The Courier is a 2019 action-thriller that stars Gary Oldman and Ukrainian-French actress Olga Kurylenko, who plays an enigmatic motorcycle courier tasked with delivering a package to the safe house of the key witness in the upcoming trial of a notorious arms dealer, Ezekial Mannings (Oldman).
Upon her arrival, however, The Courier realizes the package — a special courtroom camera — contains a poisonous gas meant to kill the witness. A former special forces soldier, she manages to foil the assassination attempt and dedicates herself to protecting Nick Murch, the targeted witness — perhaps as redemption for her fallen brother, whom she couldn’t protect on the battlefield.
The film has been compared to Die Hard and The Transporter, but has not received great reviews, scoring only 5% at Rotten Tomatoes. Said Anton Bidel of Sight & Sound:
“Ex ‘Bond girl’ Kurylenko kicks ass against a motley crew of musclebound, tattooed masculinity, with an ironic smile that reminds us this is little more than a fun genre ride – with viciously gory kills.”
That said, for motorcycle buffs, there’s some decent two-wheeled action. The Courier wears a full-face helmet with a sophisticated HUD (Head-up Display) reminiscent of a fighter pilot’s and rides a blacked-out 2019 BMW S1000R.
The Courier Motorcycle: BMW S1000R
Introduced in 2014, the S1000R (or S 1000 R) is a naked variant of BMW Motorrad’s S1000RR superbike, featuring the same 999cc inline four tuned for better low and midrange performance. It still makes 158 peak horsepower and 80+ lb-ft of torque, good for a quarter mile e/t of 9.94 seconds seconds at 141+ mph (Cycle World) — significantly faster than most of the liter-size naked bikes, including the Yamaha MT-10, Aprilia Tuono V4 R, and KTM 1290 Super Duke R.
In 2017, it received the lighter frame and updated electronics from the S1000RR, and BMW’s “Gearshift Assist Pro” quickshifter is now standard. Says MCN:
“Although BMW moved a chunk of the RR’s explosive power into the midrange the S1000R still went like a superbike and handled like one, too. Not only that, in true BMW style, it was easy to live with, was comfortable and if you ticked all the options boxes, you could have everything from electronic rider aids, semi-active suspension, heated grips and cruise control.“
Some reviewers have said the S1000R is beginning to show its age when compared to the latest nakeds from KTM, Aprilia, and other premium manufacturers, but it still holds it own quite well and remains an excellent all-rounder, capable of track days, commuting, touring…and escaping the fearsome henchmen of villainous arms dealers.
