The Mechanic

Thriller

Roadshow Entertainment

R4 DVD

I must admit to being a Charles Bronson fan and I thought his 1972 film The Mechanic was one of his best. This remake has big shoes to fill. Can Jason Statham create the same impression? Is the remake strong enough to stand on its own? The answer to both is YES.

For those who haven’t seen the original it is a story about a professional hitman who executes a friend – he works for a “company” and doesn’t have the luxury of declining a job. Donald Sutherland, another actor I respect, briefly plays his friend Harry McKenna. McKenna is quietly taking money from the company. When Mr Bishop (Jason Statham) executes him on behalf of the company he is approached by Harry’s son, Steve, an otherwise idle layabout in whom Bishop sees potential. He has guessed that Mr Bishop is an assassin. We are unsure whether Steve knows Mr Bishop killed his father. Bishop starts training him in the art of assassination – physical fitness, a knowledge of drugs and weapons, meticulous preparation and a good plan. The next two kills are a bit messy and we see that Steve can be impulsive, but both are successful. Bishop is warned by the company’s spokesman that he should have got their permission before taking on an apprentice. They do not like anything they haven’t approved of. The rest of the story is of betrayal and fighting for survival and revenge. It is a slight reinterpretation of the original story and carries a little more mystery.

Charles Bronson developed the personality of Mr Bishop as a quiet, methodical man. Although Statham develops Bishop’s personality in a slightly similar way it is a little more actIon-oriented than Bronson’s. Remakes these days tend to be more action-oriented and this one is no exception. There are the usual car chases, explosions, gory gunfights and leaping from high buildings. Surprisingly they are not overdone and serve the revised plot rather than just being gratuitous violence. Much of Bronson’s meticulous preparation for an operation is glossed over. Ben Foster plays Steve and his personality is hard to fathom. Although he is capable of acts of violence he seems preoccupied – does he know Bishop killed his father? If so, what does he plan to do about it?

I usually dislike glossed-up remakes but this one succeeds. Bronson fans may prefer the original but this is an excellent remake and well worth seeing anyway.

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