God bless Jason Statham. If you want a contemporary bullshit action movie (that's a compliment not a complaint) then you either look to Luc Besson productions, or films starring The Stath. Like any past movie star who's worked in this genre (Stallone, Arnie, Van Damme, Chuck Norris, etc) you'll produce great movies, bad movies and some that are just plain average...but because of the formulaic nature of the genre and the low expectations the exploitative movies they are, they remain watchable due to the action contained within and the charisma of their lead actors.
The Mechanic, a remake of a 1972 Charles Bronson thriller, is an average film for Jason Statham...but thankfully, because of his very presence, it's always watchable and engaging. Simon West (he of Con Air) directs with a glossy flair and keeps the action and drama rolling even if it's all a little too familiar to those who've watched this kind of stuff all too often. Tony Goldwyn reprises his excellent sleezebag performance from Ghost and The 6th Day while Donald Sutherland adds some gravitas to proceedings.
The worry with Statham is that he could plummet into DVD oblivion if he makes one too many duds, but despite The Mechanic being a bit run of the mill, it's a sharply made action thriller that should keep The Stath's theatrical release status for a bit longer yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment