Mechanic: Resurrection is big dumb summer fun

This film feels like a video game starring a perpetually scowling and seriously muscular Jason Statham.  His superpowers include brutal fighting techniques, apparently endless cardio, perfect aim with all weapons, complete knowledge of all sciences involved in killing, a knack for finding unlimited amounts of money at any moment, and the ability to turn everything he touches into a bullet shield.

Yet none of that matters, because the movie never slows enough for you to think about it--which is, of course, a good thing.

The supporting cast members turn in competent enough performances, with Jessica Alba filling the role of the tough woman in distress and Tommy Lee Jones delightedly chewing the scenery in a minor role that made you wish for more of him.

If you're in the mood for non-stop action and video game levels of death and destruction, check out Mechanic: Resurrection.

Yes, another one I have to see

It's almost certainly not going to turn out to be fine cinema, but it sure looks like fun.



Jason Statham as a hit man, and Tommy Lee Jones chewing the scenery alongside him.

Plus, Jessica Alba, because, hey, Jessica Alba.

You bet I'm there.

Spy

A post-dinner, last-minute decision took a small group of us the other night to see Spy, the new Melissa McCarthy movie.  I'm not a huge fan of hers--her movies usually make me cringe at the awkwardness and the fat-woman humor--but I'd heard from two people that it was supposed to be quite funny.

I'm happy to report that not only do I now agree with those recommenders, I also found it one of the funniest films I've seen in quite some time.  McCarthy does what she does, but she does it particularly well here.  What makes the film, however, is the combination of the writing and the extremely strong performances of the supporting cast members, particularly and surprisingly Statham.  He's been funny in the Crank movies, but here he brings all the intensity of his action-hero performances to bear on screamingly funny dialog.

From the trailer, you're bound to think you know the plot, and you probably do know its basic shape--but that's not what really matters.  This one is all about the ride, the way writer/director Paul Feig and his wonderful cast turn a formula into a film that's fun from start to finish.

The next time you need to laugh, check out Spy--and do stay for the credits.

Some movie reviews

I've been traveling so much that I haven't kept up with reviews of a bunch of films I've seen recently. So, I thought I'd give you the capsule versions here.

The Debt. Beautifully acted and at times heart-wrenching, this one deserves all its critical praise. That said, you will less enjoy it than appreciate it, because it is emotionally brutal. Expect to walk out of the theater admiring the movie but feeling more than a bit disturbed.

Attack the Block. Almost the opposite experience, fun all the way. A low-budget UK indie with a cast you've never heard of, this one is just a good time. It even includes a great (and inexpensive) twist on monsters that are (most of the time) hard to see in the dark.

Contagion. Soderbergh said he wanted to make a modern tribute to the old Irwin Allen disaster flicks, and he did. The movie is stylish, with great acting from an amazing cast and wonderful directing. Its only problem is that it has such a big scope that you spend too little time with most of the characters to care much about them. In the end, it feels as much like a polemic as it does like a story, with the result that you're likely to appreciate it but never feel fully involved.

The Killer Elite. Take away the leads, and this one is a B-movie actioner you watch and instantly forget. Thanks to Jason Statham, Clive Owen, and Robert DeNiro, however, it's a B-movie actioner that you'll enjoy and remember for a little while.

Abduction. This one could have been a very good B movie, but its relatively lifeless cast dropped it a grade level. Still, as is my tendency, I had a good enough time viewing it; I just could never let my brain engage.

Blitz. We watched this one on DVD, and I have to say it surprised me. We expected another B-movie with Jason Statham, and in some ways it was, but it was also more. The plot went in unexpected directions and was vastly more complex than we expected, as were the characters (though Statham still has only one expression: squinting, with various degrees of squint). At the end, watching the credits, I understood why: a Ken Bruen story was behind it. If you don't know Bruen's work, you're missing out on some great noir fiction from a master Irish storyteller.


There's not a one of these I didn't enjoy at least somewhat, but my favorites were definitely Attack the Block and, to my surprise, Blitz.

Transporter 3

I can blame only myself.

Everyone who had considered going with me bailed.

Craig D. Lindsey, a local movie reviewer whose opinions I generally trust, said it was boring. Rotten Tomatoes gave it only 35% fresh.

But I had to go. It's got Jason Statham kicking butt, driving fast, and showing all three of the emotions (angry, not quite so angry, and smiling as he tries to pretend he's not angry) that be brings to all his roles. It's got a hot car. It's supposed to have a hot love interest, in this case Natalya Rudakova. And, of course, on principle I have to support fu flicks.

So, off I went to last night's late show at my neighborhood atomic megaplex.

Sadly, my friends, Lindsey, and Rotten Tomatoes were all right: Despite a non-stop pace and plenty of action, it ultimately was rather dull. Statham certainly looked great, and the filmmakers found every excuse they could to get his shirt off. The fu was a bit too sped up for my taste, but it was interesting enough. The car stunts were entirely unbelievable, but that didn't stop the first two in the series from being more entertaining than this entry. Rudakova was a complete waste of screen time, with nothing in her performance or look to commend her, at least as far as I was concerned. I can't blame her, however, for the movie's flaws, because she wasn't doing anything in most of its scenes. The parts should have worked, but they really didn't.

I really wanted to like Transporter 3, and I didn't hate it, but I have to rank this as the most boring of a trio of movies and the one that should, sad to say, put the final nail in the coffin of this series.