Ultimate Dolph
The Message Board
THE MECHANIK / THE RUSSIAN SPECIALIST (Dolph Lundgren, 2005)
Moderator: Moderators
by Tom on 17 Oct 2005, 11:19
Okay I'm getting annoying now but I just watched the first 20 seconds of the film to see if it was 5.1 or not. Nope, however the first 20 seconds look extremely classy, the opening of Elia Cmiral sounds like he's going to do something special and I seriously think Dolph himself could resurrect his theatrical career by directing his own movies.
-
Tom - Regular
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: 03 Jan 2004, 13:59
- Location: Marlow, England
Mechanik Review!
by Tom on 17 Oct 2005, 22:34
Wow, Wow, Wow! Following on from The Defender, one of Dolph's best all round works, hopes were high for the Mechanik. I had several dreams of what I felt it should look like, certain images, and the film has amazingly surpassed even my high hopes. Imagery I dreamt of is in the film, such as dark rainy nights, filled with bloody shootouts. My fellow fans this is a landmark achievment and even my brother, once king Dolph hater enjoyed the film, evening admitting it is better than a lot of his favourite man Arnold Schwarzeneggers films. This is Lundgrens best work by quite some way.
Review:
Dolph Lundgren made his directorial debut with the Defender. A great little action movie that was really what his fans could have hoped for, a triumphant return to his best. Now his second film shows that it wasn’t merely a flash in the pan, or a fluke. Yes people Dolph Lundgren, never considered much kop in the acting department has now proven he is a more than capable director, even suggesting that his new role deserves him a shot at the big time.
The Mechanik’s plot is thus: Nick Cherenko (Lundgren) is an ex-spetznaz, parachutist, who served in Afghanistan. He now lives in his homeland of Russia, with his wife and son working as a mechanic (hence the title.). During a drug deal involving Russian mobster Sasha, his wife and child are killed in the crossfire, Sasha gunning down Nick’s wife. Nick later hunts down Sasha and his men, wiping them out and leaving Sasha assumed dead, with a nasty bullet hole in the face. Seven years later Nick is working in LA, illegally, as a mechanic when he is approached to do a job. He is to retrieve the kidnapped Julia, daughter of a wealthy businesswoman. Nick refuse until he discovers who kidnapped her, Sasha. He travels to Russia and meets with Burton (Ben Cross) who will supply him with weapon’s and assembles a team of mercs to help Nick get back Julia, while at the same time finishing what he did 7 years previously, killing Sasha. The plot is simple yet writer Bryan Hill allows more focus on characters, clearly in the style of directors like Michael Mann. There are great character moments here, and some superbly played out scenes in amongst the action scenes focusing on character. it’s the sort of quiet moments never seen in DTV action films, including a great dinner sequence where Nick and his men relax and unwind, a kind of calm before the storm. The dialogue is also engaging.
The film looks fantastic. The washed out colours, make this reminiscent of brutal 70’s revenge flicks like Death Wish and Get Carter. Cinematographer Ross Clarkson has made sure this looks far beyond it’s small budget. Similarly Dolph’s visual style has developed even more since his exciting debut. He shoots the film with conviction, stylistically picking little apples from different orchards, not simply, as many directors do, picking from merely John Woo’s orchard (that guy has no apples left on his trees I can tell you), but Dolph gives reference to a varied group, from Woo, to Mann, to Peter Yates and to modern indie directors like the Bourne films’ Doug Liman and Peter Greengrass.
The action is excellent, a step up from the Defender. Again it’s plentiful, yet the action is different in style. This time as opposed to a siege movie, this is an ass battering revenge flick so the action consists of bloody and violent shootouts, where like so rarely in his previous movies, every bullet has it’s own bullet hole. Windows shatter, splinters fly, chest cavities burst open and things blow up. The fights scenes are brilliantly paced and use martial arts realistically. it’s all done in one or two moves. No flashy Van Damme kicks, it’s arm breaks, shoulder tosses and neck breaks. Also the film has some vehicular chases that impress too.
