The Mechanic

Plot synopsis:
The film opens following a man as his plane lands at a private hangar and he makes his way to his mansion with his armed guard escort. The man changes into his swimwear and proceeds to get into his private pool to have a swim. As he swims he notices his watch at the bottom of the pool and swims down to retrieve it. An unknown man grabs the swimming victim and holds him under until he dies. The assassin, Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham), then uses the chaos that follows to take a careful route out of the mansion and to a nearby river where he jumps in and makes his escape. Back home, Bishop meets with Harry McKenna (Donald Sutherland) whom Bishop regards as a friend and mentor figure. Harry pays Bishop for his work in Colombia and they discuss Harry's son Steve McKenna (Ben Foster) before parting ways.Returning to his house, Bishop checks for his new contract only to find that it is to kill Harry. Bishop phones his employer to verify that the contract is correct and upon confirmation he requests a face to face meeting. Bishop meets with Dean (Tony Goldwyn) who tells him about a failed mission in South Africa in which assassins of the agency Bishop works for were killed. Dean tells Bishop that only two people knew about the mission, Dean and Harry, and that Harry had received money in exchange for the contract details. Bishop reluctantly kills Harry and makes it look like a carjacking. At Harry's grave Bishop meets Harry's son, Steve. Steve tells Bishop that he's going to go out and find any carjacker and kill them as revenge. Bishop secretly follows Steve and interrupts him killing a carjacker that he had run into. Bishop recognizes the raw potential of Steve and decides to train him as a "Mechanic". He adopts a chihuahua and instructs Steve to take the dog with him to a coffee shop each day at the same time. As Steve settles in to his routine Bishop escalates his training by taking him on a contract to show him what it's like. After Bishop strangles the man with a belt and stages it to look like an auto-erotic asphyxiation accident, he shows Steve all the planning that went into that assassination.Bishop informs Steve that he has a contract of his own. The target is a mechanic for another agency named Burke (Jeff Chase), who frequents the same coffee shop Steve has been going to. Furthermore, Steve is told that Burke's only weaknesses are that he is interested in young men and small dogs (such as the chihuahua they adopted). Burke makes his move on Steve and invites him out to drinks. Bishop instructs Steve to slip a large dose of Rohypnol into Burke's drink to cause an overdose. Steve ignores this direction and instead goes with Burke to his apartment. As Burke begins to undress, Steve attempts to strangle him with a belt as he had seen Bishop do. They engage in a struggle, and Steve manages to kill Burke after much effort. Bishop is later contacted by Dean, who expresses his disapproval of Bishop's use of Steve for the Burke contract. Bishop replies that he was given that contract through Harry and not Dean. Angry at his indignation, Dean informs Bishop that he's on a short leash.
