The Mechanic

It is very cold and conceptual, without any idea or the ability to captivate – purely half-hearted routine. From the well-known names involved in the film, I expected something much better. And from Ben Foster, I expected better acting. Surprisingly average action. (20/06/2011)

What good is a skillfully shot action film when from beginning to end one has the feeling that the remake of the excellent The Mechanic is completely useless and was made mainly because the writers ran out of ideas. Moreover, this version lacks the main thing that makes Bronson's original exceptional - the portrayal of the friendly relationship between "teacher and pupil". Without this, the entire spectacle just doesn't work in my opinion and turns into a routine action romp, which in some moments (yes, the ones where the story deviates from the original film) makes the main character a blatant jerk. On top of that, I have a constant problem believing in Jason Statham with these super action guys (with the exception of The Expendables). I still think he takes himself too seriously, unlike Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Willis. And he has no facial expressions. It won't be long before jokes start circulating about him. The first (and best) of these will be invented by Chuck Norris. (29/09/2012)

A solid genre movie with several very cool moments. The escape by wheelchair us one of the most incredibly hilarious scenes that you have ever seen. The action is nice, but economical, the screenplay full of plotholes and Simon West doesn’t have the sense to make up for that elsewhere. At least Jason is Jason and Foster is Foster and the dancer is hot as hell. (23/04/2011)

Jason Statham was there. He was tough as hell, thick as a toothpick after cleaning teeth, and maybe as gentle as a whore before action. This movie was simply action-packed and it was worth watching because everything was as it should be. Action, lines, characters... I won't get a full score from me just because Jason Statham is simply not Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean Claude Van Damme, or Sylvester Stallone. I really miss emotions in him. But the fact is, he might eventually get into that role. Among the current action actors, he is the closest to it. Well, we'll see. The Mechanic so far scored. (20/08/2012)

Another action film with Statham, who sometimes looks quite tough, but one still gets the feeling that it's more of an act. It's not bad, but it's pretty standard for Statham. Nothing that fundamentally stands out, and it’s still some sort of code, even if twisted. I was hoping the film would grip me, but it didn't happen. It’s more so a slower ride. (31/03/2014)