The Mechanic

I wasn't at all surprised that the theater was completely empty. I haven't seen a single ad for this movie and if it weren't for FilmBooster, I probably wouldn't have even known about it. I’m finally seeing Statham as a good actor. I have to admit, he has some charisma and grit to him. The movie felt pretty real and not over the top. I was covering my eyes during the garbage disposal scene. Still, I have to criticize the boring beginning. The acting was good, the ending was above standard. Somehow I want to liken it to The American... here I missed an attractive city and atmosphere. On the other hand, The Mechanic was grittier and more involved. Maybe the empty cinema helped, but I’m rating the film above average... 3.5 stars. (08/17/2011)

Another action movie with Statham, who sometimes looks quite tough, but you still have the feeling that it's more of an act. It's not bad, but for Statham, it's pretty standard. Nothing that deviates significantly, still some sort of code, even if twisted. I was hoping that the movie would captivate me a bit, but that didn't happen. It's more like a slow ride. (03/31/2014)

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. (06/20/2011)

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. (09/29/2012)

An undying zombie. I’m not a fan of the original, but I was expecting a better upgrade with this film. West will clearly never again come out of the shadow of his own first film, even though it does have both swing and plenty of blood in certain moments (though I have to wonder if its digital form is the definitive standard for contemporary cinema). The biggest problem I see is mostly in the motivations of the main characters, which I find, no matter how categorically I look at it, incredibly demented. Even the traditionally good "stone-faced" Statham and the speedy handsome Foster can't save it from the resulting implausibility. 2 ½. (02/22/2011)