Rent Mechanic: Resurrection (2016)

Mechanic: Resurrection (aka Mechanic 2) review by Adrijan Arsovski - Cinema Paradiso

Mechanic: Resurrection asserts a certain point in regards to films, albeit a moot one while we’re at it - that a sequel of a remake will almost always fail to provide the same thrill as the original installment did way back. Exceptions of this rule exist only to sorely confirm said rule over and over again in the brazenly sequel-churning industry that is Hollywood.

This time, instead of Simon West, director Dennis Gansel takes over and teams up with action star Jason Statham to bring you the most generic action flick of recent memory. Statham plays Arthur Bishop with a raspy voice that neither respects an American, nor an English accent. Antagonist Crain (played by Sam Hazeldine) copies Statham accent into what sounds as a symphony of cliché and hoarse voices as if dubbed by some guys who do English anime voice overs for a living.

Remember how ‘The Mechanic’ had an actual story to drive the protagonist forward to accomplish his goal? Yeah, that’s all omitted here, and instead what the audience gets is convoluted mess and a typical in-your-face chaotic action that is only partially relevant to the plot, if there’s one to begin with.

For example, when one thinks of the Charles Bronson mechanic of old, what immediately pops up is a cold-hearted hitman that will stop at nothing to achieve what he thinks is right, even if that means killing off some dudes along the merry way of doing so. Statham’s motives are nowhere near of such paradigm, since he becomes a mere vessel to propel the story forward to yet another scene of redundant action.

The mechanic’s change of tactics is as ironic as it can get: a somewhat well-choreographed opening fight scene is later replaced with surgical-like precision that just doesn’t suit what was previously established. Then chaos again. Then the calm after a storm. Mechanic: Resurrection at this point becomes an accidental action-comedy piece that both bores and entertains.

Or, even more precisely: the flick becomes a product for which you have to pay money in order to get it. Plain and simple.

Now the acting. Boy was Alba out of place in this one. Her flamboyant showing off was nowhere near as good as, say, her work in Sin City. Michelle Yeoh as Mei was underused and Tommy Lee Jones did absolutely nothing relevant to the plot, or the movie for that matter.

To conclude: if you crave for an over-the-top, accidental spoofy action comedy film, then with Mechanic: Resurrection you’re in for a treat.