3 minute preview: 'Mechanic: Resurrection'

JASON Statham stars as the world's best hitman up against near-impossible odds in "Mechanic: Resurrection," featuring opposite Jessica Alba and Tommy Lee Jones.

Who's in it and what's it about?

Jason Statham returns to what has become a very Stathamesque role: he's underworld hitman Arthur Bishop, reaching gangsters (and enemies of gangsters) quite frequently on home territory where they should be safest – and getting away without a trace, too.

As a specialist in accidental deaths, when his girlfriend is held as collateral, he's forced to accept a job he previously refused.

Statham is well known for playing gravel-voiced mercenaries, hitmen and all-round action men in the "Expendables," "Transporter," and "Cranked" franchises.

He's joined here by Jessica Alba ("Sin City," "Into the Blue") as the kidnapped Gina, and Tommy Lee Jones ("Men in Black," "No Country for Old Men") as a target he recruits to his cause.

Michelle Yeoh ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), Nathalie Burn ("The Expendables 3"), Sam Hazeldine ("The Brothers Grimsby") and Rhatha Phongam ("Only God Forgives") are also involved.

Who's behind it?

The first film, 2011's "The Mechanic," was criticised for being a by-the-numbers derivative of EuropaCorp's "Transporter" franchise, but Lionsgate distributed "Transporter 3" and should know what it's getting into.

German-born Dennis Gansel of "The Wave" (de. Die Welle), vampire horror "We Are The Night" and thriller "The Fourth State" directs.

When's it out?

August 26 sees "Mechanic: Resurrection" release in the UK and Ireland as well as the US, having debuted in a number of European territories the day before (including Germany and Russia); Belgium and France join on August 31, before the Netherlands and Singapore on September 1. A Japanese release arrives September 24.