Bishop is given a new contract to kill the leader of a cult-like church, Andrew Vaughn (John McConnell). Steve and Bishop plan to inject Vaughn with adrenaline to simulate a heart attack, for which the paramedics would unknowingly administer a fatal second dose of adrenaline. As Bishop and Steve wait in the walls of Vaughn's hotel room, a doctor arrives and sets Vaughn up with an IV of ketamine. Realizing that the adrenaline overdose would be inhibited by the ketamine, they improvise and quickly suffocate him. When Vaughn is discovered by his guards, Bishop and Steve are found hiding in the walls of the hotel and are forced into a shoot-out with the guards. As the building is being evacuated, Bishop and Steve slip out and Bishop decides they should fly home separately.At the airport Bishop sees one of the men he was told was killed on the South African mission that Harry had allegedly sold out. During a confrontation with the man, Bishop realizes that his boss, Dean, had tricked him into killing Harry and that it had been Dean who engineered the failed South African mission to cover up his own shady dealings. Having been misled, Bishop begins to get things in order, only to be ambushed by a group of mechanics. After taking them out, he uses one of their phones and discovers that Dean was behind the hit. Racing home, Bishop calls Steve only to find that Steve has also been ambushed at Bishop's house. Bishop directs Steve to a hidden gun, which Steve uses to kill his ambushers. Steve is waiting for directions when Bishop arrives. Bishop has Steve gather supplies for their new mission, while Bishop prepares to find how to get to Dean. In the process, Steve finds his father's gun, and realizes that Bishop had killed his father and not carjackers.After working together to kill Dean, they decide to go to a gas station and during the way to the gas station, Bishop notice Harry's gun in Steve's jacket and realizes Steve has discovered the truth. Steve gets out to put gas in the car and adjusts the nozzle so it is pouring on the ground instead of in the tank. With Bishop still in the truck, Steve pulls out Harry's gun and shoots the gas, blowing up Bishop's vehicle and the gas station. Steve then returns to Bishop's house and plays a record on the turntable before going out to the garage and taking the vintage 1966 Jaguar E-Type coupe Bishop had been working on. As he is driving off, Steve notices a note on the seat of the car, which reads: "Steve, if you're reading this then you're dead!" Steve laughs and moments later the car explodes killing him. At the same time the record player has finished playing at Bishop's house and it activates a tripwire, which causes Bishop's house to also explode. Back at the gas station, a security video reveales that Bishop escaped from his truck moments before Steve blew it up, saving him. Bishop gets in another truck he had by the beach and drives away.

Tags: revenge, action, murder, violence

Review:
It was marketed as an action film, with good death scenes, mildly intriguing characters, and a simple plot and it delivered exactly on cue.
In the last decade, Statham has consistently delivered hard hitting B Action films and if your a fan of the old school, 80's/90's R rated action, the mechanic is a must watch.
Ben Foster gives a hard hitting performance giving an edginess and weight to the character of Steve McKenna and corporate bad guy Tony Goldwyn is notable.Some logic aside the Mechanic stands head and shoulders above the mass of recent cheap and big budget flicks due to it's 1973 source material, smart writing and Simon West's gritty direction.
The parts where Bishop and Steves goes after the big bad guy is quite well done with some quite cool stunts without being over the top.The ending was probably the only thing in the movie that was a bit unexpected.
I didn't have very high hopes for this movie, just went to watch a typical Statham's movie with lots of good action and violence.
Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham in similar role to Charles Bronson) is a very professional hit man , he is the number one killing people with a bullet whose reputation has caught up with him.
As hot-headed Steve McKenna want to off Bronson and attempts to assume the position of top hit-man.This crime thriller packs intrigue, suspense, noisy action-packed with grisly killings ,explosive excitement, thrills and lots of violence and sex .
Furthermore, appears a nice secondary cast as Donald Sutherland , Tony Goldwyn and brief performance of the gorgeous fashion model Mini Anden as Bishop's love interest, but the romance isn't what this movie offers , it is about action and violence and director knows his work .
Most people know Jason Statham movies involve high octane action with brilliant fight sequences, you will be happy to know that this film delivers this well, however I believe that a movie with no decent storyline or good characters has no reason being made, even if the action is good.
Nothing in the story is fresh or original, if you have a good idea of what Jason Statham says or does in his action movies he probably will say and do them in this one, you won't be surprised a lot in this film, one surprise element may pop up but it definitely isn't enough.
"The movie they based this on must suck to, I will never watch the original." That is pretty damn sad.I had different issues than the angry young man had with this film.
Nothing outstanding, it won't be getting any Oscars, I know what to expect when I see Jason Statham and he never lets you down (I think WAR is his best movie- outstanding), Ben Foster plays a good part too and so the supporting cast fulfil there role.
Jason Statham plays ice cool professional assassin, Arthur Bishop, in this testosterone-filled action thriller.
Ben Foster plays the wayward rookie effectively - the violent gay fight scene had me wincing.Some excellent stunts and solid acting make this a very entertaining film within its genre: clearly aimed at a predominantly male audience, sat down with a beer, pizza, and looking for some serious action!.
