Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Mechanic

I think the original version of this film is one of the few Charles Bronson movies I've never seen, so I don't have anything to compare it to, just judged it on its own merits, which are considerable.  I always like Jason Statham, and he's fine in this one as a somewhat honorable hitman, who winds up taking a younger, more loose cannon version of himself under his arm as an apprentice killer.  Stuff blows up, lots of fistfights and gunfights and running around, a few plot twists, some totally gratuitous nudity and sex . . . what's not to like?  THE MECHANIC is a fairly smart, well-made action film, and I enjoyed it.  Recommended.

5 comments:

Paul D Brazill said...

Yep, I enjoyed it too.

Jack Badelaire said...

I thought it was good, but I much prefer the Bronson version, and not just because it's "not some fancy schmancy newfangled movie".

The Bronson version deals a lot more with the dynamic between the main character and his protoge - the relationship is a lot more complex, the indoctrination is a lot more, dare I say it, philosophical. Bronson's character takes you down the rabbit hole of what it means to live outside of the rules of society, and what that can do to a person's psyche. This isn't something really touched upon in the Statham version.

All that having been said, the remake is still quite solid. I would advise though, seeing the original. If you have Netflix getting the DVD should be a snap.

Unknown said...

Shows what I know. There's a Bronson version? That I gotta watch.

Jack Badelaire said...

Oh yesh. This is early 70's Bronson at his finest.

Steve M said...

If I remember right the original was also known over here in the UK as "Killer of Killers".

I didn't know there was a new version.