this is pretty much the movie that hitman and hitman: agent 47 should've been. i'll confess i haven't seen either the original mechanic, nor the predecessor to this movie, but if the character remained constant- his approach to killing and assassination is exactly how it should've been in the hitman movies. also, why are people so down on this movie? this is a glorious throwback to the olden days of chuck norris and van damme. what were people expecting from a ridiculous jason statham vehicle? the pacing is relentless and the movie is over-the-top every chance it gets. the whole film is a veritable buffet of insane stunts and crazy set pieces, i couldn't choose my favorite if i tried. the highlights include,jason jumping off a cable car to land on top of someone's hang-glider and soaring safely away. or perhaps when he rigs up a soviet-era submarine pen with numerous explosive traps and machine guns. maybe perhaps that scene from the poster. any and all are excellent sequences, but the movie doesn't skimp on good ol' fist fights, shootouts, and fifty scenes of statham taking off his shirt. but, sure, lets complain about how fast he falls for jessica alba's character. because, y'know, that's something valid to complain about in a movie where the laws of physics barely apply. see, you're either ready and willing to buy into the standard 80's action movie reality, or you're not and should be watching something else. people who complain about movies like this are really insufferable in my opinion. next, they'll complain about how popcorn is too crunchy, or water is too wet.