The Mechanic

Like Charles Bronson, Jason Statham is more of a type than an actor, and no current movie star is more convincing as a lethal badass whose bones and emotional range resemble granite. This makes Statham a logical choice to take over the Bronson role in this remake of the 1972 film about a hitman training a wannabe assassin (Ben Foster). After a couple of sloppy jobs, a shadowy suit (Tony Goldwyn, doing his “what, me evil” thing) puts contracts out on both teacher and student. The bromance between the icy Statham and the overheated Foster is cute in an ultraviolent sort of way, and the action sequences are bigger and more physical than in the original. The updated 70s machinery runs well enough to merit two mindless hours in the theatre. –Matt Semansky