There’s a certain suspension of disbelief required for all cinema, an acceptance that what we’re seeing on screen is “reality” rather than a bunch of actors, lighting specialists, sound techs, set builders, cinematographers and a director all collaborating to tell a compelling story. With some genres of film, there’s a second level of belief required, one where the viewer has to also accept the basic premise of the film.
What makes it all worse is that The Mechanic is a remake of a tough 70’s action film starring everyman Charles Bronson. Bronson brought a vulnerability, a “tough guy on the corner” energy to his roles that made a lot of his films shine, even with their predictable stories. The earlier version of The Mechanic rolled out a different cliche, however: the assassin who wants to retire, but has to train his replacement (Jan-Michael Vincent in the original). A more complicated father/son dynamic and a grittier feel make it a superior film to the Statham remake.
psst: nice product placement, Apple!
Hear hear, Dave. Spot on. Thanks!
It’s another Jason Statham’s great action movie. As usual, there is much blood in this movie. The ending is quite predictable. But I like the quote, “Victory loves Preparation”