The Mechanic [2011]

The Mechanic, Simon West’s 2011 remake of the 1972 film starring Charles Bronson, has style and grit and violence to spare. Starting off with a bang, this hit man flick is surprisingly emotional and stunningly well-photographed. With decent writing, fantastically over-the-top fight sequences and more interior design porn than a Nancy Meyers movie, The Mechanic places itself just a notch above the actioners we’re accustomed to. Jason Statham plays ‘Bishop’ as a cross between concerned parent and cold-blooded killer, while Ben Foster, as usual, steals the movie. But, despite the wildly exaggerated violence and frenetic pace, the last act of this film is very weak. Here, the film takes an inexplicable leap, where a rookie (Foster) becomes an expert cleaner in the blink of an eye. The choppy, clumsy editing doesn’t help, either. From there, it’s all downhill for The Mechanic, culminating in a thoroughly unsatisfying (and stupid) fashion.