying
out mysterious and sometimes dangerous tasks in his tricked-out
BMW, Frank adheres to a strict set of rules, which he never breaks.
Rule One: Never change the deal. Rule Two: No names ? Frank doesn?t
want to know whom he?s working for, or what he?s transporting. Rule
Three: Never look in the package.
Frank?s
newest transport seems no different from the countless ones he?s
done in the past. He has been hired by an American known only as
"Wall Street" (see Rule Two) to make a delivery, but when Frank
stops along route, he notices his "package" is moving. Violating
Rule Three, Frank looks inside the bag, finding its contents to
be a beautiful, gagged woman.
Frank?s
steadfast adherence to his other two rules ? which make up his basic
code of survival ? also quickly falls, hurtling him and his new
companion on a road leading to shocking secrets, deadly complications,
and the last thing Frank ever expected to come to believe: that
rules are made to be broken.
Twentieth
Century Fox presents a Europacorp Production, in coproduction with
TF1 Films Productions in association with Current Entertainment
and Canal +, starring Jason Statham and Shu Qi in THE TRANSPORTER.
Fran?ois Berleand and Matt Schulze also star. The director is Cory
Yuen, the screenplay is by Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen, and the
artistic director is Louis Leterrier. The producers are Luc Besson
& Steven Chasman. The director of photography is Pierre Morel, and
the production designer is Hugues Tissandier. The editor is Nicolas
Trembasiewicz, and the original score is by Stanley Clarke.
With
previous credits including Guy Ritchie?s audaciously funny "Lock,
Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch," actor Jason Statham
isn?t the most obvious choice as Hollywood?s newest action star.
But after a meeting early last year with renowned filmmaker Luc
Besson ("La Femme Nikita," "The Professional"), Statham was set
on a path that would lead him to the title role of the highly self-sufficient
and occasionally lethal "transporter" in Besson?s latest production.
Statham?s
manager, Steven Chasman (who also serves as a producer on THE TRANSPORTER),
previously collaborated with Besson on "Kiss of the Dragon," released
by Twentieth Century Fox last summer. Knowing that Besson had a
great eye for talent ? Natalie Portman is among his discoveries
? Chasman approached Besson about meeting Statham. Besson was so
impressed with the actor that he agreed to co-write, with Robert
Mark Kamen, a thriller written especially for Statham.
For
Statham, a lifelong Besson fan, the confab with the filmmaker was
a memorable experience. "I couldn?t believe I was sitting in a room
with Luc Besson, discussing a part in his next movie!" he recalls.
"The fact that he wanted to write it for me was almost unbelievable.
How privileged can an actor get?"
Besson?s
co-writer, Robert Mark Kamen, who served in the same capacity on
"Kiss of the Dragon" and Besson?s science-fiction hit "The Fifth
Element," also was impressed with Statham. "Jason has something
that most movie action heroes lack: a humanity and decency that
come through even though his character, Frank, is as hard-boiled
as they come," Kamen notes. "Luc thought Jason had not only the
action chops to attract audiences vicerally, but the right amount
of simpatico to get them emotionally."
Kamen
also saw specific qualities in Statham?s work in "Lock, Stock and
Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch" that would become intrinsic to
the character of Frank in THE TRANSPORTER. "When I watched Jason
in the Guy Ritchie films, I immediately noticed that Jason really
knew how to be still; you?re drawn to him in those films because
he is staying so quiet and motionless. So when he does something
on screen, you?re really watching ? he just grabs you."
Statham
notes that Frank?s stillness adds balance to the character?s physical
prowess, softening the hard edges of typical screen action heroes.
"Frank likes to keep things simple," the actor notes. "He lives
a quiet life in the south of France; he?s built a wall around himself.
Most important, he has a set of rules he never breaks.
"Frank?s
not a murderer or an assassin; he?s something completely different,"
Statham adds. "He could easily break the necks of those who go up
against him, but he instead inflicts minimal damage to incapacitate
them temporarily, not permanently. I like to call Frank, ?The Thinking
Man?s Fighting Machine? because his technique is very stylish. He
doesn?t want to kill anybody, and he certainly doesn?t enjoy the
combat he often finds himself in."
Since
Besson and Kamen wrote the part of Frank for Statham, it?s not surprising
that that actor himself possesses an impressive athleticism, honed
by years of training in boxing, martial arts ("soft" and "hard"
forms), kickboxing, and scuba diving. "Jason is physically gifted
as well as a terrific actor," says THE TRANSPORTER director Cory
Yuen, one of the world?s foremost action choreographers, whose work
has been seen in "X-Men" and "Kiss of the Dragon."
