The genre of a film is foretold by its actor. The English Jason Statham, one of the best known and highly paid stars of the action screen, reprises his 2011 Mechanic role, that of an assassin in this sequel five years later.

Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is living a life in near anonymity in Rio, Brazil, after hoodwinking his adversaries into believing he is dead. Enter Courier (Thai actress Rhatha Phongam) with a proposal from her boss Crain (Sam Hazeldine), and Bishop’s arch foe, to liquidate three of the world’s most infamous people — an African warlord-cum-mass murderer, a human trafficker and an arms dealer. But with a caveat: all three deaths should be made to look like accidents.

The action scenes (some of them CGI-aided) of Bishop evading Courier and the army of Crain’s henchmen include our protagonist leaping form a cable-car on to a hang glider. And when the action moves to Thailand where Bishop’s new-found love Gina (Jessica Alba) is kidnapped by Crain — exterminate the three or else — the film hots up.

Director Dennis Gansel takes us on a mini world trip which includes Malaysia (the first execution in a high security prison), Sydney (of a man plunging to death from a swimming pool 76 floors above) and then on to Sofia, Bulgaria to liquidate mob boss Max Adams (Tommy Lee Jones).

The film, for the most part, glides along expected lines. There are no award-winning performances, nothing exceptional. And with the baddies all sitting ducks, our hero takes everybody in his stride. The picturesque locales of Rio, Sydney and Thailand offer the perfect striking backdrop. Jessica Alba looks refreshing and Tommy Lee Jones, in a different avatar, stands out, though it’s barely a five- minute role and merits a few speaking lines.  The film is for you if you are an action-film fan.