‘Guilty pleasure’ Jason Statham action film on Film 4 tonight

The British tough guy loves nothing more than kicking up a big fuss – and plenty of enemies – on the screen and this action-packed sequel from twenty years ago is no different

08:00, 26 Nov 2025Updated 08:36, 26 Nov 2025

Jason Statham looking ever so dapper in the film(Image: PA)

Sometimes there’s nothing better than switching your brain off and grabbing a bag of popcorn ready for a film night slouched in front of the TV.

Tonight’s Film 4’s schedule has perfect this flick for that this evening. ‘Transporter 2’ is a gloriously over-the-top Jason Statham thriller in the genre the British actor has made his own in recent years. It follows the hardman’s return as Frank Martin, a former special-ops agent turned professional driver. This time around though, he’s chauffeuring a politician’s young son, Jack, only for the kid to be snatched. Cue plenty of outlandish action and set pieces that will leave you glad you decided to stay in and watch a flick.

Transporter 2 also stars Amber Valletta as Audrey Billings (Image: PA)

By box office standards, the 2005 film was a big hit – grossing $89.1million with a budget of $32million. But according to Rotten Tomatoes, the film only holds a 52% score from critics, while audiences give it a slightly warmer 58% on the Popcornmeter. Those numbers suggest a mixed reception, yes, but one thing you can never deny when Statham is the word ‘fun’. From impossible stunts – a jet ski launching onto a highway followed by a leap into a school bus are two examples – to bizarre but strangely creative weaponry, this is one heck of joyride. Even the villainous plotting is unhinged – Frank discovers that Jack’s kidnappers are threatening a deadly virus, and it’s up to him to rescue the kid and find an antidote before innocent people start to die.

Statham films are always good for some wild action [stock](Image: PA Archive/Press Association Ima)

As one Rotten Tomato reviewer admitted: “One of my biggest guilty pleasure films. Obviously The Transporter 2 isn’t gonna win any awards for creativity or story but it’s still a damn entertaining action film.” Another fan, who gave it a full five stars, said: “If it were up to me, I would pretty much enjoy this ride. It’s the action sequences and the car chases that make TRANSPORTER 2 a feel good movie for every action movie fan out there.”

A third added: “The villains are a bit over the top, but I expect that from Luc Besson, Its a “French Thing” But Jason Startham is totally awesome as the super cool and stylish Transporter…… And just like Frank’s his new tricked-out Audi A8 car, this movie is just a fun action-packed ride.”

However, not everyone was taken by the film and some even called out the writing as “lazy”. Giving it a lowly one-and-a-half stars, this reviewer said: “I liked the first one, but this one challenged me. Realism is always tested with these sorts of films, but this sequel went way too far with impossible car flips, a plane crash that didn’t kill everyone onboard and bullet dodging which made no sense at all. Fight scenes where all the bad guys conveniently run out of ammo is just lazy writing.”

‘Transporter 2’ is of course the sequel to ‘The Transporter’, which kickstarted his career in 2002. The original film currently has a score of 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating that viewers will love it ever so slightly more than the second one. One viewer gushed: “From the very first scene, The Transporter establishes itself as a masterclass in stylish, no-nonsense action. The Transporter is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish.”

Transporter 2 is on Film4 at 9pm on Wednesday, November 26.