Jason Statham does a James Bond

Recognized by critics as a poor man’s James Bond, steely-eyed Jason Statham explodes on the big screen anew via the third installment of the successful Transporter franchise. Titled Transporter 3, it features the British actor in his most action-packed performance that could drive Daniel Craig away from his mission. In the martial arts/car chase thriller, Statham reprises the role of Frank Martin, the mob courier who never looks at the package, never asks questions and never fails to deliver.

John Anderson of Variety says: “Jason’s the real deal. He can pull off the quiet-man thing without seeming psychotic. The film boasts a measure of the retro machismo, style and attitude 007 fans have found lacking in Quantum of Solace shown recently.”

The second son of a lounge singer and dressmaker-turned-dancer who ran a black market operation in South London, Statham grew up initially following in his parents’ footsteps to master the art of street theater. He also played football for the local grammar school, but his real passion was diving — in particular. He finished 12th in the World Championships in 1992. His life in media began when he was spotted by a talent agent specializing in athletes while training at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. Aftrwards, Statham became a model and actor. Aside from the Transporter series, his other notable film credits include Death Race, The Bank Job, In the Name of King, Crank, Chaos, Cellular, The Italian Job, War, Collateral, Ghost of Mars and many others.

Directed by Olivier Megaton, Transporter 3 starts when Frank Martin, the professional driver with a lethal kick, has been pressure into transporting Valentina, kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev, head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up on the Black Sea. With no time to lose and a bomb implanted on his wrist ready to explode anytime, Frank must contend with the people who strongly armed him to take the job, fight the dozens of agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and escape from one life-threatening situation after another. “With death defying stunts and hard-hitting encounters done by Jason himself, the sequel will give audiences the ride of their lives and push them at the edge of their seats,” says Megaton.

Statham comments, “It’s great to have worked with different directors in all the episodes of Transporter. I had the high style of Hong Kong’s Corey Yuen and the mind-blowing technique of The Incredible Hulk helmer Louis Letterier and now, Olivier’s fresher approach to filming of spectacular car chases and bone-breaking fight scenes. I can’t believe that because of what I’ve done in this film, people begin comparing me with Daniel Craig. But of course, I prefer to be noticed on my own merit and style. That will be awesome.”

Transporter 3 is now showing in theaters.