The Mechanik (2005)

Director:

Dolph Lundgren

Writers:

Bryan Edward Hill (screenplay)
Dolph Lundgren (story)

Release Date:

2 November 2006 (United Arab Emirates)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

They took his family. Now he's out for revenge.

Plot:

Nick Cherenko used to be a Spetznaz (Russian Special Forces), but now he lives peaceful with his wife and child...

Plot Keywords:

Murder Of Family | Ex Soldier | Revenge | Vengeance | Death Of Family

Cast

Dolph Lundgren	...	Nikolai Cherenko
Ben Cross	...	William Burton
Ivan Petrushinov	...	Aleksandr 'Sasha' Popov
Olivia Lee	...	Julia Abramoff
Raicho Vasilev	...	Achmed (as Raicho Vassilev)
Assen Blatechki	...	Yuri
Antony Argirov	...	Serie
Valeri Yordanov	...	Alexi
Dejan Angelov	...	Pavel
Ivaylo Geraskov	...	Leo (as Ivailo Geraskov)
Hilda van der Meulen	...	Alina Cherenko
Naum Shopov	...	Vanya Cherenko
Atanas Srebrev	...	John Ridley (as Nasko Srebrev)
Levana Finkelstein	...	Mary Abramoff
Nikolai Sotirov	...	Victor Chertoff

Also Known As:

The Russian Specialist (Canada: English title) (DVD title) (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language, some sexuality and drug use.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

Russian | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Germany:18 (JK/SPIO) | Canada:14A | UK:15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Bulgaria

Company:

Höger Human Service Medien & Personal GmbH

Trivia:

When Dolph Lundgren approached Nu Image films with the wish of directing a second movie, Nu Image agreed, as long as two rules were followed: Lundgren must play the leading man, and the movie must incorporate locations under ownership of Nu image. This second rule meant Lundgren had to write the entire script based fully on the locations given to him by Nu image.

Goofs:

Continuity: In some scenes the registrations of the cars are Russian, in others they are Bulgarian.

Quotes:

William Burton: What's your plan?
Nick Cherenko: Kill Them All.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Making of 'The Mechanik' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Do I

Round two for Dolph

STAR RATING: ***** The Works **** Just Misses the Mark *** That Little Bit In Between ** Lagging Behind * The Pits

In his native Russia, Nick Cherenko (Dolph Lundgren- is this a sequel/prelude to Red Scorpion?) was a Special Forces Soldier with a wife and son until they were brutally murdered by Russian gangsters. After taking revenge on those responsible, with too many bad memories floating around he flees his homeland and goes to work in Los Angeles as a humble car mechanic. Until one day he is approached by a wealthy woman who's daughter has been kidnapped. She wants him to go in and rescue her. At first he is uninterested...until he learns the identity of the kidnapper, the head gangster he didn't manage to kill.

As a director, Dolph seems keen to tell his stories from a more human, realistic angle than from a sensationalist, fantastical Hollywood sort of way. It's a gambit that will work with some and not with others, but I think both sides can agree he certainly has a flair for directing action scenes, and giving them a hard-edged, blood-soaked feel, which this film clearly shows.

Like The Defender, The Russian Specialist is not one I'd rush out to see again, simply because it plays out in a standard and formula sort of way with little to make it really stand out. But if you're looking for an undemanding, blood-thirsty action thriller, Lundgren-style, you've certainly got what you payed for with The Russian Specialist. ***