Taking 'The Mechanic' out for another spin
But what's under the substance hood? How does it stack up against the original?
Not too many people will probably even recall the 1972 original with Charles Bronson as the tough-as-nails hit man teaching a young, perhaps faster gun the assassination ropes.
Those who do will consider the elder version a clunker compared to the new fire-breather putting British tough chap Jason Statham in the killer-for-hire lead.
This time around, exciting actor Ben Foster ("The Messenger," "3:10 to Yuma") takes on Steve, a loose cannon protege. Steve claims to want to learn from the master, but all he really has on his enraged mind is revenge.
Anyone looking for a bombastic action-thriller with more kills per screen inch than most blood-splattered video games will find the desired adrenalin rush.
Statham, the former British diver, came along at the right time to inherit action audiences from aging tough guys like Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis. He has no problem shooting first and asking questions later, if anyone alive is still around to question.
British director Simon West whipped up action sequences well enough in "Con Air" and "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider." Mainstream Friday night popcorn munchers looking for cheap thrills will find plenty here. Explosions and gunfire are guaranteed to rattle the walls enough to disturb the art film audience in the adjoining auditorium.
From this aisle seat, though, this "Mechanic" is mostly about Foster. He may not be a bona fide movie star yet, but Foster's got something special. And plenty of nerve.
How else can we explain actual acting in a blow-everything-up-real-good actioner like this?