Lionsgate has released the very first trailer for the action-thriller Safe on this most auspicious Friday.  At one point in the trailer, you see an ungodly number of bad guys – Triads, Russian gangsters, and corrupt cops – all lengthily arming themselves with all manner of firearms and you know, with a certainty, that Jason Statham's character is going to kill each and every one of them, no matter how many guns they have.  At this point, it pretty much goes without saying that if Statham's in a movie, he'll be killing a bunch of people, and in Safe, he's an ex-cop whose killing motivation is the protection of a little girl who knows some valuable information.  That seems to be more or less the extent of the story, but nobody sees a Statham picture for the story, they see it for his fists, who I believe are named "Rosie" and "Huntington-Whitely."

Though The Expendables combined an 80's action sensibility, over-the-top violence, shakey-cam gunfights, and bulbous muscles in a potent mix that made it an international success, writer-director-star Sylvester Stallone opted not to wear his writing or directing berets for the sequel.  He's starring in The Expendables 2, but he's also maintaining a voice in the creative decisions, including the search for a director to replace him.  That search, which has extended over months, has ended, as Deadline reports that action veteran Simon West will take over directing duties on The Expendables 2.

Has it been too long since you've seen Jason Statham playing a badass who beats people up?  After all, The Mechanic was almost two months ago, so you're probably jonesing for some of that Statham action.  The red band trailer for Blitz should suffice.  The film, from director Elliott Lester, stars the British muscleman and former Olympic diver as a tough London police officer on the trail of a cop-killer.  The tagline declares, "Uphold the law...By any means necessary."  In this case, upholding the law seems to involve flagrantly illegal brutality.  Check out the red band trailer:

Simon West is a name most action fans will recognize. His resume includes such hits as Con-Air and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, but his recent film is a far more violent take on simply car chases and shoot outs. In The Mechanic, Jason Statham is an assassin-for-hire who takes on his mentor’s son (Ben Foster).

This remake of the1972 Charles Bronson cult classic serves up as Statham’s most intense and violent picture to date. The kills are extreme and shocking, but what really makes this remake interesting is the fantastic relationship between Foster and Statham. Ben brings a whole new level of talent to this kind of picture.

The King’s Speech had an impressive weekend. The highly praised film earned 41% more this weekend at the box office, likely due to the twelve Academy Award nominations that it received this past Tuesday. True Grit also managed to make 4% more over the weekend, which is especially impressive as it dropped out of 350 theatres since last week.

Jason Statham is a reliable action star, always impressive kicking and smashing his way through armies of stuntmen. His deep, snarling voice is perfect for the tough guy roles he tends to take on. Yet with his latest, The Mechanic, he takes his tough guy image to a slightly tougher level.

Director Simon West’s heavy-duty remake of Michael Winner’s 1972 cult classic is, for all intents and purposes, a similar film. Both Statham and the legendary Charles Bronson personify Arthur Bishop with power and charisma. Yet Bronson keeps his emotions in check and only concerns himself with the job at hand – not so with Statham. Statham’s Bishop carries around a touch of regret after each successive kill.

Check out iamROGUE.com's Exclusive Interview with Jason Statham and Ben Foster.

In The Mechanic - a remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film - Jason Statham takes on a young tutelage to teach his trade. His trade is a dangerous one, he happens to be an assassin for hire. The two actors are terrific in this gripping action flick that is beyond your average shoot 'em up.

Next Friday, Jason Statham returns in a big way. In The Mechanic, Statham stars alongside Ben Foster as an elite hit man who takes on an apprentice.

The Mechanic - a remake of the Charles Bronson classic - is an exciting thriller that features terrific performances, especially Foster as a young man who is brought into the world of murder for hire.

The Mechanic Red Band Trailer:

Nothing sells a hard-R rated flick like a solid red band trailer, and The Mechanic, directed by Simon West (Con Air, Tomb Raider) doesn’t disappoint.  As usual, Jason Statham is being super tough, but this time, he’s got an able partner in Ben Foster (Alpha Dog, 3:10 to Yuma), who brings his A-game to even the lousiest material.

Synopsis: Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is a ‘mechanic’ – an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets. It’s a job that requires professional perfection and total detachment, and Bishop is the best in the business. But when his mentor and close friend Harry (Donald Sutherland) is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached. His next assignment is self-imposed – he wants those responsible dead.

His mission grows complicated when Harry’s son Steve (Ben Foster) approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop’s trade. Bishop has always acted alone but he can’t turn his back on Harry’s son. A methodical hit man takes an impulsive student deep into his world and a deadly partnership is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves.