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Frank Martin (character)
Encyclopedia
The Transporter is a French film series, comprising three films released between 2002 and 2008. The protagonist
and reluctant hero
is Frank Martin, portrayed by Jason Statham
. Martin is portrayed as a professional freelance courier driver for hire. Statham is himself an accomplished martial artist, allowing him to do all the combat scenes involving Frank Martin himself. This permits the films' signature realistic uncut fight scenes, choreographed by Cory Yuen.
Martin is aided by a French Police inspector named Tarconi. Initially, Tarconi is assigned to investigate the path of destruction that Martin is leaving but ends up aiding in the recovery of the containers full of human slaves. Incidentally, although two slave containers are identified, Martin only recovers one at the end of the film.
Inspector Tarconi plays an even more prominent role in this film. It is established that he and Frank are now friends, and Tarconi goes as far as to lie to the police to cover for Frank. His cooking prowess is established as well.
), the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up in Odessa on the Black Sea. Along the way, with the help of Inspector Tarconi (François Berléand
), Frank has to contend with the people who strong armed him to take the job, agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and the general non-cooperation of his passenger, whom he realizes is the package mid-way through the film. Despite Valentina's cynical disposition and Frank's resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one life-threatening situation after another. Martin again drives an armored Audi A8 W12 in the film, as well as a BMX bicycle.
is starring as Frank Martin.
operator who was a team leader of a search and destroy unit. His military background includes operations "in and out of" Lebanon
, Syria
and Sudan
. He retires from this after becoming fatigued and disenchanted with his superior officers. In simple terms, he got tired of seeing his best efforts turned to nothing by the same people paying him to do the job. So he puts his skills to action as a private driver for hire.
His country of origin is unclear - throughout the franchise, Statham seems to speak with a "mid-Atlantic" accent, mixing his own Estuary English
accent with a European and also with perhaps a generic Appalachian American accent, suggesting he could be European, British or American, but who may have spent considerable time in another country.
In The Transporter
, Frank Martin is shown to have received the Bronze Star.
Frank has already established a good reputation in his secondary, secretive line of work, all the while maintaining an apparently legitimate life. However he did manage to attract the suspicions of the police in France
, where he had been living quietly in an old place on the coast.
While at first these rules may seem unnecessarily strict, their importance is illustrated when Frank is hired to transport three men but four arrive, no less fresh from a bank heist. Explaining to them that The Deal was for a precise number of passengers with specific weight and that fuel and suspension were specifically set to reach the destination, the gang is forced to remove their extra man or face being caught.
Frank's breaking of his own rules is the central theme in The Transporter.
Rules of the car:
and, in the third film,
E38
and Mercedes-Benz W140
in The Transporter
, a 2004 Audi A8 6.0 W12 in Transporter 2
, and a 2008 facelifted Audi A8 6.0 W12 in Transporter 3
. However, during a pursuit scene in Transporter 2
he drives a Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster.
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
and reluctant hero
Reluctant hero
The reluctant hero is a heroic archetype described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces:The reluctant hero is typically portrayed either as an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances which require him to rise to heroism, or as a person with extraordinary abilities...
is Frank Martin, portrayed by Jason Statham
Jason Statham
Jason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
. Martin is portrayed as a professional freelance courier driver for hire. Statham is himself an accomplished martial artist, allowing him to do all the combat scenes involving Frank Martin himself. This permits the films' signature realistic uncut fight scenes, choreographed by Cory Yuen.
The Transporter
In the first movie, Frank is hired to deliver a package to an American gangster known only as "Wall Street". Breaking one of his rules, Frank opens the package: it reveals a tied-up and gagged woman by the name of Lai. Initially, Frank simply delivers the package, however when Wall Street attempts to kill Frank, Frank returns to the delivery site. Frank injures many of Wall Street's henchmen and steals a car containing Lai. The next morning at Frank's house, an inspector turns up and questions their story. However, this works to their advantage, as they manage to discover the whereabouts of Wall Street while at the police station. Lai then explains that there is a shipping container full of people. However, at Wall Street's office, it is revealed that Lai has lied. After lots of action, and with the inspector's help, Frank succeeds in an attempt to retrieve a truck full of immigrants.Martin is aided by a French Police inspector named Tarconi. Initially, Tarconi is assigned to investigate the path of destruction that Martin is leaving but ends up aiding in the recovery of the containers full of human slaves. Incidentally, although two slave containers are identified, Martin only recovers one at the end of the film.