"I
was excited about finally having the chance to put some of my physical
training to work on screen," Statham laughs. "I never had the chance
to do it in Guy [Ritchie]?s films."
Yuen
put Statham through his paces, especially during an eight-week training
/ rehearsal period during which the actor worked intensively with
the director?s hand-picked team of fighting / action choreographers.
Yuen devised elaborate and creative action scenes, one including
an ingenious use of oil to ward off deadly assassins, as well as
a set piece involving a sweater that Frank transforms into a deadly
weapon. "With each film I try and create action sequences that audiences
haven?t seen before," Yuen explains. "The action should have some
kind of flair and meaning. I?m not interested in pyrotechnics and
combat for their own sakes."
While
Yuen worked on THE TRANSPORTER?s myriad action scenes, artistic
director Louis Leterrier oversaw many of the more intimate, dramatic
moments. Leaving the film in the hands of his chosen helmers, Luc
Besson made only sporadic appearances on the set. However he did
shoot a key underwater sequence that utilized his widely-hailed
skills in underwater filming (evidenced in the Besson-directed films
"Atlantis" and "The Big Blue."), as well as Statham?s background
as a diver.
To
bring even more verisimilitude to the sequence, Statham trained
with an ex-Marine diver in underwater caves near Marseilles. As
the character, Frank, has nerves of steel, the Marine diver decided
to test Statham?s limits and "cool" by taking away his flashlight,
leaving the actor sightless in the pitch black environment. "When
you dive," Statham explains, "you have to be able to relax, even
under extreme pressure. You can?t get flustered."
Joining
Statham in this scene, and throughout much of the film, was Shu
Qi, who plays Lai, the "package" that forever changes Frank?s orderly
life. In casting the role, Besson and producer Steven Chasman were
intent on finding an experienced and talented actor who nonetheless
would be new to most audiences. And while Shu is one of Asia?s leading
actresses with over forty film credits, she is as yet unknown to
much of the rest of the world.
Chasman
traveled to Malaysia, where Shu Qi was shooting a picture. Upon
meeting her, he was immediately impressed. "Shu Qi is a real star,"
says Chasman. "She is beautiful and has incredible on-screen presence."
Shu
was also game for much of the demanding action and stunt work, including
riding in the trunk of a car, inside a large bag. Perhaps her greatest
"stunt," though, was learning English with the help of an ever-present
coach, as she shot the movie. "I think it was the hardest thing
I ever did for a movie!" she laughs.
Veteran
French actor Fran?ois Berleand portrays Tarconi, a police detective
who suspects Frank?s transporting activities are somehow connected
to illegal activities in the area. Tarconi and Frank respect each
other, despite being on opposite sides of the law. In fact, the
detective is the closest thing the reclusive Frank has to a friend.
For
the villains, screenwriters Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen chose
to go in an unexpected direction, creating a ruthless killer known
only as "Wall Street" (played by Matt Schulze, from "The Fast and
the Furious") and an Asian crime lord called Mr. Kwai. (Ric Young,
who made memorably villainous appearances as a torturer on "Alias.")
"We thought it would be kind of off-center and fun to use non-French
characters," says Kamen. "Wall Street and Kwai are complete parasites,
coming from anywhere in the world to conduct unsavory if not deadly
business. And it doesn?t matter to them where they do it."
The
Southern France locales these characters choose to operate are hardly
the gorgeous, sun-kissed paradises we know from countless films
past. "It?s the south of France of shipping containers, oil bins,
and small nondescript houses and boats," notes Kamen. "It?s not
the James Bond-South of France."
Kamen
and Besson have known each other for ten years, most recently joining
forces on "Kiss of the Dragon." According to Kamen, the writing
process for THE TRANSPORTER was a whirlwind of intensity and creativity,
a "fast and furious" collaboration that had them working non-stop.
"All we did was write, sleep and eat," remembers Kamen. "It is always
a rush working off Luc?s great bursts of creative energy."
While
Besson and Kamen were in sync on virtually every aspect of the story,
initially there was one specific area of disagreement. "At first,
Luc didn?t like the title ?The Transporter?," says Kamen, because
in French ?transporteur? has a lowly connotation. But I insisted
that it was a great title ? it?s what the guy does. He delivers,
no questions asked." |