The choreography was awesome and the blood splatter, bullet wounds, looked very good on camera.The storyline and some other parts were average at best but I think overall with the quality of the acting and the action it was worth the watch.I look forward to big (bigger) things from Ben Foster.......hopefully..
Jason Statham stars as a "mechanic" or hit man caught in a tangle of deceit and revenge coming right down the line from his place of employment.Statham,as Arthur Bishop, reprising the role of the granite Charles Bronson in 1972, is indisputably the star, even with partner pro-tem, Steve, being played by the very competent Ben Foster.
Statham's scowl, punctuated by a slight smirk now and then, is the industry standard for good bad guy.Early in his career I saw Statham in a café at Sunset Plaza in Hollywood; I knew immediately the Transporter—-scruffy beard, balding dome, and signature scowl.The two hit men, not much like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (though when Statham and Foster jump from a building I couldn't help think of that romantic duo), are connected by the assassination of Steve's father (Donald Sutherland), who was also Bishop's mentor.
After a series of barely connected set pieces of explosions and bullets, Steve is ready to deal with his dad's murderer, and Bishop is there to teach and corral the blood-thirsty avenger.Although I enjoy Jason Statham's screen persona, with the lack of originality and a plot even I figured out early on, I am merely amused by this film's formulaic violence..
Jason Statham's Arthur Bishop takes under his wing Steve McKenna (Ben Foster), the son of his old friend/mentor Harry McKenna (Donald Sutherland) - who also happens to be his last hit.
(He was also my best performance of 30 Days of Night)Scene of the film: Steve McKenna blasting his way out of a pretty dire situation and thus convincing me of both the character's elite status in this film and of the young actor's potential to be a great action star (he can actually even act)Most outstanding or memorable feature: Brutality of the action.
the mechanic is about a hit man who does jobs for all kinds of people like assiantions making things look like accidents and others the hit man is Arther Bishop Jason statham(crank high voltage war the transporter)the whole film has tons and tons of action and its so addictive to watch and has amazing music that entertanied me and u cant miss this its one of Jason stathams best movies he is in like how lock stock and two smocking barrels and snatch and the crank and transporter series and others this came out in 2011 January 28th Simon west did this very very well i loved this from start to finish this is a must buy i give it a 10/10 and the brutal bits are good too.
Yes it is an action movie but the original had some quality acting in it by Jan Michael Vincent and Charles Bronson who gave nuanced performances with a certain bonding of the two characters which this one does not.
Along the way secrets behind the aforementioned murder are revealed leading these two to seek revenge on the company, while Bishop strives to keep his secret about Steve's father hidden.Ben Foster has a decent performance in the film for having to play a very one-dimensional character, however, he will be vastly overlooked because Jason Statham is the star.
It sets a very interesting and unique tone to undermine the expectations of the otherwise cliché film.The film strays away from relying on Jason Statham's action skills and instead tries to focus too much on creating a mysterious thrilling plot instead of sticking to the basics of action movie delight.
However, Statham's talents have grown far beyond the golden boy action hero and should bring him back to his "Italian Job" roots because films like "The Mechanic" are entertaining but not worth the hefty theatrical ticket price..
I had a really good time watching violent action, some blood, and Jason Statham being Jason Statham.This film is about a hit-man who teams up with a vengeance-happy troubled dude and they do what they do best: kill people.
This time, the hit-man, Arthur feels there are actually people who deserve to meet that fate.Well, I cannot say much about Jason Statham except he pleases me by being his normal self, racking up the body count.
It's full of fights , explosions and plot twists and at 90 minutes is great big bundle of fun.Ben Foster is great as is Tony Goldwyn but there is no doubt who is the start.The Mechanic far fetched and a little bit silly at times but you cant help but like it..
