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Crank

(2006) Suspense - Rated R

Directed by: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor

Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart

Overview: A poisoned man scurries to keep adrenaline flowing and find an antidote.

RATINGS:

  • Crank

    A hit man (Jason Statham) awakes to the news that he has been poisoned and will die in an hour unless he keeps adrenaline coursing through his body.

    Reviews

    REELZ REVIEW
    "In many ways, Crank serves as a frightening harbinger of things to come...."  [more]
    — Thomas Leupp

    User Comments and Video Reviews

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    • monk3y01

      05/12/08 12:57 PM
      i found this movie to be entertaining.
      Review Rating: 0
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    • Thomas Leupp

      ReelzChannel.com, January 10, 2007


      Don't forget to take your Ritalin.


      I know it's become terribly clichéd to describe a film's style as "MTV-esque," but I can't think of a more apt appraisal of Crank. Frenetically paced and filled with outlandish stunts, it feels more like a video game or an 87-minute music video than a feature film. In that sense, Crank succeeds precisely because it never pretends to be more than is: a fun little piece of popcorn cinema.


      The plot is the highest of high-concept: Jason Statham plays Chev Chelios, a hitman injected with a poison that will kill him if his heart rate drops below a certain level. In order to stay alive long enough to track down the man responsible, he'll have to use all manner of methods to keep up his adrenaline. (It's Speed on speed, literally.)


      Bent on revenge, Chelios rampages through the streets of Los Angeles in an effort to find the man responsible for his predicament. In between dispatching bad guys, he employs just about every stimulant available in order to keep himself properly jacked-up: Red Bull, epinephrine, cocaine and more. In one audacious scene, Chelios summons his girlfriend (Amy Smart) for help, and she dutifully complies by having sex with him in the middle of Chinatown. If that's not love, I don't know what is.


      The insanity escalates right up until the final scene, in which Chelios battles his nemesis Verona (Jose Pablo Cantillo) while the two are in the midst of a free-fall from a helicopter. After the fight (and while still in mid-air), Chelios has the presences of mind to grab his cell phone and call his girlfriend. How touching.


      Statham, who rose to prominence with equally stylized action flicks like The Transporter, is perfect for the role. Smart is also well-cast as his spacey yet well-meaning girlfriend.


      The real star of the film, of course, is its bold and relentless style. Story is largely superfluous in a film like this; it's all about moving as rapidly as possible from one preposterous, eye-popping sequence to another. It doesn't come as a surprise that Crank writers/directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor also served as the film's cameramen. It's their first feature film, and they used the opportunity to unleash every acrobatic shot and crazy camera angle they'd been hiding up their sleeves. There's nary a static shot in the film.


      In many ways, Crank serves as a frightening harbinger of things to come. As more and more members of the ADD generation step behind the camera, expect the movie's approach to be replicated. Until then, enjoy the novelty.


      ReelzChannel Rating:  6


      What's on the Disc:


      A few interesting innovations:


      Crank'd Out Mode - The directors' commentary, behind-the-scenes footage and cast and crew interviews are all thrown together and displayed on a small picture-in-picture as the movie plays.


      Family-Friendly Audio - Crank's DVD authors are not without a sense of humor. Parents who are worried about the film's naughty language can opt to watch the film sans expletives by activating this feature. Never mind the rampant violence, drug use or public fornication.


      Check out ReelzChannel.com's Crank page for clips from the movie.

    • david55

      01/23/08 07:15 PM
      This movie was totally unrealistic. it sucked. the ending was cheesey and this movie was a total blow. Jason Statham's a good actor but this movie was a total dissapointment. It looked good but i dont think it deserved 3 stars. i'de give it a half star.
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    • monk3y01

      05/12/08 12:57 PM
      i found this movie to be entertaining.
      Review Rating: 0
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  • Crew

    Director Mark Neveldine
    Director Brian Taylor
    Producer Gary Lucchesi
    Producer Tom Rosenberg
    Producer Richard Wright
    Executive Producer David Rubin
    Executive Producer Skip Williamson

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MOVIE NEWS

Tuesday, July 29

  • Crank 2, Brought to You by Jose Cuervo

    Comic-Con 2008: San Diego

    Jason Statham in Death RaceNext April, Jason Statham reprises his role of adrenaline junkie Chev Chelios in Crank 2: High Voltage, the sequel to the most ridiculously insane movie of 2006. While at Comic-Con to promote Death Race, Statham offered a glimpse into the sophisticated creative process employed by Crank 2 filmmakers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor for the follow-up.

    "They wrote part two in like a week -- I think it was a weekend, actually," recounted Statham, who was a tad hung over after celebrating his birthday the night before. "They locked themselves in a room and just put three bottles of tequila there and just drank and wrote this script."

    "It's one of the most enjoyable films I've shot in the last decade," Statham added. "It is absolutely madder than you can imagine. It's nuts, like the first one times a hundred. It's just ridiculous."

    It's hard to believe that anything could be more enjoyable than making Uwe Boll's In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, but I'll take Jason's word for it.


    Next Showing: Crank 2: High Voltage opens April 17, 2009

    Posted 07/29/2008 by Thomas

    Jason Statham | Crank 2: High Voltage | Crank

Monday, March 17

Tuesday, October 30

  • Jason Statham knows his place

    It's never wise to mess with Statham You've gotta respect Jason Statham. While another actor of his ilk might be tempted to "branch out" and star in some pretentious vanity project in order to showcase his skills as a "serious actor," Statham steadfastly refuses to spread his wings, preferring instead to take on the same ass-kicking, high-concept action flicks that have become his trademark.

    Variety reports that Statham has signed on for a sequel to Crank, the absurdly fast-paced action flick that debuted last year to surprisingly solid reviews. Crank 2's appropriately high-concept premise, according to Variety, involves Statham's character battling a "Chinese mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart and replaced it with a battery-powered ticker that requires regular jolts of electricity to keep working." 

    Sweeeeeet.


    Posted 10/30/2007 by Thomas

    Jason Statham | Crank 2: High Voltage | Crank

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