On Tubi, Jason Statham's 98-minute James Bond-esque action sequel Mechanic: Resurrection officially hits free streaming

A familiar Statham action formula

Statham’s film career began with a small role in 1998’s Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. He later appeared in action titles including The Transporter, Crank and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.

Mechanic: Resurrection follows the style of many Statham films, pairing large action sequences with a lead character facing overwhelming odds. Statham stars as Arthur Bishop, whose job as a “Mechanic” means making his assassinations look like accidents.

Bishop’s dangerous assignments

Bishop had faked his death and sought a quieter life after The Mechanic. But people tied to his past find him and force him to kill several prominent targets, threatening Gina, played by Jessica Alba.

The threat comes from Crain, played by Sam Hazeldine. Each assignment requires Bishop to plan a precise killing and escape, while he uses traps and technology to get past guarded locations.

Why the film recalls Bond

Bishop is not an MI6 agent, but the film puts him in situations that call for a special agent’s ingenuity. Its missions move through settings including a prison and a high-security high-rise.

The story gives Bishop gadgets and carefully planned infiltrations, though he does not have Q Branch to support him. The mix of covert work, tools and escapes gives the film its spy-thriller feel.

A sequel, but no third film

The 2016 film picks up after the original, yet also presents a standalone story. It reaches the action quickly and packs set pieces into its 98-minute runtime. Mechanic: Resurrection grossed $125.7 million on a $40 million budget, exceeding the first film’s box-office performance. Its ending leaves room for more, but no new Mechanic movie has been announced; Statham is working on projects including The Beekeeper 2.