The music from Elia Cmirel is atmospheric, and delightfully reminiscent of his work in Ronin, simple, low key and effective. He doesn’t go through the motions here, he creates a score, as if proud to be scoring this movie. This is possibly Dolph’s best score, particularly in the context of it being a genuinely good little film. In terms of the sound mix, this, like Defender, is pure class. The use of sound is excellent, while the general editing of the film is slick, well paced and never goes overboard.
The cast are good. Dolph Lundgren gives probably his best performance. He doesn’t over-stretch himself as many action stars have been prone too, yet he raises his level of performance and does well. Olivia Lee is a rising up and comer who does well as Julia. The remainder of the cast are also excellent. Real class is also added by Ben Cross. He is given a good role as drunk Brit, Burton. Burton is in love with a hooker, who helps get them into Sasha’s club to retrieve Julia. Cross is excellent in a role more significant than I thought it would be. He is comical and show conviction in the dramatic scenes and his presence is a real bonus to an already quality piece.
This film really does show the future to be bright for Lundgren, should he carry on directing his own movies. His cash cow power allows him to get his way on how he wants to film his action, meaning every last penny is spent, and time is taken for more elaborate set-ups. Lundgren shows himself worthy of another shot at the big time in a film Van Damme and Seagal could only dream of having on their CV’s. In a generally great year for films, Dolph has produced that rare thing, a decent, well made, DTV movie. Not only that but he has done it twice! ****
Review:
Dolph Lundgren made his directorial debut with the Defender. A great little action movie that was really what his fans could have hoped for, a triumphant return to his best. Now his second film shows that it wasn’t merely a flash in the pan, or a fluke. Yes people Dolph Lundgren, never considered much kop in the acting department has now proven he is a more than capable director, even suggesting that his new role deserves him a shot at the big time.
The Mechanik’s plot is thus: Nick Cherenko (Lundgren) is an ex-spetznaz, parachutist, who served in Afghanistan. He now lives in his homeland of Russia, with his wife and son working as a mechanic (hence the title.). During a drug deal involving Russian mobster Sasha, his wife and child are killed in the crossfire, Sasha gunning down Nick’s wife. Nick later hunts down Sasha and his men, wiping them out and leaving Sasha assumed dead, with a nasty bullet hole in the face. Seven years later Nick is working in LA, illegally, as a mechanic when he is approached to do a job. He is to retrieve the kidnapped Julia, daughter of a wealthy businesswoman. Nick refuse until he discovers who kidnapped her, Sasha. He travels to Russia and meets with Burton (Ben Cross) who will supply him with weapon’s and assembles a team of mercs to help Nick get back Julia, while at the same time finishing what he did 7 years previously, killing Sasha. The plot is simple yet writer Bryan Hill allows more focus on characters, clearly in the style of directors like Michael Mann. There are great character moments here, and some superbly played out scenes in amongst the action scenes focusing on character. it’s the sort of quiet moments never seen in DTV action films, including a great dinner sequence where Nick and his men relax and unwind, a kind of calm before the storm. The dialogue is also engaging.
The film looks fantastic. The washed out colours, make this reminiscent of brutal 70’s revenge flicks like Death Wish and Get Carter. Cinematographer Ross Clarkson has made sure this looks far beyond it’s small budget. Similarly Dolph’s visual style has developed even more since his exciting debut. He shoots the film with conviction, stylistically picking little apples from different orchards, not simply, as many directors do, picking from merely John Woo’s orchard (that guy has no apples left on his trees I can tell you), but Dolph gives reference to a varied group, from Woo, to Mann, to Peter Yates and to modern indie directors like the Bourne films’ Doug Liman and Peter Greengrass.
The action is excellent, a step up from the Defender. Again it’s plentiful, yet the action is different in style. This time as opposed to a siege movie, this is an ass battering revenge flick so the action consists of bloody and violent shootouts, where like so rarely in his previous movies, every bullet has it’s own bullet hole. Windows shatter, splinters fly, chest cavities burst open and things blow up. The fights scenes are brilliantly paced and use martial arts realistically. it’s all done in one or two moves. No flashy Van Damme kicks, it’s arm breaks, shoulder tosses and neck breaks. Also the film has some vehicular chases that impress too.