It's definitely worth your time if you like action flicks since there are some pretty decent fight scenes and as always Jason's character is always cool and collected no matter what the obstacle..
The scene where Donald Sutherland gets shot sure does make Statham the cold blooded killer he is, and as such he DOES excel in this movie and character.
"The Mechanic" is an action thriller film starring Jason Statham and Ben Foster.
Even though I am myself an action movie fan and I respect Jason Statham as an action hero, but nothing could deter from the fact that "The Mechanic" is a waste of time(88 minutes) and money(they didn't get enough profit).
Jason Statham is now the best action hero in Hollywood and hence his casting is natural.Ben Foster is good in his role as a trainee under the guidance of Statham.
For those who like action films with strong lead characters this is a movie that will entertain well.
This remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film of the same name appears at first like a typical Jason Statham film...lots of action and violence.
He portrays his role cleanly and excellently.An assassin type movie with a slight difference in storyline but I think the story could have been little bit more better.Ben Foster is good, however, he needs more perfection.
While I haven't seen the original movie this is based on (same name), I can imagine how Charles Bronson portrayed the character that Jason Statham is playing here.
This is a remake as you know but the actor Jason Statham and his side kick Ben Foster take the movie to new levels that make it look like oh wow don't remember that and this happening great action and it moves at a regular pace never letting you slip into boredom because you have seen it before the story is also not a direct copy so you are in for a treat.
Do not compare it to the original, that's only just a waste of time because it's impossible: in the end nobody CAN touch the cult status of ultimate revenger Mr. Bronson.(With some changes, e.g. the title it would even have been a better idea to just let this one stand on itself.) There we have a movie with no real surprises, some plot holes but overall a reasonable solid story, and a lot of action, good enough to entertain you for the 85 minutes it lasts a.k.a. all the ingredients I expect when I see 'Statham' on the cover/poster!So if you don't expect a fine art house movie with real special and surprisingly acting performances, as you should, you will like it.
It's more like "oh, i have to do a killing, let's do it together..." Everyone in this movie seems to know where Statham a.k.a Arthur Bishop is living and what he is doing for a living and he doesn't seem to care.
Well , this IS Jason Statham movie , so what could you expect ?Better watch the original with Charles Bronson.
This new version of the brilliant Charles Bronson original has some of that movie's scenes more or less copied into its plot, but without knowing its a remake, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were watching Transporter 4.Jason Statham is Arthur Bishop, a cold blooded hit-man who makes assassination attempts look like accidents and circumstance.
But the plot doesn't offer anything new, and Ben Foster struggles to make something of his psycho role despite being great in movies like Hostage and the recent remake of The 3:10 To Yuma.what is good about The Mechanic remake is the action and fight sequences, they are entertaining and thrilling, but afterwards you come away from the cinema with a kind of Seen It All Before attitude.
You got a story, dead dumb guys, bullets flying, Jason Statham, Ben Foster, and Donald Sutherland.
Based upon an action thriller from the 1970s originally directed by Michael Winner before he became better known as a restaurant critic THE MECHANIC surpasses all expectations from a Statham star vehicle and it's up to the individual if this is a good thing or a bad thing The original itself was no great shakes telling as it does a tale of a cold hearted and all too effective assassin showing a new kid on the block all the tricks of the trade .
Here in this remake the structure and feel of the original still remains while at the same time does retain the look of what you're expecting from a Statham movie all the way down to the cinematography having having a yellowish / orange tint and the action scenes being shot in quick edits and close up .
Well being a great Jason Statham fan we know that so far his action flicks has been able to deliver what an average audience usually expects.
The remake is a minor pleasure, a stripped down film with Jason Statham playing Arthur Bishop as a reclusive killer who performs hits for a mysterious organisation.His initial scene demonstrates his expertise as Bishop takes out a Colombian drug lord in a crafty manner.Trouble ensues when Bishop is tasked to take out his mentor, Harry McKenna (Donald Sutherland) who is accused of being dirty.
