The Mechanic C

In Theatres. Rated R. 93 minutes.

Not only is Jason Statham slumming in another Jason Statham movie, this time he’s talked Ben Foster (The Messenger, 3:10 to Yuma) and Donald Sutherland into joining him. I wish this one was by-the-numbers, but, alas, it doesn’t make quite that much sense. Statham plays the “mechanic”—a hitman—who takes out high profile targets when a deft touch and patience is required. When not working, he lives completely removed from human contact, save the occasional prostitute, in a man cave stocked with high-end indulgences wrapped in minimalist casings. The one person he cares for is his handler Donald Southerland. Unfortunately, it appears that Donald is skimming off the top, and Statham is tapped to use his connections to rub him out. Sutherland’s screw-up son (Ben Foster), shows up and comes to Statham looking to recover daddy’s effects and avenge him by becoming a hitman himself. Needless to say, Statham pulls Foster under his wing, setting up an inevitable showdown when Foster realizes his father’s true killer.

I love Statham, but there’s just so many Transporter sequels and drivel like this before the memories of The Bank Job and Snatch get a bit hazy. The action here is reasonably well shot, especially the opening killing, and there are a couple interesting scenes, but the plot and dialogue is too bad to be overlooked but not bad enough to be camp. Foster, quickly establishing himself as one of the strongest young actors in Hollywood, actually does some pretty solid acting, but everyone else is picking up a paycheck. Just tolerable if you have to have an action flick. C

*Of note, this appears not to be a remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film of the same name, a film I have not seen. I'm just guessing based on synopsis, although it also involves a hitman and his protege.