Film Reviews

The Mechanic

• Rating:
• Director: Simon West
• Starring: Ben Foster
• Details: US/92mins 16

Jason Statham headlines Con Air director Simon West's remake of The Mechanic, a little-seen, but much loved Michael Winner flick where he once again plays the cool, asskicking hero as carnage abounds around him. Surprisingly graphic in terms of its depiction of violence and sex, there is a certain mindless charm to the hyper-realistic action. After a while, however, it may give anyone with a normal attention span a bit of a headache.
Statham is a 'mechanic,' but not in the traditional 'greasy overalls' sense of the word. Rather, he's a hitman who clips, blows up, and generally kills people. He makes a good living out of it, too; but when his mentor (Donald Sutherland) is murdered, he *cue Arnie impression* takes it personally. He normally works alone, but his plans to go through a sh*tload of the men who were tenuously involved in the murder on his Sweeney Todd are scuppered when his deceased mentor's son, played by Ben Foster, decides that he also wants in on the plan for revenge. Thus begins the training of a new hitman.
It goes without saying that The Mechanic is meant to be brainless fun, and on that front, it delivers. The plot may be overly simplistic, but it also allows Statham more space to both look brooding, as well as providing plenty of action. If it was bogged down in exposition, action fans would certainly have been disappointed; those hardcore, explosion-loving nuts want their hero beating the crap out of everyone who crosses him, as well as the odd quip here and there, and some frenetic action. On that count, they shouldn't find too much here to complain about.
Statham can now churn out this type of performance in his sleep - but in fairness to him, the man is doing nothing more than what his core fanbase want or expect. His fans will lap it up, but the more casual viewer will almost certainly find the whole thing a bit too 'in your face'. Foster, meanwhile, is an actor who is consistently better than the majority of the films he stars in. He's solid here, but should really be the new Nicolas Cage by now - the good Cage, that is, not Season of the Witch/Wicker Man Cage.
West has never bettered his debut flick, Con Air, and The Mechanic probably won't gain a similar cult following. For thrills and solidly-handled action, though, it's good fun.

Review by Mike Sheridan