For over a century, a cornerstone of masculinity in Hollywood cinema was defined by rugged, strong, silent type leads that many younger people looked up to. From the stoic cowboy character of John Wayne to the grittiness of Clint Eastwood, another iconic persona in film is Mr. Charles Bronson.
A World War II Air Forces veteran, Bronson worked hard as an actor in film for nearly 25 years before receiving little consideration for leading roles. Becoming recognizable for his roles in films like 1960’s The Magnificent Seven and 1967’s The Dirty Dozen, he soon left Hollywood for the European scene, making a big splash in 1968 with Once Upon a Time in the West. At this point, a star overseas, he returned to the United States in the early 1970s, finally given well-deserved leading roles in films like 1972’s Chato’s Land. However, the best was yet to come for Bronson, as in 1974, he became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars after his performance in Death Wish.
Going on to become the #1 box-office star in the world, Bronson had finally been given the credit he deserved, and while Death Wish is the cornerstone film of his career, many consider his very ascent to superstardom to have come two years early with his role in The Mechanic. Released nationwide on November 22, 1972, The Mechanic was directed by Michael Winner (who would go on to work with Bronson in five more films, including Death Wish), while Lewis John Carlino (who would later go on to be nominated for an Academy Award for 1979’s The Great Santini) handled the script. Joining them were Producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler (who famously were the production team for the Rocky films), and a supporting cast of talented actors, Keenan Wynn, Jan-Michael Vincent (who actually earned a Golden Globe nomination numerous times, including for The Mechanic), and Bronson’s second wife, English Actress Jill Ireland.
A very formidable team on and off the screen, the film’s razor-sharp tension was enhanced by a fantastic soundtrack by Jerry Fielding, who earned several nominations for best original score thereafter. With all of this in mind, The Mechanic does well in creating a story that captures your attention as you follow Arthur Bishop (Charles Bronson), a professional killer for hire who tactfully finds ways to complete a job while leaving no trace of foul play. Bishop is particularly contracted by an international criminal organization to carry out assignments, but soon he takes a young, arrogant Steve McKenna (Jan-Michael Vincent) under his wing. McKenna, an extremely cold, narcissistic individual with zero remorse, becomes a protégé of Bishop, but soon the organization that employs him catches wind of it, and they are not in the least bit happy.
A very dark story about a hit man, The Mechanic portrays Bishop as a strong, intelligent, yet lonely man. While extremely calculated, Bronson brings a humanity to Bishop, and you can almost feel empathy for him as a man dealing with tremendous stress, sworn to secrecy, and with little chance of forming any real relationships. On the other hand, Vincent’s McKenna is so heartless, his indifference to everything is terrifying.
Interestingly enough, while this whole character study of personality types does shine through in The Mechanic, the original story from Carlino had potent homosexual undertones that explored the manipulation of the younger McKenna over the older, solitary Bishop. Something that was omitted due to marketing concerns; perhaps the character nuances would have been more complex had it not been. Objectively, you can still argue that the script is effective in showcasing different human characteristics.
As a result, more of an Action film, The Mechanic received mixed reviews and did not perform all that well in US theaters, but in hindsight, it is an extremely solid film in Bronson’s arsenal. Held together by Bronson’s performance, it should also be noted that the film boldly opens with 16 minutes of no dialogue, giving you only visuals of Bronson’s Bishop strategically plotting the killing of his most recent orders. Altogether, it has all the hallmarks of a great Bronson film and the intangible ‘70s grit that many are drawn to. Something completely erased in the 2011 remake by the same name (starring Jason Statham), 1972’s The Mechanic comes out in front time and time again.
Originally released on DVD in 2002, it later came to Blu-ray in 2014, and now, in 2026, there is the first-ever 4K Ultra HD restoration of The Mechanic avaliable to purchase. Released through Kino Lorber on January 13, 2026, this new 4K Ultra HD restoration is a stunning upgrade over prior home media, featuring a new HDR/Dolby Vision Master 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative. Full of color and clarity, yet retaining the beloved realism, it looks and sounds better than ever. Joining older materials, such as an interview with Lewis John Carlino, are new commentaries from film historians to dig into. As a two-disc set (a 4K disc and a Blu-ray disc), it also includes a nice slipcover with classic artwork, making it aesthetically appealing.
Overall, this 4K Ultra HD release of The Mechanic from Kino Lorber is a must-have for any Charles Bronson fans. That is why Cryptic Rock gives it 5 out of 5 stars.
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