Parker

It lacks the testosterone of Jason Statham’s more identifiable work, like the Transporter movies and Crank, and it’s not exactly a think piece, either. So Parker sort of leaves its star—and its audience—in limbo. The film is based on the Donald Westlake character of the same name, who has popped up in several films over the years, but this is the first time Parker has been called Parker in a movie. It’s a momentous occasion for fans of the series but it doesn’t help the movie very much. After a truly terrific opening scene (an imperfectly executed robbery), Parker tries to juggle too many bad guys, too many gimmicky excursions for Statham, and too much Jennifer Lopez, who somewhat embarrassingly goes for comedic effect. The good news is that Parker is a solid movie character; now they just have to do him justice.