THE MECHANIC (2011)

Directed By: Simon West
Written By: Richard Wenk & Lewis John Carlino
Story By: Lewis John Carlino
Cinematography By: Eric Schmidt
Editor:TG Herrington & Todd E. Miller

CAST: Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Donald Sutherland, Tony Goldwyn, Christa Campbell


This is a remake of The Mechanic originally starring Charles Bronson and Jan Michael vincent. The plot revolves around a assassian who specializes in making big kills look like accidents. He gets word that his boss has been selling out the company so he does what he is told by the company and kills him. At the man's funeral he runs into the man's son a screw-up who is looking for revenge. to deal with his own guilt he takes the young man under his wing.

The film is very predictable but at least gives you some excitement as it goes through it's functions. To tell the truth, the film is a typical Jason statham film which mostly feel the same when you watch them (Except for THE BANK JOB). The British Bruce willis as i like to call him usually excerts as much energy as his paycheck requires. I can't lie though i like him. This film doesn't have as many scenes of him doing hand to hand combat and sorry ladies He doesn't really tsake off his shirt too much. except for a ridiculous early sex scene that truly serves no purpose in the film except to show off his manliness and the fact that he is straight. I'm sure it helped the film's trailer to entice more viewers to watch it.

Later in the film when Ben Foster gets a sex scene of his own it is not as grand and more messy Not dirty mind you but nasty and with a not as quite model material woman as Statham gets. Just to show you who is the bigger star.

Ben Foster deserves better then this. Luckily he divides his time between studio films like this one, which he usually excels at in supporting roles. Then starring in indie films in which he usualkly shows his inmmense talent as a leading man (THE MESSENGER.)Showing he is a character actor of the future.

The actors wisely treat the material with the respect it demands, Very little. It's not that the film is bad but as a remake it literally is all stuff you have seen before. it is the moivie equivalent of the term "hit it and quit it" you will be entertained as you watch it. Afterwards i doubt it will cause you to want to watch it again. Unless you are bored or it is on cable.

The action scenes border on the ridiculous, yet are never really boring. If you are looking for grand, huge action thi sis the wrong film. It's not a one man destruction force type of film. No grand conspiracy. More like a small revenge tale. with a few surprises thrown in.

The film is directed by Simon West a director who i am not a really big fan of (TOMB RAIDER, CON-AIR, WHEN A STRANGER CALLS) So i should have known better, he has fooled me plenty of times to make me think he has finally made a decent film. While i don't really like this film it is his best so far and the closest he has gotten to a decent film.

GRADE: C