Transporter 2
Frank is working as the driver/chauffeur for a wealthy family, in the United States. Martin bonds with their young son, whom he drives to school every day. When the boy is kidnapped, Frank must again take action in order to protect his young "package" and his family. Eventually, Martin unravels a scheme involving biological weapons and the nefarious Gianni Chellini. Martin is forced to remove a bomb from the bottom of his car by executing an aerial corkscrew maneuver underneath a crane. The crane catches the bomb and Martin escapes unharmed. Frank debuts the Audi A8 W12 in this film.Inspector Tarconi plays an even more prominent role in this film. It is established that he and Frank are now friends, and Tarconi goes as far as to lie to the police to cover for Frank. His cooking prowess is established as well.
Transporter 3
Frank has been pressured into transporting Valentina (Natalya Rudakova) (by using a device which prevents him from moving 75 feet from his car or a bomb attached to him explodes which was unknowingly attached to him after a car crash) the kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev (Jeroen KrabbéJeroen Krabbé
Jeroen Aart Krabbé is a Dutch actor and film director who has appeared in many Dutch and international films.-Biography:...
), the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up in Odessa on the Black Sea. Along the way, with the help of Inspector Tarconi (François Berléand
François Berléand
François Berléand is a French actor.Berléand was born in Paris, France of . He plays Gilles Triquet, the officer manager and equivalent of David Brent in Le Bureau, the French version of The Office, produced by Canal+. He released a book about his childhood in 2006, Le fils de l'homme invisible...
), Frank has to contend with the people who strong armed him to take the job, agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and the general non-cooperation of his passenger, whom he realizes is the package mid-way through the film. Despite Valentina's cynical disposition and Frank's resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one life-threatening situation after another. Martin again drives an armored Audi A8 W12 in the film, as well as a BMX bicycle.
Transporter: The Series
Transporter: The Series is an upcoming television series based on the Transporter films. Chris VanceChris Vance (actor)
Chris Vance is a British actor. Vance is known for his role as Jack Gallagher in the Fox series Mental and James Whistler in Prison Break, and has guest-starred on Burn Notice and Dexter-Early life:...
is starring as Frank Martin.
Character
Frank Martin is portrayed as an former-special forcesSpecial forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
operator who was a team leader of a search and destroy unit. His military background includes operations "in and out of" Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. He retires from this after becoming fatigued and disenchanted with his superior officers. In simple terms, he got tired of seeing his best efforts turned to nothing by the same people paying him to do the job. So he puts his skills to action as a private driver for hire.
His country of origin is unclear - throughout the franchise, Statham seems to speak with a "mid-Atlantic" accent, mixing his own Estuary English
Estuary English
Estuary English is a dialect of English widely spoken in South East England, especially along the River Thames and its estuary. Phonetician John C. Wells defines Estuary English as "Standard English spoken with the accent of the southeast of England"...
accent with a European and also with perhaps a generic Appalachian American accent, suggesting he could be European, British or American, but who may have spent considerable time in another country.
In The Transporter
The Transporter
The Transporter is a 2002 French action film directed by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen and written by Luc Besson, who was inspired by BMW Films' The Hire series....
, Frank Martin is shown to have received the Bronze Star.
Frank has already established a good reputation in his secondary, secretive line of work, all the while maintaining an apparently legitimate life. However he did manage to attract the suspicions of the police in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he had been living quietly in an old place on the coast.
Background
Possibly through his military background, Frank is portrayed as having expertise with explosives, surveillance, hand to hand combat and evasive driving. Emphasis is given to his skills as an accomplished driver, able to conduct seemingly impossible maneuvers while retaining perfect control of his vehicle. Frank often engages in hand-to-hand combat, having to improvise using unconventional weapons against his opponents. Martin is also an accomplished sharpshooter.Rules
Frank Martin carries out his business according to strict rules, which he is loath to break, and expects his clients to adhere to them or face a breach of contract. His rules are:- "The deal is the deal"
- "No names"
- "Never open the package"
- "Never make a promise you can't keep"
While at first these rules may seem unnecessarily strict, their importance is illustrated when Frank is hired to transport three men but four arrive, no less fresh from a bank heist. Explaining to them that The Deal was for a precise number of passengers with specific weight and that fuel and suspension were specifically set to reach the destination, the gang is forced to remove their extra man or face being caught.
Frank's breaking of his own rules is the central theme in The Transporter.
