Mechanic Resurrection- Film Review
The movie Mechanic Resurrection is a sequel film to “The Mechanic” movie of 2011, where the main actor, Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) brings into play the exaggerated nonchalance and cool ambiance of every action movie hero ever. Arch Bishop changes his identity and lounges back in bar stools in Rio de Janeiro trying to evade his past of being a professional assassin, until the inevitable happens. Yes, you guessed right, he gets discovered.
The movie starts with a rather gripping entrance as Bishop’s archenemy, the scheming businessman Crain (Sam Hazeldine), abducts Bishop’s new love, Gina (Jessica Alba). Bishop is coerced into resuming his former trade. He must deliver three “kills” for Crain, in his signature style: making the assassinations appear to be accidents, This sequel to Statham’s 2011 “The Mechanic,” has a similar plot in which his character Arthur Bishop killed people by staging untraceable “accidents.”
Here, a shadowy character from Bishop’s past lures the reluctant killer back into action to take out three targets, each of which is settled in an impenetrable location like an island prison or an ultra-secure mansion on a hilltop.
I’m rather impartial about this film, it is fast-paced with a very simple plot. Bishop gets recruited and before you can blink he is beating down half a dozen guys and punches out a woman (it’s that kinda movie).
After the first action scene that happens only minutes into the movie, there is a long pause between the next action scene. Bishop scurries away to an island where he meets Gina, and way too much time is devoted to the blossoming of romance between them. This is sweet, but is sooooo BORING. You can show Statham and Alba’s beach bodies all you want, it still doesn’t make it any more entertaining.
Director Dennis Gansel applies the same detached, ruthless efficiency employed by the assassin Bishop, in every aspect of his film. The action scenes make sense but much of the fighting goes by too fast to truly appreciate the stunt work. If you missed the first Mechanic movie, you didn’t miss out on anything as they barely honour the events of the first film.
This one feels like a stand alone. Unlike in the first film, Bishop goes on a whole lot more adventurous travels. His travels take him to Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia, Bangkok, Australia and he even makes an appearance in Bulgaria. This man puts Jason Bourne’s world-wide travels to shame. They definitely wanted to give this movie an international feel. The “job” in Australia contains the coolest scene of the movie where he takes apart a pool that is on the ledge of a skyscraper building. This scene will make you woozy if you are afraid of heights.
Mechanic Resurrection won’t inspire anything, but it should not disappoint either. It is a typical Statham movie, if you are a fan of his movies, you’ll like it. It is high on action, but low on intellect. I kept thinking how this film could have been a good video game with the inordinate number of kill shots.
