| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jason Statham | ... | ||
| Ben Foster | ... | ||
| Tony Goldwyn | ... | ||
| Donald Sutherland | ... | ||
| Jeff Chase | ... |
Burke
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| Mini Anden | ... | ||
| James Logan | ... |
Jorge Lara
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| Eddie J. Fernandez | ... |
Lara's Guard
(as Eddie Fernandez)
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Joshua Bridgewater | ... |
Car Jacker
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| John McConnell | ... |
Vaughn
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| Christa Campbell | ... |
Kelly
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Joel Davis | ... |
Husband
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Mark Nutter | ... |
Mr. Finch
(as Mark Anthony Nutter)
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Ardy Brent Carlson | ... |
Bell Hop
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| Lara Grice | ... |
Mrs. Finch
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Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is a 'mechanic' - an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets. It's a job that requires professional perfection and total detachment, and Bishop is the best in the business. But when his mentor and close friend Harry (Donald Sutherland) is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached. His next assignment is self-imposed - he wants those responsible dead. His mission grows complicated when Harry's son Steve (Ben Foster) approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop's trade. Bishop has always acted alone but he can't turn his back on Harry's son. A methodical hit man takes an impulsive student deep into his world and a deadly partnership is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves. Written by Anonymous
This remake has managed to do what very few films have accomplished, it made me stop watching it. With no feelings I might miss something and perfect assurance I could have been doing something better than watching a rock video for serial killers. Instead of following the formula that worked in the past the producers and director, this time around decided that it had been missing graphic and brutal depictions of murder, so they fixed it. But ended up breaking something that didn't need fixing.
If your thinking that I am just not into violent films, you would be wrong. Many films have brought the fictional representation of violence to the level of fine art. This is not one of them. In fact I had not it was a remake even. I did see the original though. I caught it late at night just as it started in 1983 on HBO.The film was riveting. I have often thought back to it through the years as a fine example of American action suspense film.
Halfway through this Redux of fail, I began wondering why I was watching it at all. Then I caught a post from a young man reviewing it here, Which said( this film is so lame >>>>> so on and so on.). But what got me was the end of his review. "The movie they based this on must suck to, I will never watch the original." That is pretty damn sad.
I had different issues than the angry young man had with this film. Over all it is well made. I think the director lost his mind and forgot he was making a movie though and attempted to make The Mechanic into the first Blockbuster Snuff Film. The assassinations depicted for these so called professional killers are very close to torture. Long involved scenes of merciless stabbing, choking, crushing, and slicing the contracts they are paid to terminate left me queasy.
By halfway through the film I had lost all consideration for any kind of plot. I no longer cared for, or could root for either of the main characters. Once you start thinking that your main heroes should both be lobotomized and incarcerated for life because they are sociopaths, its pretty hard to care if there is a story .
All I remember is how bad I felt for the people I was supposed to not care about or even dislike; as they died. So in my opinion, this film was wretched, and forever tarnished the good name of a foundational piece of American Cinema.