The music from Elia Cmirel is atmospheric, and delightfully reminiscent of his work in Ronin, simple, low key and effective. He doesn’t go through the motions here, he creates a score, as if proud to be scoring this movie. This is possibly Dolph’s best score, particularly in the context of it being a genuinely good little film. In terms of the sound mix, this, like Defender, is pure class. The use of sound is excellent, while the general editing of the film is slick, well paced and never goes overboard.
The cast are good. Dolph Lundgren gives probably his best performance. He doesn’t over-stretch himself as many action stars have been prone too, yet he raises his level of performance and does well. Olivia Lee is a rising up and comer who does well as Julia. The remainder of the cast are also excellent. Real class is also added by Ben Cross. He is given a good role as drunk Brit, Burton. Burton is in love with a hooker, who helps get them into Sasha’s club to retrieve Julia. Cross is excellent in a role more significant than I thought it would be. He is comical and show conviction in the dramatic scenes and his presence is a real bonus to an already quality piece.
This film really does show the future to be bright for Lundgren, should he carry on directing his own movies. His cash cow power allows him to get his way on how he wants to film his action, meaning every last penny is spent, and time is taken for more elaborate set-ups. Lundgren shows himself worthy of another shot at the big time in a film Van Damme and Seagal could only dream of having on their CV’s. In a generally great year for films, Dolph has produced that rare thing, a decent, well made, DTV movie. Not only that but he has done it twice! ****
-
Tom - Regular
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: 03 Jan 2004, 13:59
- Location: Marlow, England
by Moltisanti on 17 Oct 2005, 22:57
Great to hear that this is another winner. Now I'm dying to see this flick right away. I better take another stab at trying to figure out how to obtain it from that Greek website(s).
-
Moltisanti - Regular
- Posts: 628
- Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 11:23
by Tom on 17 Oct 2005, 23:07
I did it with a translator. Try a programme called MultiTranse, should be easy to find on google and you can translate Greek-English. It takes some time translating all the pieces, cause you can't do the whole web-page. Alternatively try to do it by email.
webmaster@dvdland.gr
webmaster@dvdland.gr
-
Tom - Regular
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: 03 Jan 2004, 13:59
- Location: Marlow, England
by preacher on 17 Oct 2005, 23:43
This just sound to cool for school! To good to be true.
Kudos to the great review Tom. very well written without giving to much away. great work.
I really had my doubts with THE MECHANIK, with Dolph beeing back with NuImage and a plot summary that sounded anything but exciting.
I did´nt doubt Dolph but I feard he had once again jumped on a project impossible to save.
Sounds like I was hell wrong.
It´s so cool of Dolph to get his own movies made and that they end up so good.
Van Damme has tried to get numerous projects of the ground (the tower, the monk, kumite) but has never got past pre-production. Seems like he should stop trying to get big budgets and just do it anyway.
Dolph has proved it can be done.
I don´t hate van damme.
It just shows Dolphs determination, motivation and proffesionalism.
With Dolph in the directors chair a movie with both him and another big dtv-star in it is not impossble.
Kudos to the great review Tom. very well written without giving to much away. great work.
I really had my doubts with THE MECHANIK, with Dolph beeing back with NuImage and a plot summary that sounded anything but exciting.
I did´nt doubt Dolph but I feard he had once again jumped on a project impossible to save.
Sounds like I was hell wrong.
It´s so cool of Dolph to get his own movies made and that they end up so good.
Van Damme has tried to get numerous projects of the ground (the tower, the monk, kumite) but has never got past pre-production. Seems like he should stop trying to get big budgets and just do it anyway.
Dolph has proved it can be done.
I don´t hate van damme.
It just shows Dolphs determination, motivation and proffesionalism.
With Dolph in the directors chair a movie with both him and another big dtv-star in it is not impossble.
-
preacher - Regular
- Posts: 369
- Joined: 22 May 2004, 20:35
- Location: Stockholm, Sweden
by TombRaider on 18 Oct 2005, 00:45
Very good to here.
Tom, what is the name of the movie in the titles? Mechanik or Controller?
Tom, what is the name of the movie in the titles? Mechanik or Controller?
