I always say that there are a few different classes of movies, ‘The Mechanic’ lies in the purely ridiculous popcorn popping action category. Starring Jason Statham as the same badass action guy he’s been playing for years, ‘The Mechanic,’ is another hitman movie.
While I never saw ‘The Transporter,’ or any of those other films, there wasn’t much that I felt the trailer for ‘The Mechanic’ did to differentiate itself from those other films. Statham kicks ass, and he kicks ass well, so for one reason or another, this one peaked my interest.
Directed by Simon West (ConAir, Tomb Raider), the film is a reimagining/remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film. It tells the story of Arthur (Statham), the guy you hire when you need to do a job right. Like a surgeon, Arthur moves in fast, terminates a target, and is out before you knew he was there.
Arthur is asked by his employers to terminate someone who he is actually close with. Like all his other jobs, he’s inclined to comply, looking at it as business. However, something doesn’t sit right with this task. While trying to really get to the bottom of things, Arthur takes an apprentice under his wing, who brings a whole new barrel full of problems. The apprentice is played by the talented Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma), an actor I feel like we’re going to see more of in the future.
The film is skin deep – not meant to be anything more than it is. Just a ridiculous premise, with a ridiculous story, with ridiculous explosions and action sequences. I’m finding more and more films like this are relying on CG effects and blood, which I can understand for a lower budget film, but not something of this scale. Perhaps the average layman wouldn’t notice, but I certainly do, and I don’t like it. Other than a few bad looking effects, the rest of the movie is fun. Let us be honest there, that is the only reason we’re seeing ‘The Mechanic,’ not to be enlightened, but to have fun.