Review of The Mechanic (2011) by Fdt44 — 29 Jan 2011

Statham does it again. Another au courant, fast-paced, high octane "Transporter" progeny whose on-screen action is so entralling that it's run-time seems to fade as swiftly as its direction. Like its cinematic predecessors, "The Mechanic " makes for a great popcorn action flick that never loses your attention, and leaves you in your seat anticipating and wanting more from Statham's tough guy mein.

Contrarily, when viewed more closely, the same Hollywood errors are mainfested. The first of these is the lack of depth. Statham and Foster move from one hit assignment to the next without much happening in between the various sequences.

One minute you see the two men holding up a photo of their next mission, and the very next scene you see them hacking into a building and carrying out their duty with untenable ability. And what about this infallibility? When we are first introduced to Foster, he is an anguished, morose, hate-driven young man whose only sense of continuity is the vengeance of his father's killer.

We see this desperate young man seek counsel from Statham and in a blink of an eye, without the film's care to show how, is transformed into a merciless, killing machine with a repetoire of skills, so vast as if to be acquired over many years.

But nonetheless, despite the display for such, Foster suddenly emerges as the perfect accomplice. Aside from the rushed, under-developed writing and substance, "The Mechanic" is a highly enjoyable treat for the everyday, casual moviegoer.

For you, the movie has plenty of surprises, explosions, sex, and ass-kicking. Statham doesn't disappoint, and continues to awe audiences with his feral physicality and winsomely, reticent, yet palpable demeanor.

Like any other film of the genre: get comfortable, leave your intellect at the ticket office, relax, grab some popcorn, and sit back as the 92 minute run-time unfolds before your very eyes.