Follow up:
THE MECHANIC
CBS FILMS
Studio Synopsis:
Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is a ‘mechanic’ – an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets. It’s a job that requires professional perfection and total detachment, and Bishop is the best in the business. But when his mentor and close friend Harry (Donald Sutherland) is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached. His next assignment is self-imposed – he wants those responsible dead.
His mission grows complicated when Harry’s son Steve (Ben Foster) approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop’s trade. Bishop has always acted alone but he can’t turn his back on Harry’s son. A methodical hit man takes an impulsive student deep into his world and a deadly mentorship is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves.
J.P.’s Take:
Unfortunately I haven’t familiarized myself with 1972’s “The Mechanic” staring Charles Bronson. From what I hear it was a gripping classic from the beginning. With that said, I really don’t have a reference as to what the original is like. The only thing I can tell you is how exhilarating this updated version is. The action/thriller stars one of London’s newest and biggest action stars, Jason Statham (from The “Transporter” trilogy). Statham embodies the title character Arthur Bishop with great skill as he cleanly executes his plans with precision. And in case you don’t know who a mechanic is or even what they do, allow me to give you the definition. A “mechanic” is an assassin who can employ the right tools to complete a job as cleanly and as efficiently as possible, without leaving a trace of their work. And after viewing the remake, the mechanics that wrote (Richard Wenk and Lewis John Carlino original script) and directed (Simon West) this movie did a fantastic job of creating nail biting, adrenaline pumping action and suspense.
Sure you know this is a typical action film, it is complete with brutal violence, sexual exploits and harsh language, but what you won’t expect is the film to have a brain … as it lays out its plan of action. The opening sequence is worthy of a James Bond line up, with Statham planning his work and working his plan ~ to assassinate the leader of a well known drug cartel. It’s a scene that’s cold and calculating in execution, as he terminates his target, making his death appear to be accidental. By the very definition given, you know what to expect from a guy like Bishop. Moral values come into question on the type of work Bishop does, through ex-assassin and father figure Harry McKenna (Donald Sutherland). Harry tries justifying their work believing the people they kill are evil and deserve what they get. Bishop also appears vulnerable when he takes Steve McKenna (Ben Foster) under his wing. The superhero archetype is tossed out of the window for Bishop, when the understudy (young McKenna) proves detrimental to his line of work. These qualities keep the film from becoming a run away freight train of super action moments.
I like how they ended the film, it had a few nice turn of events for Arthur Bishop. Let’s just say if you thought he was prepared for what his enemies had in store for him, you can imagine what he has in his bag of tricks for someone close to him, who betrays him.
You can count on action by the truck load through out the film. Statham is in top form: kicking butts and taking names, moving through his enemies like a Samurai. There are some nice gory moments where blood splatters in your face, bones crunch like pretzels and a hail storm of gun fire and explosions abound. If this were in 3D, I guarantee the audience would flinch even more so than they have watching it in 2D.
I ended up taking my mom with me, and she even enjoyed it. Well, I guess I’ll have to backtrack a bit and rent the original, just compare the two. If it’s as good as this version I would consider the new version to be homage to its predecessor.