Charles Bronson is awesome. Throughout his long, illustrious career, he's mowed down hundreds upon hundreds of cinema's most foul; the scum hidden in the alley's of nearly every major U.S. city. And being a big fan of his, naturally, I was intrigued as to how a remake of his 1972 trigger-man flick, The Mechanic, would play out. The attachment of director Simon West (Tomb Raider, Con Air) was a minus. West is much more of a director-for-hire type guy, whereas Michael Winner, the original film's director, has a cool, gritty style. But with the casting of leads Jason Statham and Ben Foster, things started to look up. Both are capable, interesting actors, so this was most certainly a plus. Fast forward a few months, the film's been released, so how does it shape up?
Director: Simon West
Although I have a bad habit of comparing remakes to the original, with The Mechanic, there's no real point. There are similarities, but when it boils down to it; each one is an entertaining action flick and that's where the comparison should end. Simon West's Mechanic begins with a step by step assassination. Instead of a loud, brash opening, the film opts for a quieter opening, establishing the professionalism and efficiency of Jason Statham's hitman, Arthur Bishop. Once we've seen what he can do, we're introduced to the flick's other players, Donald Sutherland and Tony Goldwyn. Sutherland's character, Harry McKenna, is a friend to the lonely, isolated Bishop. His only real companion, he sets Bishop up with his 'assignments' while they chat about life, jobs, regrets, etc. But after Bishop learns of his deceit in a former mission, he's tasked with killing Harry and making it look like a lowly carjacking. After the hit, Bishop meets Steve McKenna, Harry's son. Bitter over his father's murder, Steve swears vengeance, spurring Bishop on to train him in the ways of a Mechanic, so basically, he doesn't get killed first.
While the plot is relatively by the numbers, the two leads give a great energy in their respective roles. Statham's Bishop is calculating and brutal, but equally caring (as we see with his relationship to Harry and an unknown girl he visit's from time to time). And as we get to know Foster's Steve, it's revealed that he's an angry, stubborn, violent man with a very, very short fuse. The pairing of the two makes for great action scenes, as you've one precise fighter and one inexperienced fighter, leading to unpredictable showdowns.
Director Simon West shows off some actual directorial talent here, too. The film has undeniable style and energy, and the action is captured well enough that you can actually see what's going on, as opposed to the ever popular shaky-cam that's used in so many action flicks these days. Something that surprised me here (especially with West's involvement) was how violent The Mechanic is. Usually directing PG-13 thrillers, West brings some gritty, wince-inducing stuff to the table here. When people fight in this movie, they fight. Shit is smashed, bones are broken, blood is drawn. It's admittedly a nice change of pace from the slightly watered down 2010 action entries such as The Losers.
It's not without it's flaws; a leaky script, a weak villain and some lethargic scenes hold it back from being truly aggressive, ass-kicking cinema. But if you're after a fairly entertaining, stylish, adult action flick, then this is the ticket for you.
Director: Simon West
Starring: Jason Statham, Ben Foster
Running Time: 92 minutes
Certificate: 16 IRE / 15 UK
Released: Jan 28 (IRE)
