Dennis Gansel directs Jason Statham, Jessica Alba and Michelle Yeoh in this late sequel to Stath’s hitman with a heart / code / stacked physique thriller.

Blindfold yourself. Throw a dart. If it lands on a list of our Jase’s works, then chances are the arrow will be right bullseye in one where he nimbly somersaults (chuckling menacingly) over the low, low, low bar of your expectations. The Mechanic was such a treat, this is not. Only an action sequence at the start – involving hand gliders, cable cars and a brunch grill – has any of the old sparkle. The rest of the plod feels like the never ending sizzle reel for a Mechanic TV show; random episodes’ highlights crushed together into a feature length. The central concept of an assassin who makes his murders look like accidents is retardedly lost in every body damaging barney to make ’em happen. The point where one fight on a yacht is followed by yet another fight on a yacht exposes the artistic redundancy of this. The Stath and Alba work best when eyeing each others’ semi clothed bods, Yeoh is seriously wasted and Tommy Lee Jones puts all the effort in of a man on a Zero Hours contract having to do a surprise half shift when he planned to spend the day in his pyjamas. He is wearing his pyjamas.

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