- TombRaider
- Regular
- Posts: 96
- Joined: 22 Apr 2004, 15:31
by Tom on 18 Oct 2005, 10:55
Mechanik. Also in the trailer too. Why on earth they put Controller on the front cover I'll never know. Even on the back where they've listed all the cast/crew credits, they call it Mechanik and have all the people involved in Mechanik. Theres no mention of anyone who was to be involved in the controller. It;s a strange one. I will definitely be getting a better DVD edition when it comes about, this film deserves it.
As for NU Image they seem to be turning the corner. They produced Josh Hartnets latest and are also going to be behind a 70 million Rambo film. Dolph is more than welcome to work with them again, though I think Bauer Martinez is probably a more exciting company with more chance of theatrical releases.
As for NU Image they seem to be turning the corner. They produced Josh Hartnets latest and are also going to be behind a 70 million Rambo film. Dolph is more than welcome to work with them again, though I think Bauer Martinez is probably a more exciting company with more chance of theatrical releases.
-
Tom - Regular
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: 03 Jan 2004, 13:59
- Location: Marlow, England
by Tom on 19 Oct 2005, 00:34
By their delivery estimates I shouldn't have recieved it until tomorrow or thursday but I got a very pleasant surprise two days early. Funnily enough I went to sleep the night before with my fingers crossed that I'd recieve it and I did, it might be worth a try Jox.
-
Tom - Regular
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: 03 Jan 2004, 13:59
- Location: Marlow, England
by Tom on 19 Oct 2005, 00:55
Some teasers for all those waiting.
Look forward to:
crane shots
helicopter shots. (ie shots that make the film look more expensive and in genuine comparison to bigger movies.)
Look forward to excellent blood effects, that we were treated to in Defender.
Look forward to some downright sadistic violence.
Look forward to the best dispatching of a lead bad guy in a Dolph film EVER! The best one in ages in any film. Pure class and just a bit vicious.
Look forward to Dolph using the following weapons:
Himself
knifes
pistol
machine gun (ak-47 I think)
shotgun
rifle
molatov cocktail.
Look forward to the best use of cowbell sounds ever!
Look forward to:
crane shots
helicopter shots. (ie shots that make the film look more expensive and in genuine comparison to bigger movies.)
Look forward to excellent blood effects, that we were treated to in Defender.
Look forward to some downright sadistic violence.
Look forward to the best dispatching of a lead bad guy in a Dolph film EVER! The best one in ages in any film. Pure class and just a bit vicious.
Look forward to Dolph using the following weapons:
Himself
knifes
pistol
machine gun (ak-47 I think)
shotgun
rifle
molatov cocktail.
Look forward to the best use of cowbell sounds ever!
-
Tom - Regular
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: 03 Jan 2004, 13:59
- Location: Marlow, England
by carrie on 20 Oct 2005, 22:14
thats cruel, your just tormenting us now-you need a slap-
i have my copy ordered now,
it was a lot simpler than i thought it was going to be. for all you guys who want it but cant speak greek theres good news you dont have to because they speak english, all i did was email them (in english) and they emailed me back(in english) asking for my card number and the expire date and my name and address-thats it,just sit back and wait-dead easy. if your worried about sending your card details via e-mail they suggest you send all the same details using a fax machine instead, happy shopping
i have my copy ordered now,
it was a lot simpler than i thought it was going to be. for all you guys who want it but cant speak greek theres good news you dont have to because they speak english, all i did was email them (in english) and they emailed me back(in english) asking for my card number and the expire date and my name and address-thats it,just sit back and wait-dead easy. if your worried about sending your card details via e-mail they suggest you send all the same details using a fax machine instead, happy shopping-
carrie - Regular
- Posts: 175
- Joined: 06 Jan 2004, 02:11
- Location: U.K
by Tom on 20 Oct 2005, 23:35
I have just set my nipples on fire as punishment. I must also add that I will be watching the film again tomorrow. My mum visited while me and my brother were watching it, she only saw the last 10 minutes but was hooked, now she wants to see the film properly. I can also say she is by no means a Dolph Lundgren fan, so that is a compliment to the film.
-
Tom - Regular
- Posts: 1384
- Joined: 03 Jan 2004, 13:59
- Location: Marlow, England
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 90 guests