Mechanic: Resurrection – Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham). )Photo by Daniel Smith/Courtesy of Summit Entertainment)
Mission: Resurrection stars Jason Statham, returning as Arthur Bishop, an assassin whose specialty was making his kills look like an accident. At the end of Mechanic, he had faked his own death so that he could retire in peace.
Unfortunately, a man from his past has found him and wants him to kill three people – making the kills look like accidents, of course – or a woman he knows, and the Cambodian children she cares for, will be sold into slavery.
The film opens with Bishop in Brazil, hitting his favorite beachside bar for his favorite drink – at his regular table. He is approached by a very focused individual who presents a job offer from a man called Crain (Sam Hazeldine, Peaky Blinders, Resurrection). Just to make sure Bishop takes the job, he has some assistants – but not enough. Bishop whups them all and heads home – no doubt mourning the loss of his regular table.
At home, he pulls out a go back with an assortment of weapons, cash and passports. After taking what he needs and destroying his current fake passport, he leaves – tuning up in Thailand on another beach, where he pops in to visit old friend Mei (Michelle Yeoh, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Marco Polo).
Mechanic: Resurrection – Bishop (Jason Statham) & Gina (Jessica Alba). (Photo by Daniel Smith/Courtesy of Summit Entertainment)
She’s kept his beach house locked up and dust-free. Inside, Bishop unearths another go bag – he’s never unprepared.
There’s a meet cute with Gina (Jessica Alba) but, naturally, Crain has sent her – though not in the way Bishop thinks (see: woman and children, slavery).
When things don’t move quickly enough, a horde of Crain’s men take Gina and Bishop finds himself needing to kill those three men – all arms dealers and worse (except for the one with a rather curious and refreshing code of ethics).
Directed by Dennis Gansel, from a script by Philip Shelby and Tony Mosher, Resurrection kicks off with a spectacular action sequence, moves through the necessary exposition and revs back up to full throttle and zips merrily (and occasionally, not so merrily) along.
The action is well choreographed and Statham is in peak form – this is the guy he lampooned so well in the Melissa McCarthy vehicle, Spy: the tough, unrelenting, intelligent man of action. No matter how many thugs/slash cannon fodder Crain sends at him (or sends him into), he gets the job done.
Mechanic: Resurrection – Max Adams (Tommy Lee Jones). (Photo by Daniel Smith/Courtesy of Summit Entertainment)
In a move telegraphed by the trailer, it turns out that one of the arms dealers, Max Adams (Tommy Lee Jones, sporting striped pajamas, round, pink sunglasses and a soul patch), isn’t quite what we’re expecting – which leads to a nice twist.
Unlike some directors, Gansel likes to get through his action sequences without so many cuts that the audience is in danger of nausea. His cuts are nicely timed and pull the audience’s focus into the action rather than alienating them.
Statham is not the only one who can put up a good scrap here; Alba’s Gina is a bit of a spitfire and more than capable of doing a bit of damage herself. Between the tow a lot of fun is being had.
Crain, though, is a bit of a sad sack as the villain. He shares a bit of backstory with Bishop but where bishop comes off a cool and together, Crain is a bit of a whiner. Their final confrontation plays their differences up really well.
Mechanic: Resurrection may not have the budget of a Mission: Impossible movie, but it has as many thrills (though fewer disguises), and shows that you can make an engaging action flick for a much smaller budget.
Final Grade: B+