Jason Statham has proven himself as an action star, but I still believe his performances are only as good as the filmmaker he’s been paired with.  In the case of Mechanic: Resurrection, Statham is jumping through the same hoops, but he’s doing so in a way that mirrors the entertaining ridiculousness director Dennis Gansel sets up.

Mechanic: Resurrection is appetizing junk food.  As a movie, the story feels too condensed, but if the Mechanic franchise jumped to television, I would definitely tune in every Thursday night to watch retired assassin Arthur Bishop (Statham) crack his way into highly secured areas and carry out new hired hits using handmade devices along with his fisticuffs and gunplay.

Mechanic: Resurrection has janky special effects (including heavy, obvious usage of chromakey) and an unconvincing romance between Statham and Jessica Alba (his damsel in distress although she throws a good punch), but Dennis Gansel’s movie works when Statham is left to wiggle his way out of tight situations and kick ass.  Many movies in the past have bogged Statham’s action heroes in too much exposition.  Gansel (and screenwriters Tony Mosher and Survivor’s Philip Shelby) may not aim high, but they certainly understand exciting high stakes and inventive choreography.  Under that criteria, the film definitely satisfies.

The film is a sequel to 2011’s The Mechanic, but as someone who hasn’t seen the predecessor, you certainly don’t need any backstory to follow along.  You could call this guilty pleasure The Jason Statham Experience, and people would still know what they’ve signed up for.

**********

Do You Tweet? Follow These Tweeple:

Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie