New hero in driving seat
> The Transporter franchise gets a reboot with a fresh lead in Ed Skrein and some gorgeous, badass women
WHEN French filmmaker Luc Besson decided to reboot his hugely-popular action franchise with a younger cast and a fresh storyline, he turned to longtime collaborator Camille Delamarre to helm the film.
“I had edited Transporter 3 and directed action scenes from the Transporter television series, so I was already familiar with that world,” says Delamarre.
“It’s always been a fun franchise to be involved with because there’s so much action in a colourful setting, but the new script had even more of a James Bond-style than the previous ones.”
The script by Bill Collage, Adam Cooper and Besson offered an entirely new take on the high-octane action series, which centres on a tough, tight-lipped, highly-skilled driver-for-hire.
“Transporter Refuelled is more filled out than earlier Transporter movies because we have several layers, several characters, lots of subplots and revelations that get slowly revealed throughout the film,” observes Delamarre.
“We developed [professional wheelman Frank Martin]’s character to be less of a caricature. Instead of the bodybuilding hero who never loses or takes a bad hit, Frank’s character suffers. He hurts. And he also does his fair share of attacking.”
To step into that iconic role, the filmmakers knew they needed a talented young actor with the extraordinary physicality required to handle both the extensive fight choreography and the heart-stopping driving scenes that are so central to the franchise.
Relatively-unknown British actor Ed Skrein ( right) turned out to be the obvious choice, says Delamarre, especially once he received the stamp of approval from legendary stunt coordinator Alain Figlarz ( The Bourne Identity, Taken 2, Lucy).
Delamarre’s take on the lead character appealed on multiple levels to Skrein, best known for portraying Daario Naharis on the blockbuster HBO series Game of Thrones.
“Frank’s a quiet man,” observes Skrein. “He’s become accustomed to living by himself, although whether he’s happy is another question. When the film begins, he’s like an island, and his car is like his sidekick.”
Skrein drew on the character’s dark backstory to inform his tightly-wound performance.
He explains: “When he was in the army, Frank had to follow instructions. Now, he makes his own rules. In the military, he was dirty most of the time, so now he wants to stay immaculate.
“That’s why he sports this sleek, clean look: black shoes, black socks, a beautiful black Dior suit, a white shirt, and a black tie.
“Frank does not need to stress his masculinity. His attitude is reflected in the suit, the car and in his silhouette. Everything must be functional towards the job.” Another quirk that sets the character apart from typical action heroes is the fact that he refuses to engage in gunplay.
“It was very important for Frank not to use firearms directly,” Skrein says.
“I fight with an iPhone, with a shopping bag, with two rocks, with table legs and a table top, but not with
guns.
“I disarm people and throw their guns on the floor, so it’s dangerous, but Frank’s a man of substance who’s trying to maintain his humanity in this criminal underworld.
“I like the fact that my character’s job is to transport and deliver, not to murder. Like a lot of people, Frank’s morally conflicted, but he always wants to fight the good fight.”
Although it features plenty of the stunt driving, fight scenes and plot twists that have made the franchise an enduring favourite among movie-goers, the action is fuelled by intriguing characters with compelling backstories.
“Besides having a new Transporter and lots of sexy elements, Refuelled gives the audience a complex story full of new developments,” says Delamarre.
The original Transporter trilogy, released between 2002 and 2008, focused primarily on tough male characters. Refuelled expands the scope of the storytelling by including a diverse roster of badass women.
“We’ve got four incredibly good-looking female characters who give the Transporter a hard time throughout the film,” Delamarre says.
Anna, portrayed by Paris-born actress Loan Chabanol ( Fading Gigolo), is the leader of this pack of fierce beauties.
“Anna’s mysterious, smart, manipulative and charming when she needs to be,” says Chabanol. “She was born in the Soviet Union and was forced to become a prostitute at the age of 12.
“Now, she’s looking for revenge because everything has been taken away from her and she wants to get it back.”
The other women in Anna’s pack are her seductive confederate Maria, played by Danish model, singer and actress Tatiana Pajkovic; Qiao, portrayed by Chinese actress Wenxia Yu, who is the winner of the 2012 Miss World pageant; and Gina, played by French actress Gabriella Wright. – Raintree Films