Jason Statham’s 98-Minute James Bond-Esque Action Sequel Officially Hits Free Streaming

Jason Statham is a modern action movie star with a busy filmography spanning decades. He made his feature film debut in 1998 with Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, where he played a small-time criminal called Bacon. Since then, he has starred in dozens of projects, from The Transporter and Crank to Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.

Action movies are one of Statham’s specialties. While some detractors may say his more recent movies are formulaic, fans of his work would agree that’s part of the charm. To a certain extent, audiences know what they are getting with a Statham movie. Fans go in expecting to see him taking down scores of henchmen, looking cool while doing it, and that’s precisely what they get.

Some of his newer movies arguably feel like they have 90s DNA. They are full of set pieces where Statham faces impossible odds against opponents with stormtrooper aim, and they are all the better for it. One movie that fits that description perfectly is 2016’s Mechanic: Resurrection. Statham stars as Arthur Bishop. He’s a mechanic, though, not in the traditional sense. Similar to The Beekeeper, his profession has a dual meaning. Bishop is actually a highly trained assassin, and he is called a Mechanic because he specializes in making his kills look like accidents.

Mechanic: Resurrection has many similarities to James Bond and spy thrillers. It’s also currently available to stream for free on Tubi, with no subscription required.

Mechanic: Resurrection Is The Closest Jason Statham Has Come To James Bond

Arthur Bishop may not work for MI6 with a license to kill, but he’s been put in impossible situations only a special agent could escape. Bishop faked his own death at the end of The Mechanic, escaping to a quieter life. However, villains connected to his past saw through the facade. They then blackmail him into killing several high-profile targets, using his skills to make them look like accidents.

Bishop is forced to comply, as Crain (Sam Hazeldine) has taken Gina (Jessica Alba) hostage. Each kill in Mechanic: Resurrection is like a mini mission. Bishop must plan every hit with absolute precision and vanish without a trace. Like Bond, Bishop is resourceful. He sets up traps and takes down his enemies quietly, at least, until his cover is blown.

Bishop doesn’t have Q Branch at his disposal, but he still relies on high-tech tools and gadgets to get the job done. Every kill takes place in a different environment, from a dingy prison to a secure high-rise building, and it’s a treat to watch Bishop infiltrate each location while securing an escape route.

Mechanic: Resurrection Is Much Better Than The First Movie (& Should’ve Had A Sequel)

Mechanic: Resurrection starts where the original left off. The movie assumes you’ve watched the 2011 film, but it tells a solid standalone story that shouldn’t leave audiences confused. As there’s little backstory, Mechanic: Resurrection gets into the action almost immediately. It’s a fast-paced movie, with many action set pieces crammed into its 98-minute runtime.

The 2016 movie has a satisfying conclusion, though it’s a shame we never got a sequel. Mechanic: Resurrection performed well at the box office, grossing $125.7 million on a $40 million budget. It also outperformed the original. However, box office success doesn’t guarantee a successful sequel. For example, Expend4bles was released in 2023 and took $51 million at the box office, a far cry from The Expendables 3’s $209 million.

Without delving too deep into spoilers, Mechanic: Resurrection’s ending offers a path to continue the story. However, it seems unlikely we will see Arthur Bishop return anytime soon. Jason Statham is working on multiple projects, including The Beekeeper 2, but there is no word of another Mechanic movie in the works. Still, Bishop’s story has a good ending, even if we never get Mechanic 3, and you can enjoy Mechanic: Resurrection without worrying that it may lack a decent conclusion.