Rules of the car:
- "Respect a man's car, and the man will respect you"
- "Greet the Man"
- "Seat belt"
and, in the third film,
- "If you take care of the car, the car will take care of you"
Appearance
Frank Martin maintains a uniform of sorts, consisting of a black suit, white shirt, and a black tie. Martin also puts great emphasis on precise timing and punctuality. He regularly maintains anonymity from his clients, going by the aliases Transporter, or more simply Driver.Sexuality
In 2005, Director Louis Leterrier said that Frank Martin is "the first gay action movie hero", suggesting that the character comes out when he refuses a woman's advances by saying, "It's because of who I am." However, this appears at odds with Frank's heterosexual relationships in the first and third films, and his explicit statement in the third that he is not "the gay."Cars
Frank Martin seems to prefer four-door cars, using a 1999 BMW 735iBMW 7 Series
The BMW 7 Series is a line of full-size luxury vehicles produced by the German automaker BMW. Introduced in 1977, it is BMW's flagship car and is only available as a sedan or extended-length limousine...
E38
BMW E38
The BMW E38 model was the basis for the 1995 through 2001 BMW 7 Series automobiles. Developed from early 1988 to 1994, it was unveiled in the summer of 1994, replacing the BMW E32 that September and itself was replaced by the BMW E65/E66 for the 2002 model year.The E38 models were offered with...
and Mercedes-Benz W140
Mercedes-Benz W140
The Mercedes-Benz W140 was a series of flagship vehicles manufactured by the German automotive company Mercedes-Benz. The car premiered at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1991, with the first examples rolling off the production line on August 6, 1991. Short and long wheelbase sedans were offered...
in The Transporter
The Transporter
The Transporter is a 2002 French action film directed by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen and written by Luc Besson, who was inspired by BMW Films' The Hire series....
, a 2004 Audi A8 6.0 W12 in Transporter 2
Transporter 2
Transporter 2 is a 2005 action film directed by Louis Leterrier and produced by Luc Besson. It is the sequel to The Transporter . It is itself followed by Transporter 3 ....
, and a 2008 facelifted Audi A8 6.0 W12 in Transporter 3
Transporter 3
Transporter 3 is a 2008 French-English action film, and is the third installment in the Transporter film series, as well as the first not to be distributed by 20th Century Fox in the United States. Both Jason Statham and François Berléand reprised their roles, as Frank Martin and Tarconi,...
. However, during a pursuit scene in Transporter 2
Transporter 2
Transporter 2 is a 2005 action film directed by Louis Leterrier and produced by Luc Besson. It is the sequel to The Transporter . It is itself followed by Transporter 3 ....
he drives a Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster.
Cast
- Jason StathamJason StathamJason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
(films) and Chris VanceChris Vance (actor)Chris Vance is a British actor. Vance is known for his role as Jack Gallagher in the Fox series Mental and James Whistler in Prison Break, and has guest-starred on Burn Notice and Dexter-Early life:...
(series) as Frank MartinFrank Martin (character)The Transporter is a French film series, comprising three films released between 2002 and 2008. The protagonist and reluctant hero is Frank Martin, portrayed by Jason Statham. Martin is portrayed as a professional freelance courier driver for hire. Statham is himself an accomplished martial artist,...
/The Transporter - Shu QiShu QiShu Qi is the stage name of a Taiwanese actress born Lin Li-Hui . Her stage name is occasionally romanized as Hsu Chi or Shu Kei . Her name is sometimes seen in the Western order as Qi Shu.-Early life:...
as Lai Kwai - François BerléandFrançois BerléandFrançois Berléand is a French actor.Berléand was born in Paris, France of . He plays Gilles Triquet, the officer manager and equivalent of David Brent in Le Bureau, the French version of The Office, produced by Canal+. He released a book about his childhood in 2006, Le fils de l'homme invisible...
as Inspector Tarconi - Matt SchulzeMatt SchulzeMatthew Steven "Matt" Schulze is an American actor and musician.-Early life:Schulze was born and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. At age 16, he moved to Atlanta, where he studied guitar at the Atlanta Institute of Music. He moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to be a studio musician, but ended up doing...
as Darren "Wall Street" Bettencourt - Didier Saint Melin as Boss
- Doug Rand as Leader
- Ric Young as Mr. Kwai
- Adrian DearnellAdrian DearnellAdrian Dearnell , a Franco-American financial journalist, is the founder and CEO of EuroBusiness Media, and former anchorman for several TV and radio stations such as Bloomberg TV.- Biography :...
as Newscaster - Vincent TulliVincent TulliVincent Tulli was born in Paris, 5 February 1966. He is a sound mixer and a sound designer. He is also an actor.-Films:* 2009 : Chanel & Stravinsky by Jan Kounen...
