Rating: 
“The Mechanic” is an entirely enjoyable action flick if you’ve only seen three or four other action movies, which is about equivalent to half a Michael Bay film. It considers the expectations of its audience. Guns are shot, stunts are pulled off, and cars are thrashed all over. But the real joy in movie-watching usually comes from the unexpected, which is a fact that this movie is either too lazy or too ignorant to recognize.
The film stars Jason Statham as Arthur Bishop. The more movies he makes, the more I question his versatility as an actor. Like many of his past roles, Statham plays a character who is a “professional” at his field. His line of work must be illegal, because it’s more fun that way. Would The Transporter’s story be as exciting as it is if Statham delivered pizzas instead of… “packages”?
However, Arthur Bishop doesn’t deliver any illegal packages. No. He is employed by a secret company that pays him to kill people who are frowned upon by society. Hm. Is this company actually doing the country a favor? During the start, the movie showed signs of a slightly interesting story. It was ready to ask: “Is it, ‘less wrong’, to commit murder if you do it to the bad guys?” But as it drew longer, it strayed far from that question and closer to the guns, stunts, and cars.
I’ve been dismissed by friends as a person who can’t appreciate action sequences. This can’t be true, for I’ve really liked both “Shoot ‘em Up” and last year’s “The A-Team.” I am grateful of long and loud action sequences that involve craftsmanship, context, and humor, which are things that none of “The Mechanic” possess. The choice of having Jason Statham as the star makes things worse. Not much is required of his roles in most of his films, yet he insists of repeadetdy portraying them.
Most Statham characters must wear expensive clothes, have superhuman abilities, and speak in a guarded, monotone voice. When he does not speak, he simply must strike a pose and appear cool, which shouldn’t take much effort if you have the looks of Jason Statham. I’ve grown rather tired of seeing him in roles that only reminds us of his past ones.
What’s holding Statham back from leaving his comfort zone? Maybe it’s a fear of self-embarrassment? Yeah. That makes perfect sense. I mean, take a look at Dwayne Johnson. Unlike Mr. Statham, he tried out something totally different, and ended up playing The Tooth Fairy.
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