The Mechanic

If you’re thinking that The Mechanic looks like another Jason Statham flick not dissimilar to the likes of Crank and The Transporter, thennnnnnnn... bingo! You’re spot on. Hell, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing either, as it means Stath fans get another watchable and competent, if ultimately unsatisfying, actioner with everyone’s favourite Brit hardman.

Here he plays perfectionist contract killer Arthur Bishop, who leads an uncomplicated life – until he’s conned into assassinating his mentor and only friend Harry McKenna (Donald Sutherland), leading him to train up Harry’s son (Ben Foster) as an apprentice…

Director Simon West (of Con Air and Tomb Raider ‘fame’) doesn’t offer explosion fans much new to chomp on - although, in fairness, this loose remake of Michael Winner’s Charles Bronson-starring original never aims to reinvent the cinematic wheel. It’s really just an excuse to showcase Mr Statham.

Sometimes shirtless, sometimes in a roll neck, always growling huskily, the former diver, French Connection model and Kit-Kat advert-voicer is his tough-talking, hard-to-kill usual self (although with a slightly iffy accent).

Support? Well, Foster (who seems to have nicked Justin Timberlake’s look) is decent as his protégé despite the two having no chemistry and Donald Sutherland adds a touch of class with very little screen time.