as Thug (uncredited) - Alessandro GassmanAlessandro GassmanAlessandro Gassman is an Italian actor.Born in Rome, he is the son of Italian actor Vittorio Gassman and French actress Juliette Mayniel.-Career:...
as Gianni Chellini - Amber VallettaAmber VallettaAmber Evangeline Valletta is an American actress and model. She began her career as a model for fashion agencies, and appeared on cover pages of internationally recognized magazines. She made her film debut in Drop Back Ten . She then starred in the hit film Hitch...
as Audrey Billings - Matthew ModineMatthew ModineMatthew Avery Modine is an award-winning American actor. His film roles include Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, the title character in Alan Parker's Birdy, high school wrestler Louden Swain in Vision Quest, football star turned spy Alec McCall in Funky Monkey and the...
as Jefferson Billings - Kate NautaKate NautaKate or Katie Nauta is an American fashion model, actress and singer. She uses the name 'Katie' in her modeling work, and the name 'Kate' in her film work.-Early life:...
as Lola - Hunter Clary as Jack Billings
- Keith DavidKeith DavidKeith David Williams , better known as Keith David, is an American film, television, voice actor, and singer. He is perhaps most known for his live-action roles in such films as Crash, There's Something About Mary, Barbershop and Men at Work...
as Stappleton - Jason FlemyngJason FlemyngJason Iain Flemyng is an English actor. He is known for his film work, which has included roles in British films such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch , both for Guy Ritchie, as well as Hollywood productions such as Rob Roy along with the Alan Moore comic book adaptations From...
as Dimitri - Shannon BriggsShannon BriggsShannon "The Cannon" Briggs is an American heavyweight boxer and actor. He is the former Lineal and WBO heavyweight champion.-Early life:...
as Max - Gregg Weiner as Tipov
- David BelleDavid BelleDavid Belle is well known as the founder of Parkour. Belle founded Parkour based on his training and the teachings from his father Raymond Belle. The discipline has since spread around the world and now has adherents in virtually every country...
(stunts) - Greg PittsGreg PittsGreg Pitts is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Drew in the film Office Space. He has taken bit roles in films and television series, including Grey's Anatomy and Sons & Daughters, and was featured as "Vincent" in Allstate Insurance advertisements with sidekick Andrew Hawtrey as...
as Officer - Jeff ChaseJeff ChaseJeff Chase is an American film and television actor.Chase was born Jeffrey L. Sniffen in Paterson, New Jersey. He married Kimberly Chase on January 5, 1991, and now lives in Clermont, Florida. Chase has one son, Cory Chase, born in 1998...
as Vasily - Henry Jakeman as Henchman
- Natalya Rudakova as Valentina Vasileva
- Robert KnepperRobert KnepperRobert Lyle Knepper is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell in the Fox network's drama series Prison Break, for which he was nominated a Satellite Award...
as Johnson - Jeroen KrabbéJeroen KrabbéJeroen Aart Krabbé is a Dutch actor and film director who has appeared in many Dutch and international films.-Biography:...
as Leonid Vasilev - David Atrakchi as Malcom Manville
- Eriq EbouaneyEriq EbouaneyEriq Ebouaney is a French film actor. He is best known for his portrayal as the Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba in the 2000 film Lumumba, as "Blacktie" in Brian De Palma's Femme Fatale and as "Ice" in the 2008 action film Transporter 3 in which he starred opposite Jason Statham.-Early...
as Ice - Danielle PanabakerDanielle PanabakerDanielle Nicole Panabaker is an American actress. She was a cast member in the CBS drama Shark, and appeared in the films Mr. Brooks, Sky High, The Crazies and Friday the 13th, among other projects...
as Lauren Havelock
Box office
| Film | Release date | Box office (worldwide) |
|---|---|---|
| The Transporter The Transporter The Transporter is a 2002 French action film directed by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen and written by Luc Besson, who was inspired by BMW Films' The Hire series.... |
2002 | $43,928,932 |
| Transporter 2 Transporter 2 Transporter 2 is a 2005 action film directed by Louis Leterrier and produced by Luc Besson. It is the sequel to The Transporter . It is itself followed by Transporter 3 .... |
2005 | $85,167,639 |
| Transporter 3 Transporter 3 Transporter 3 is a 2008 French-English action film, and is the third installment in the Transporter film series, as well as the first not to be distributed by 20th Century Fox in the United States. Both Jason Statham and François Berléand reprised their roles, as Frank Martin and Tarconi,... |
2008 | $108,979,549 |
External links
- The Transporter at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Transporter 2 at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Transporter 3 at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Transporter: The Series at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...