Surprisingly good movie

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You are correct. It was surprisngly good, considering what some people have claimed.

Without a doubt, it was the best thing Statham has done, as far as I'm concerned.

Unfortunately it bombed. Westlake's heirs have future plans for the character, so hopefully the next incarnation will do better financially.

My idea: A Cable TV series taking place in the early 60's, when the novels first appeared. An actor like Ray Stevenson or Michael Shannon. Maybe black and white for that film noir look...?

I'm probably asking for too much, but one thing's for sure. I'll be there to watch whatever they put out. Nothing they could ever do could possibly be worse than Made in USA, where they made Parker a French female.

Parkette.;-) lol

Yes! I agree. This movie was way better then I expected it to be. Even with some of goofs and flaws, which I can overlook, this movie turned out to be a really good and entertaining movie to watch.

I went to see it mostly on a whim - I am a fan of the books, but I had not even checked if the name was a coincidence, and I was well pleased. Unlike most Stath the Man movies, this one actually had a plot; and very refreshingly, the female "lead" (she does not really have a large part) does not end up as romantic interest. The movie may have lagged a bit when JL:s character is introduced, but I was also pleasantly surprised on how the movie meanders from one plot to another, rather than go through well worn three act structure as most actions movies do.
All in all I thought it was like a modern film noir, polished a bit and updated as to gruesome violence and fight scenes - the hotel fight scene, oh yes - and respected the source material. Frankly I was surprised it got pasted so badly by critics, and the box office, when I read about the movie afterwards. 8-8.5 I would think would be a fair star rating too.
And yes, great cast, including the supporting ones.

I liked it, too ... that may be because Taylor Hackford directed it. You know, he's the husband of Helen Mirren. I think you could see his professionalism, for instance, in those suspended red place letters. Gee, I first noticed them at the Ohio State Fair and thought they were a cool marquee!

I can't believe, as someone said, there's a female version of Parker out there. Someone on another thread said: If you want to see what the character of Parker is really like watch "Payback: Straight UP" (2006), not the theatrical version from 1999. Well, now I'm on a mission to see that, too. :)

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