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THERE are three things in life that I suggest you never do. Don't tug on Superman's cape, don't make the Hulk angry and don't expect any emotional depth from a Jason Statham movie.
Statham is arguably the biggest rising star of the action genre, following closely in the footsteps of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren and Vin Diesel. Sure, they all know how to make kicking ass look cool but none of them know how to deliver a convincing acting performance.
Gone are the days when Bruce Willis made a film about foiling terrorists suspenseful, or when Sly Stallone gave a heart to movie about a dimwitted boxer. No, these days, it's all about the explosions and the body count and if that's what you're after, than you'll love The Mechanic.
In this film Statham plays Bishop, an assassin with a skill for doing a dirty job quickly and cleanly, all the while following his own strict moral code ... for the most part, anyway.
It's a job that requires a special type of person, someone who can detach himself from the situation and live with the guilt of taking another person's life. He's the best at what he does and goes about his work quite happily, until the man who gives Bishop his assignments tricks him into killing his elderly, wheelchair-bound mentor, Harry ... bye, bye moral code.
After he discovers the deception, he sets off on a revenge mission and this time the job is very personal. He goes after everyone even vaguely responsible for tricking him and the bodies begin to pile up. Yes, there are some well-shot action sequences and the cinematography is actually pretty good, but ... because the acting is weaker than a butterfly in a hurricane, you feel no connection to the characters.
Along the way, Harry's son Steve asks Bishop to teach him about the business so that he can avenge his father's death. Although Bishop doesn't really play well with others, he takes Steve as his apprentice (out of guilt) and teaches him the deadly art of assassination.
The problem is, Steve isn't as methodical as Bishop. He's young, head-strong and actually enjoys killing people. One scene in particular proves ludicrous when the short and scrawny Steve attempts to strangle a guy who looks like he wouldn't be out of place in Jurassic Park. Although this didn't sit well with lone wolf Bishop, he overlooks it because he feels obligated to take care of the lad.
However, as they get closer to their goal and finding the man who ultimately tricked Bishop, the truth about who really killed Harry comes to light.
It's hard to make a film like this entertaining, or particularly gripping, with a stoic main character and a supporting cast that's stiffer than corpses in a morgue.
I like that Statham is the first British actor to crack the niche US action movie market. I think with some seriously hard work and the right script, he has the potential to put Blighty on the action map. However, he has a long way to go before he deserves the title of 'action hero'... right now, he's more Boy Wonder than Batman.
Showing in Cineco, Seef I and Saar Cineplex
