"The Transporter Refueled" is another "Who was asking for this, again?" reboot — the original trilogy wasn’t particularly well received and only made $238 million, total. And this one rolls out of the garage without the series engine, Jason Statham. Does it deliver? Well, the package gets there, but not exactly on time nor in one piece.

The movie’s ridiculous. Police cars forever flipping and pretty girls unzipping. But that’s what "Transporter" fans, and apparently there are some, want. It’s one of those Hong Kong-style movies in which guys get smashed in the head with lead pipes, but pop back up and get punched in the face for another couple of minutes.

"Refueled" dips its toe into "Transporter" Frank Martin’s backstory, taking place in 2010. Oddly, that’s supposed to be before the first film, released in 2002. Ed Skrein (the original Daario Naharis in "Game of Thrones" and Ajax in the upcoming "Deadpool") takes the wheel as younger Frank, tooling around Nice, France, with his retired-spy father (Ray Stevenson) for comic relief. Through a series of contrivances, Frank and dad end up entwined in a complicated scheme by vengeful prostitutes to upend a mean kingpin who happens to know the Transporter from Frank’s military days. Long, unlikely fights and even more unlikely car chases ensue.

The stunts are as outrageous as required: Frank lets his car roll forward in neutral as he pummels bad guys in front of it, then leaps in through the sunroof and into the driver’s seat.

"THE TRANSPORTER REFUELED" Rated: PG-13 Opens Friday

The semblance of story you get free with all the punching is amusing, if nonsensical. It’s designed to get beautiful women on camera a lot, which happens. Lots of slow booty-gyrating. The plot is more intricate than previous entries; like the "Fast and Furious" movies it’s drifting toward, "Refueled" more resembles an "Ocean’s 11" spinoff than the sometimes-grim original trilogy.

But the question on everyone’s lips is whether Skrein can fill Statham’s large and manly shoes. And the answer is: Kind of, at times.

Skrein looks good when fighting — he has an erect style with convincing strikes. He also looks like he really needs a shave. Acting is de-emphasized in favor of the busting of heads and going vroom vroom in busy French streets. That’s fortunate, because he clearly wasn’t cast for his thespian skills. Then again, neither was Statham, and he did fine.

Those who enjoyed the first three "Transporter" flicks and helped turn them into a mediocre, cumulative hit will get what they want, though with brutish Mr. Statham replaced by dreamy Mr. Skrein. Others will be trying to hit "snooze" on their disbelief alarms.

Just make sure you leave your brain at home or you’ll find yourself asking, "How did these prostitutes with a murderous, tyrannical pimp become millionaire super-hackers, and why don’t they just hire some guys to kill the pimp and his friends?" Sit back and enjoy the punching.

Review by Michael Ordona, San Francisco Chronicle