The Mechanic – review

Over the past decade or so, Jason Statham has morphed from French Connection clothes-horse to Brit-pic also-ran to international action hero – and after sitting through The Mechanic I can semi-see why. This upgrade of the 1972 Charles Bronson hitman caper is slick, silly and oddly enjoyable, while the actor proves effortlessly assured as the lonesome samurai who first bumps off his mentor (Donald Sutherland, coasting in a wheelchair) and then in turn starts mentoring his victim's loose-cannon son (played with a pleasing, wonky intensity by Ben Foster). Naturally these kind of enterprises depend on a certain suspension of disbelief. On his opening assignment Statham drowns a drugs kingpin in his pool and then starts pedalling the corpse's arms and legs in order to convince the security goons that yes, their boss is still alive and kicking. If you buy that, you'll believe anything – and everything – that follows.