The Mechanic

Charles Bronson, a legendary actor in his times once plays as Arthur Bishop in the 1972 film, The Mechanic. And today, Simon West tries to bring the cult classic to the screen once more with Jason Statham casted as Arthur Bishop. The story itself roots from the original film and doesn't make any significant changes to the whole story except some part to make it not the exact rip-off of the original.

Arthur Bishop is a mechanic, a contracted hitman which specialized in making a hit without a trace. They can make it looks like an accident, suicide, or anything that doesn't lead the killing back to their contractors. One day, Bishop is told to kill Harry McKenna (Donald Sutherland), who is also Bishop mentor, because the company fears that Harry has sold their information. After finishing the mission, Bishop is confronted by Steve McKenna (Ben Foster), Harry's son, who asked Bishop to train him just the way his father taught Bishop. Later on, Bishop agrees to took Steve under his wings and starts to do his contracts.

The Mechanic plot is told in a very short duration thus making the plot swift quickly and putting a lot of gun blazing action, it makes us forget what is the real message of the story. One thing to be noted, Ben Foster delivered a strong performance on his character just likes what he did on 3:10 to Yuma and judging from here, I can tell that he could rose to become a promising star.

Although it will not be a cult classic like the first one, but The Mechanic can serves well as a weekend movie this month. If you miss gun-blazing scene, gore and blood (in the first month of 2011 we saw a lot of drama) well The Mechanic is the perfect medication. But of course, don't expect a spectacular film that deserves a place in the Academy Awards nominations (IMO, but who knows?)

The American

"A Very Private Gentlemen," a novel by Martin Booth which served as the story for The American directed by music video director Anton Corbijn and produced by Geroge Clooney, who also starred in the movie. Using the beauty of Italy and Europe's talent, The American managed to deliver to us what is called fine piece of art.

The first scene takes us to a cabin in Sweden where Jack (George Clooney) spent his day with Ingrid (Irina Björklund) his lover. As they take a walk on the frozen lake, a sniper opens fire at them. Quickly Jack sheathe his gun and eliminate the assailant. Shocked, Ingrid then told by Jack to go back to the cabin and call the police. Just as she turns her back, Jack put a bullet in the back of her head. After finishing the remaining killer, Jack took off to Rome and contact his friend, Pavel (Johan Leysen), who then told him to go to Castelvecchio and lay low. He decided not to go to Castelvecchio and instead move to Castel del Monte where he later befriend Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and developed a romantic relationship with a local prostitute, Clara (Violante Placido).

Anton Corbijn made The American not in an American-style, instead European-style. Slow pacing, long cinematic shots and focused on the emotions. Although The American is a thriller, don't expect for a lot of action. Surprisingly, this kind of filming style made me wanting for more. Each scene shot beautifully and George Clooney really works on his character.

After my taste destroyed after watching the giant-in-liliput-island film, I found myself entertained by every aspects of The American. The small comune of Castel del Monte and Castelvecchio or the frozen scenery of Sweden really blows our minds. And so the acting of the casts, although there is not much dialogues but somehow they managed to delivered the messages.

After taste: The American keeps you wanting for more, maybe go to the cinema for the same movie over and over. (FYI, Anton Corbijn made this only with $20,000,000 which is a small amount of money to create masterpiece such as this.)