The Mechanic

This decent crime flick offers dark anti-heroes/assassins, but I didn’t start enjoying it until the last location, because everything before that is based on the chemistry between Bronson and Michael-Vincent, whose patter is not interesting enough. Vincent’s character of a young buck is half-baked and too untrustworthy for Bronson to rate him as a promising recruit. That’s the more interesting aspect of the underworld that The Mechanic serves. It is the film’s atmospheric engine. Three and a half stars. (18/05/2020)

This is a typical macho action film, with the traditionally stony Charles Bronson, in particular, being good. It has been gnawed a bit by the ravages of time, which leaves the plot dragging a bit, but it makes up for it with perfect action (even the "stealth" stuff) and a great anti-feminist joke, where the female characters are portrayed as total idiots during their two minutes on screen; still, scissors should have been used both on Bronson's head and to cut the film's runtime. 3 ½. (24/01/2011)

With this film, director Winner finally captured my attention. I immediately rank The Mechanic among the best Bronson films I've seen. Much, much higher than the bland Death Wish. The film is a riveting spectacle, and the mood reminded me most of all of the legendary Get Carter with Michael Caine - I didn't find a weak scene, from beginning to end it was simply all excellent. The opening "silent" fifteen-minutes, the motorcycle and car chase, the final action with shotguns... Plus the spare but punchy dialogue between Bronson's neither black nor white Mr. Bishop and his young apprentice. Although it doesn't seem like it, the film actually deals with the theme of friendship and what it can lead to. The Mechanic is certainly not for everyone, but I can't get enough of it. (26/09/2012)