You might have seen this movie before. Film opens as gang pulls off messy heist, but afterwards one of the gang doesn’t want to take part in next job so is shot during battle in moving car, falls from car, is shot again and left for dead along the road.

Of course, he’s not dead because he is the Parker of the title, played with efficiency by Jason Statham. He is a professional thief and cold-blooded killer with principles (he only kills bad people) and amazing recupertive powers. In no time at all he’s out of the hospital, bent on revenge and getting back his share of the loot, helped by the father of his girl, played by Nick Nolte looking like he just got out of rehab.

Statham tracks down the gang, lead by a ruthless Michael Chiklis, to Palm Beach where they’re planning a big jewel heist. There he meets a down-on-her-luck real estate agent played by Jennifer Lopez. She wants some of the action and also has the hots for Statham. This is the kind of movie where they find a feeble excuse for Lopez to strip down to her underwear and there’s repeated shots of Statham’s chiselled body festooned with scars.

This revenge thriller has a certain business-like appeal for fans of this kind of unbelievable movie. Lots of action and lots of cliches, like a killer who won’t stay dead, and an indestrucable hero who bloodily conquers all.

Rating: two deer out of five

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Alf Cryderman is a Red Deer freelance writer and old movie buff.