The Courier
Ezekiel Mannings, a vicious crime boss, is out to kill Nick, the lone witness set to testify against him. He hires a mysterious female motorcycle courier to unknowingly deliver a poison-gas bomb to slay Nick, but after she rescues Nick from certain death, the duo must confront an army of ruthless hired killers in order to survive the night.
The film earned $4.7M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Courier (2019) exemplifies precise story structure, characteristic of Zackary Adler's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 39 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The Courier rides through London streets on her motorcycle, making routine deliveries. She lives a solitary life, defined by her job: fast, efficient, and asking no questions about the packages she transports.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when The Courier is hired for what seems like a routine pickup, but discovers her package is actually a witness—a young woman who has evidence against a powerful crime syndicate. Armed assassins immediately pursue them.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to After narrowly escaping another assassination attempt, the Courier makes the active choice to protect the witness and deliver her to safety, despite knowing it puts her own life at risk. She commits to the mission., moving from reaction to action.
At 49 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat False defeat: The Courier discovers the crime syndicate has corrupted the very authorities she was trying to reach. The safe house is compromised. They're betrayed, and their planned escape route is cut off. The stakes escalate dramatically., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 74 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The Courier is captured and brutally beaten. The witness is taken by the assassins. Everything the Courier fought for appears lost—she has failed her mission, and the witness will likely be killed. Her motorcycle, her symbol of freedom, is destroyed., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 79 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The Courier discovers the location of the final exchange where the witness will be killed. She synthesizes her courier skills with her newfound sense of purpose. Armed with a plan and renewed determination, she moves to rescue the witness., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Courier's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The Courier against these established plot points, we can identify how Zackary Adler utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Courier within the action genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The Courier rides through London streets on her motorcycle, making routine deliveries. She lives a solitary life, defined by her job: fast, efficient, and asking no questions about the packages she transports.
Theme
A client tells her: "Sometimes the package chooses you." This establishes the theme of destiny, responsibility, and what happens when you can't stay neutral—when survival demands taking sides.
Worldbuilding
Establishing the courier's routine world: her motorcycle delivery business, her no-questions-asked policy, her isolation from personal connections. We meet the criminal underworld she services unknowingly and see her professional competence.
Disruption
The Courier is hired for what seems like a routine pickup, but discovers her package is actually a witness—a young woman who has evidence against a powerful crime syndicate. Armed assassins immediately pursue them.
Resistance
The Courier debates whether to abandon the witness or protect her. She resists involvement, wanting to return to her neutral, uninvolved life. She learns about the conspiracy and realizes the danger they're both in. Initial attempts to find safety.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
After narrowly escaping another assassination attempt, the Courier makes the active choice to protect the witness and deliver her to safety, despite knowing it puts her own life at risk. She commits to the mission.
Mirror World
The Courier connects with the witness, learning her story and why she's willing to testify. This relationship humanizes the "package" and shows the Courier what it means to stand for something beyond survival.
Premise
The cat-and-mouse chase through London. The Courier uses her skills and knowledge of the city to evade assassins. Action sequences showcase her expertise while she and the witness work together to stay ahead of the crime syndicate.
Midpoint
False defeat: The Courier discovers the crime syndicate has corrupted the very authorities she was trying to reach. The safe house is compromised. They're betrayed, and their planned escape route is cut off. The stakes escalate dramatically.
Opposition
The syndicate closes in from all sides. The Courier's safe houses are discovered, her contacts are eliminated, and the witness' resolve begins to crack. Pressure intensifies as resources dwindle and the net tightens. Trust becomes the scarcest commodity.
Collapse
The Courier is captured and brutally beaten. The witness is taken by the assassins. Everything the Courier fought for appears lost—she has failed her mission, and the witness will likely be killed. Her motorcycle, her symbol of freedom, is destroyed.
Crisis
The Courier, broken and alone, must find the will to continue. She reflects on what the witness represents and what her own life has meant—delivering packages without caring about their contents. She realizes she must choose to matter.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
The Courier discovers the location of the final exchange where the witness will be killed. She synthesizes her courier skills with her newfound sense of purpose. Armed with a plan and renewed determination, she moves to rescue the witness.
Synthesis
The finale: The Courier infiltrates the heavily guarded location, confronts the crime boss and his assassins, rescues the witness, and ensures the evidence reaches uncorrupted authorities. Final action sequences combine her professional skills with personal stakes.
Transformation
The Courier, scarred but alive, delivers the witness to testify. She is no longer just a neutral courier—she's someone who stood for something. She rides away, transformed from isolate to guardian, from transporter of packages to protector of people.