"The Mechanic" obviously differs a lot from the usual Charles Bronson action vehicles and this is made clear immediately during the initial fifteen minutes. Charlie's character Arthur Bishop is a relentless & emotionless hired killer, but simultaneously also the most duty-devoted, patient and concentrated man you've ever seen. The first & completely dialog-free 15 minutes of the film is entirely dedicated to Bishop's assignment to kill an elderly man. Even though he has several possibilities to finish the job quick and dirty, he carefully observes his target's daily rituals and living environment and contemplates about nifty ways to make the eventual hit look like an accident. For one of the very first times, "The Mechanic" breaks through the somewhat stereotypical image of hired assassins and depicts them as meticulous and intelligent professionals. The film continuously remains suspenseful, unusually strange and highly compelling even after the somewhat odd opening sequences and it's probably the only film out of Bronson's heydays that is totally unpredictable and effectively shocking. The story continues with Bishop having to kill a former friend and colleague of the "organisation" he's also a part of. After the funeral Bishop befriends his targets' handsome but nihilistic-minded son Steve and sees in him the ideal associate and future successor for the job. The on screen chemistry between Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent (cult star of "Damnation Alley" and "White Line Fever" as well as the TV-series "Airwolf") almost feels genuine and it's definitely one of the movie's strongest qualities, along with the spectacularly choreographed chase sequence. Steve's intense training as well as his first real assignment and the duo's mission to Naples are all fascinating to behold, but the most surprisingly terrific scenes are definitely those you don't expect to see in a film like this, like for example the extended part with Steve's suicidal girlfriend (proving his suitability as a hit man) and the bizarre and abrupt meeting between Bishop and a blond girl who acts out a real relationship ritual. Michael Winner's direction is much more stylish and sophisticated than usual, but there's still room for a handful of downright gratuitously violent and tasteless situations, like motorcycle races through garden parties, exploding yachts and deadly bulldozers! The climax isn't as fantastic & unanticipated as most people around here claim (especially not if you're familiar with gritty 70's cinema), but it's highly pleasing and tidy. Recommended big-time!
Review of The Mechanic
