By Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
Starring in a sequel to the 2011 remake for which no one was clamoring in the first place, Jason Statham reprises his role as assassin extraordinaire Arthur Bishop in Mechanic: Resurrection. Taking the character to James Bond-style extremes never approached by Charles Bronson in the 1972 original, this would-be franchise is virtually indistinguishable from such previous Statham properties as the Crank and Transformer series. It’s undemanding popcorn fare perfectly suited for its theatrical release in the dog days of summer.
When first seen, Bishop is enjoying retirement living on a boat in Rio de Janeiro. But as Ryan Lochte recently demonstrated, it’s virtually impossible to stay out of trouble for long in that Brazilian city, with Bishop having to violently fend off the minions of the ruthless criminal Crain (Sam Hazeldine) attempting to deliver the message that their boss requires his services.
Retreating to an island paradise in Thailand and the safe auspices of his friend Mei (Michelle Yeoh), Bishop finds himself drawn to the beautiful Gina (Jessica Alba). The two immediately become romantically involved, but she’s kidnapped by Crain’s henchmen and Bishop is given an ultimatum: He must dispatch three of Crain’s enemies, in each case making it look like an accident, or she dies.
0 Comments