Review of Parker

Parker is a thief with his own moral code; he won't rob from those who can't afford it and he won't hurt anybody unless he thinks they deserve it… he also does what he says he will do and expects the same of others. His father in law sets him up with a reputable crew to rob the Ohio State Fair; things don't quite go according to plan and afterwards this crew tell Parker that they intend to use their million dollar haul to fund their next job. Parker wants out so they shoot him and leave him for dead. Of course he isn't dead and he is soon on their trail; he intends to find them, wait for them to do their robbery then take their spoils before killing them. This takes him to Palm Beach, Florida, where he poses as a wealthy Texan looking to buy property. Estate agent Leslie Rodgers shows him a variety of properties including some that have recently sold… one particularly interests him and sure enough it is the one the gang are using as their base. When it becomes clear that Parker is alive the gang's mob connections send a killer to deal with him.

If you are looking for something deep and meaningful then you are likely to be disappointed but if you want a solid crime caper with Jason Statham doing his thing then this is rather fun. In many ways Parker is like most other characters he plays; tough and almost certain to come out on top even after he has taken a beating. There is plenty of great action and a few shocking moments; most notably when Parker gets a knife through his hand. Jennifer Lopez does a decent job as Leslie; it made a refreshing change that at no point did was there any romance between the two leads. The rest of the cast were solid enough; especially Michael Chiklis who was believably menacing as the chief antagonist. Overall I'd say this is well worth watching if you are a fan of Jason Statham or enjoy the genre.