An Underrated Jason Statham Action Movie Is Blowing Up On Paramount+

Having defeated a giant prehistoric shark twice now, I think it's fair to say there's nothing that can stop Jason Statham. There's certainly nothing that can stop him making movies, anyway, as the action maestro is still pumping out high-adrenaline actioners with impressive regularity. As such, several of his better films often get lost in the ever-expanding Statham catalog. But 2011's "The Mechanic" is fighting its way back into the public consciousness, charting in the Paramount+ Top 10 and reminding us all that not every Statham movie has to be as generic as his recent "John Wick" knockoff "A Working Man."

One of the best Jason Statham movies, "The Mechanic" is actually a remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film of the same name and sees its star in the role of Arthur Bishop, an assassin with a particular talent for making his victims' deaths look like accidents. He's then tricked into killing his mentor, Harry (the late Donald Sutherland), which, as you might expect, doesn't delight Bishop all that much. The hitman vows revenge and brings Harry's son, Steve McKenna (Ben Foster), along for the ride, teaching him the ways of a hit man and, y'know, punching guys really good. Together, the duo set out to avenge Harry, but when Steve discovers it was Bishop that killed his father, things reach a boiling point.

Directed by Simon West, "The Mechanic" did a decent job of remaking one of Bronson's best movies, even if it was never going to outdo the original. It also did okay at the box office, making $76 million against a $40 million budget. What's more, it seems to have some lasting appeal, as Paramount+ subscribers are now streaming the film in earnest.

"The Mechanic" might have come out almost 15 years ago, but according to FlixPatrol, a site that tracks and aggregates streaming viewership figures, Paramount+ users can't get enough of this standout Statham action thriller.

The movie hit the streaming platform on September 1, 2025, and has proven popular with subscribers ever since. FlixPatrol shows that the film has been making its way up the charts for a week at the time of writing. Initially hitting number 9 on September 12, 2025, "The Mechanic" then jumped to the fourth spot the following day. It has since hovered around the number four/five spots, and while it might not have claimed number one just yet, it suggests there's a steady demand for Statham's actioner that shows no signs of letting up just yet. At the time of writing, the film has even jumped back into the number four position, so it might well be able to push ahead in the coming days.

It may only have a 54% Rotten Tomatoes score, but "The Mechanic" remains one of Statham's best. As such, its streaming resurrection is a good excuse to give this one a revisit — though you should probably skip the 2016 sequel, "Mechanic: Resurrection," which was described as a "shrugging afterthought" by The Guardian and likely remains one of Statham's biggest regrets