“I BET none of you know Jason Statham was in Penang recently,” says the person sitting next to me at the advance screening of Statham’s latest action flick, Mechanic: Resurrection, a follow-up to his 2011 film.
We didn’t but the action star spent a couple of weeks last year in George Town to film several scenes for the movie which featured a fictional town in Kedah (spelt Kaedah in the film) and a ridiculous, Alcatraz-inspired island prison known as “Penjara Kedah”.
No doubt, this will not sit well with the local audience but there is still a sense of pride to see your country featured prominently in a foreign film.
In the past decade or so, Statham has become an international action hero after starring in the Transporter franchise.
Mechanic: Resurrection is no exception. It’s easy to see why fans love him. He didn’t mind acting silly in last year’s comedy spy flick, Spy, opposite Melissa McCarthy.
In the upgraded version of Charles Bronson’s 1972 movie of the same name, Resurrection features non-stop action and it is loaded with even bigger and better action. The film is oddly enjoyable despite the nonsensical plot.
Arthur Bishop (Statham) walks into quiet cafe tucked in a far corner of a small town in Brazil, where Crain’s (Sam Hazeldine) men are waiting for him.
Crain has a new mission for Bishop but before any of Crain’s men managed to lay their hands on Bishop, the latter escapes to a small island in Koh Lipe in Thailand.
There, he seeks the help of a trusted friend, Mae (Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh), who provides him sanctuary in a holiday retreat she manages. When Gina (Jessica Alba) shows up at his doorstep, seeking his help to rescue a group of orphans from the clutches of Crain, Bishop is forced to return to killing for a living.
The 1990s was the time for action movies with adrenaline-pumping flicks from Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal and Wesley Snipes. Though these films lacked depth, they were fun to watch.
Today, the cinema goers are looking for more action and take pleasure in seeing favourite action hero perform incredibly dangerous stunts. Statham, who represented England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, has risen above the typecast action hero, appearing in the emotional and character-driven movie Hummingbird (2013), a story about a war veteran living on the streets of London.
So how did the 48-year-old fare in Resurrection?
Very well. He barely looks his age as he kicks, punches and eludes his way out of Crain and his men’s clutches. He has his own set of logic and skills.
Statham’s love for making action films is evident in the way he portrays his character with some personal touches not seen elsewhere. In the first film, Bishop is seen as an emotionally-detached hitman but here, he injects humour in his otherwise one-dimensional character. Statham also impresses with his martial arts prowess.
Meanwhile, while it’s great to see former Bond girl Yeoh on the silver screen again, it’s disappointing to see her in a non-action role.
Veteran actor Tommy Lee Jones who plays bad guy Max Adams is in his most ridiculous role to date. Looking like singer Sir Elton John with his coloured glasses and ridiculous earrings, Jones’ character is fun to watch.
Mechanic: Resurrection rarely slows down for character development or background stories but when it does, it seems out of place, like a hastily thrown in effort.
Still, the film is pretty decent for an actioner, with plenty of high-octane action.