Wednesday 15 June 2011

Angry Movie Lurker Honest Review 39: The Mechanic 2011 (4 STARS)


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 partnership is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves.


Meant to post this at the weekend but the internet was playing silly beggars and had all the good cards, this is a remake of the 1972 movie of the same title starring Charles Bronson and Jan Michael Vincent, I liked the original and the ending of the original but it's been a while since I've seen it (came out in 1972). I like Jason Statham and Ben Foster (damn good actor, 3:10 to Yuma, Pandorum...) and they do well here (that's why it got 4 stars, if you don't particularly like them then the movie is 3 STARS). The action is good, Statham is cool, collected and ruthless, Foster is the opposite, when the jobs are clean they are done well but when they go wrong or Foster is acting up they go badly wrong, the action is loud and quite good but for the purists out there the ending is different to the original which didn't bother me but may annoy some. Well worth a watch.


The original was quite unique at the time for having a 15 minute opening with no dialogue. Doesn't happen here as I don't think some people could take it now.

52 comments:

  1. I like Foster a lot too, haven't seen this flick yet though.

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  2. 4 stars, seems like its worth my time.

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  3. Sounds good. I generally like the leads, so i'll have to check this out.

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  4. Interesting, I remember the original, it was a very good movie. Most remakes do change the story. Whether for good or ill.

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  5. Statham is one of my favorite actors, and i absolutely love this film

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  6. I'll be sure to check it out :)

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  7. "Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is a 'mechanic' - an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets"
    Thank God. For a minute there I was afraid he was getting typecast in Hollywood.

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  8. Definitly have to check this out!

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  9. we love Jason Statham in pretty much everything and anything (the second one literally too) :)

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  10. Jason Statham kicks ass; he's one of the last action movie actors that is actually good at what he does.

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  11. 15 minutes of no talking. Interesting. It's funy how things change. To me, as a kid and even now the first Halloween rocked. Loved it and still love it. But it's too slow for some these days. But I just can't get into all that Jigsaw kind of killing movies. Quite boring to me. So there ya go. My two cents.

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  12. Love Jason's movies and I definitely want to check this one out :)

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  13. Statham is cool, but he's no Charles Bronson.

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  14. I actually wouldnt mind seeing this movie! :D

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  15. Wow never heard of it. Thanks for the info! Followed!

    Also, I just noticed that the handgun was made out of tons of guns! Great poster, I must say.

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  16. Think all the women in the public will go nuts if gets his clothes off

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  17. I certainly liked the original and I'll watch the remake just to see Statham try to fill Bronson's shoes.

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  18. I haven't seen the original or the remake. Sounds entertaining tho.

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  19. I am waiting on this to come to dvd.

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  20. I think I might try and pick up the original then.

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  21. A friend told me about this movie I have been wanting to see it ever since.

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  22. Yeah, Ben Foster was awesome in 3:10 to Yuma. So sad he got stuck in that horrible X-Men 3 crap though.

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  23. Been looking forward to this one for a while.

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  24. coolz.... I'll have to check it out. I think I would enjoy 15 mins of silence, reminds me of the first scene in Halloween where they do an 8 or so minutes of film in one take.

    total cool

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  25. haha whoa we have a dif poster for that movie in canada

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  26. I'm looking forward to watching this as I'm a big fan of Jason and I love a good shoot 'em up movie.

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  27. I started watching this with a girl, but we ended up making out. So...I'd give it a thumbs up.

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  28. I remember the original and the ending. He had a cool pad and tight jeans but can't recall the car.

    Think that hot babe Jill Ireland (his real wife) was in it too.

    The real life story of his love for his wife is a true heart breaker and will make a cracking Mills & Boon movie.

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  29. And I just thought it was another "Transporter" movie, didn't even make the remake connection. Maybe I should check it out.

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  30. Sounds great, might have to give it a go. Didn't Bronson have a ball of wax he kept squeezing throughout?

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  31. Mechanic! Transporter! Same thing.

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  32. I really like this movie. Jason Statham is one of my favorite action stars.

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  33. didn't know that this is a remake, thanks for that info

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  34. Looking back at your reviews, I can see we have similar tastes in film. Will have to watch this one. Off to Netflix, then.

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  35. Movie rocked - great action, well acted.

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  36. I like Jason Statham - he'll not win any Oscars but he is always convincing in the role he plays, so will add this to the list of films I must sit down and watch some day!

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  37. Sounds like I need to check it out :D

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  38. Never saw this film, but when Jason Statham is in a film you know the action is going to be good!

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  39. reminds me of the transporter lol

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  40. nice review, high rating so ill check it out

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  41. ill watch this movie the weekend!

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  42. I watched it and thought Jason S. was alot more believable than some of his stuff. I always thought he would someday be a megastar but it didnt work out that way.

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  43. I am old enough to remember the original with Charles Bronson as well. And I wonder whatever happened to Jan Michael Vincent. He did Air Wolf, and then just kind of disappeared...

    I haven't seen this version yet, but the acting talent is definitely there to make it have potential in my eyes.

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  44. Awesome review mate, cant wait to check this out ;D

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  45. Sounds interesting and something I'll check out.

    Christopher

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  46. I instinctively dislike movies with Jason Statham in :S

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  47. Jason Statham doz no wrong one of my fav actors

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  48. Damn, I thought this movie was just about Jason Statham being an actual mechanic. I am so disappointed..lol

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