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Parents' Guide to

The Mechanic

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Exceedingly violent action remake also has sex, drinking.

Movie R 2011 92 minutes
The Mechanic Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 7 parent reviews

verum
verum Adult
December 18, 2011
age 15+

An action film that serves its purpose as entertainment.

If you're looking for something deep and meaningful, go elsewhere. This film is incredibly predictable and has a lot of violence (the film is about a hitman). However, if you want to zone out and eat popcorn for an hour or so, go for it; It's not bad.
Goozer
Goozer Adult
December 21, 2022
age 13+

A Great Action Flick

It's a good Teen/Adult action thriller with loads of fun, I personally don't think it would be a problem for your 12+ kid(s) to watch this one so long as you've taught them that it's just a movie and not real. I think this movie is a blast and you get to see Statham at his best, not to mention acting opposite Ben Foster.
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is a skilled, effective hit man thanks to careful planning. Unfortunately, he gets assigned to take out his boss/friend, Harry (Donald Sutherland). Harry, it seems, was involved in a bloody double-cross that resulted in the deaths of several good men. After the painful job is performed, Harry's son, Steve (Ben Foster), comes around and appeals to Arthur to train him for the same line of work. Arthur reluctantly agrees, and after a rocky start, the two begin to make a pretty good team. Until, that is, Arthur discovers a clue to the origin of the double cross. A bit of revenge is in order.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (12 ):

Statham is one of the best action heroes in years, and he steps easily into Charles Bronson's shoes (Bronson starred in the 1972 original). THE MECHANIC is less sprightly and sleek than Statham's Transporter and Crank films, but it adds a bit more heft to the drama. Foster matches him as a severely damaged, slightly demented soul who eagerly and easily takes to the assassination game, and Sutherland and Tony Goldwyn offer sturdy support.

On the downside, Simon West's direction is pretty sloppy. He cut his teeth in the Jerry Bruckheimer school of filmmaking, and his action scenes are ugly and choppy. When in doubt, he makes things bigger. Add to that some slight script improbabilities -- such as Steve's sudden, drastic improvement in skill level -- and the movie is knocked down a few pegs. But it still offers some solid thrills.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's extreme violence. What impact does it have? What consequences does it have in the movie's world? How do you think that would change in real life?

  • Why do you think Steve smokes and drinks so much? What are the consequences of those choices? Would they be the same in real life?

  • What makes movies about hit men so fascinating?

Movie Details

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