Harry's partner Dean (Tony Goldwyn) shows Arthur some evidence of Harry's misdeeds and reluctantly carries out the hit without smelling a double cross, a flaw in the remake and I guess in the original as well.After Harry's death Bishop has to deal with Steve, Harry's estranged son (Ben Foster) and trains him as an assassin in order to stay close with him and also because he feels guilt about what he did to Harry.However this is a start of a cat mouse game as we reckon Steve although close to Bishop also suspects him and is biding his time to gain revenge, while Bishop figures out who the real behind the scenes manipulator was.Director Simon West goes for lean and mean action scenes and relies on Foster's nervy energy to keep things ticking along.
Statham's Bishop is painted too much of a nice guy and never comes close to Bronson's silent menace in the original.The film is an enjoyable and engaging action film that never strays too far as a B movie.
While no one would ever mistake THE MECHANIC for a great movie, for the most part it's a competently done hit-man/mentor film that makes good use of Jason Statham and never overstays its welcome.
I suppose that it's another genre trope that the more experienced professional starts to lose his touch a little bit once he takes on a student, but there are some truly ridiculous scenes between the two as they mow their way through all of the bad guys that are coming their way.Still, this was enjoyable enough due to Jason Statham's charisma and the levity which Ben Foster brought to the proceedings.
Harry's estranged son Steve (Ben Foster) wants to avenge the death, and Arthur takes the young man on as his apprentice.Jason Statham is once again playing the deadly assassin.
The one thing that bothers Bishop is that if Steve finds out that he murdered his dad will he use the training he gives him to murder him in revenge!The film has a certain style to it that the original doesn't have especially in it's ending scene which is a lot less effective as well as unexpected as the one that the 1972 version of the movie had.
One of them was the knock down and drag out slug-fest between the 5 foot 9 inch 160 pound Steve McKenna with the 6 foot 7 inch 275 pound gay arms dealer as well as hit-man Burk, Jeff Chase, that must rank among the most ferocious and hard knocking fight scenes in motion picture history.***SPOILERS*** In the end Steve discovers that his good friend and teacher, in killing people, Arthur Bishop did in fact murder his dad but as usual Bishop like with everyone else in the movie, including his back stabbing boss Dean, gets the drop as well as turns the tables on him.
It is a remake of the 1972 film starring Charles Bronson and Jan Michael Vincent, and written by Lewis John Carlino.As in the original, a hit-man takes an apprentice under his wing.
The two have pretty good chemistry, but face it, the only real reason to watch this movie is for action scenes and violence.Donald Sutherland has a fairly brief role as Statham's mentor and the film definitely misses him once he's gone.
I like Jason Statham, but this is not his best movie.
The plot takes it's slight twist by the addition of a sidekick of sorts in the form of Steve (Ben Foster).Arthur is a lone hit-man who is very good at what he does by eliminating targets whilst making them look like accidents.
It delivers on the action scenes but a film cannot be totally reliant on just action to see it through.I think this can be summed up as a typical Statham movie with lots of action, a story that is never going to blow you away and a girl or two thrown in for good measure.
Apparently, the designation of mechanic in this action movie is a sobriquet for contract killer, and not a comment on the exorbitant cost of parts and labour.After assassin Bishop (Jason Statham) executes his mentor McKenna (Donald Sutherland) on the command of his clandestine employer, he takes McKenna's willful son Steve (Ben Foster) under his wing and teaches him the skills to kill.Under his mentorship, Steve tethers his recklessness as he finds a father figure in Bishop.
The story was good (ish) the right actors were in place, the writing was OK ish too.The thing is this was an action movie and I'm sorry to say all the fight scenes were a cheap Hollywood camera trick.....
The Mechanic is a code name for CIA hit-man, Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham).
You can call it the 'set-up', but a movie like this should give the people what they came to see.Jason Statham.