Transit (2012)

Transit (2012) One hell of a ride and descent into hell! Another good film with Jim Caviezel! And it’s great to see Elisabeth Röhm and Diora Baird again.

For me, Jim Caviezel is first and foremost one of the guys who played Jesus Christ, in this case in The Passion of the Christ (2004). He’s also the big bad in Escape (2013). He was one of the soldiers in the incredible cast of the excellent The Thin Red Line (1998). He drives a lot in this film, just as he does in Highwaymen (2003). And he loves camping, just as he did in the excellent remake of Long Weekend (2008).

Elisabeth Röhm, I only know from a TV movie I surprisingly liked a lot, namely Desperate Escape (2009), and in the very good horrific Wish Upon (2017). Diora Baird is also in all sorts of films. Like, for example, in the very good The Virtuoso (2021), the very average Riddle (2013) and the very bad The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – The Beginning (2006).

Otherwise, in the role of the chief villain, we find James Frain, an English actor known for his roles in series such as The Tudors and True Blood. There’s also Sterling Knight (Sandmann), an American actor, singer and dancer.

And Harold Perrineau, who made a name for himself back in 1995 with the film Smoke. He went on to play Mercutio in Romeo+Juliet (1996) and Link in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (2003). Perrineau has had a prolific career and has been very active.

Transit is an American film directed by Antonio Negret and written by Michael Gilvary. A breathtaking feature film. A very good thriller. That said, there’s a part (the first) that takes place mainly on the road that may remind you of the incredible Duel (1971). Then, as soon as it gets off the beaten track, it goes in another direction and becomes less interesting.

Well, there are always the eternally irritating moments, especially when it comes to the cops’ reactions, which are always stupid in this kind of film. The pace is excellent. But, alas, as is almost always the case, there are exaggerations, inconsistencies, unclear details, guys or women who can endure all manner of suffering. A woman who looks fragile but suddenly turns into a professional markswoman after finding a gun and some ammunition. A guy who takes a lot of bullets, but after five minutes, it’s as if nothing had happened! So, yes, there are always moments that irritate.

It’s a great show, but it’s not always easy to get into it when you don’t believe in it. The fights are pretty brutal. The music is good. The staging is clean. The very last scene is excellent, even if the film becomes increasingly far-fetched. And the alligators should have had a bigger role.