... If he's lucky, he might even get to shag Eve one last time and find an antidote as well!
Before continuing it is probably worth mentioning that Crank, by all accounts, is a stupid film. For instance, if ever there was a lead character's name directly taken from George McStupid's big book ... Read review
Action anti-hero Jason Statham is competing with himself to make the most relentless, ... more
non-stop action flick imaginable. InCrank, Statham stars as a hit man named Chev Chelios who's been poisoned by some Chinese toxin; the only way to stave it off is to...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Action anti-hero Jason Statham is competing with himself to make the most relentless, ... more
non-stop action flick imaginable. InCrank, Statham stars as a hit man named Chev Chelios who's been poisoned by some Chinese toxin; the only way to stave it off is to...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Chev Chelios is about to begin his morning with an unexpected wake-up call. Groggy, ... more
practically unable to move and with a heart that's barely beating, he hears the voice of thug Ricky Verona, who reveals Chev has been poisoned in his sleep and only has...
Production Year: 2007 - Action/Adventure - Director: Paul Greengrass - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, Edgar Ramirez, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine, Albert Finney
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Advantages: It's a sex, drugs and violence sandwich set within a bonkers storyline! Woo-hoo! Disadvantages: But the action scenes are distinctly underwhelming, which is a bit poor for an action flick!
...that and, in many ways, Crank embraces its absurdity with a childish brand of enthusiasm that makes it immediately engaging - if you remember to disengage the old grey matter that is. Indeed, Crank is one of those peculiar marmite films. If you're expecting some characterisation and thought-provoking dialogue, well, you should have stopped reading at "stupid film". If, however, you're a connoisseur of either the post-pub movie or late eighties ... ...the course. In this way, Crank stays true both to its action junkie roots as well as the ridiculous concept.
Additionally, the visual orchestra on show, despite looking at times like it's been edited by a monkey with ADHD, complements this extreme action and pace remarkably well, as does the subtle ring-tone to Chev's mobile. Performing as a hyper-shrill tone that just as quickly warps and fades to a monotone nothingness, it's a perfect ... more
CRANK
Freelance hitman Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) is in for a rather forgettable day. Waking up and feeling like a buffalo with a migraine would be fine if he'd been on the beers the night before. A couple of aspirin and a morning watching the Hollyoaks omnibus would soon put him right. Unfortunately for Chev, he's awoken from an unconscious slumber whereby nefarious nemesis Verona (Jose Pablo Cantillo) has injected him with a deadly Beijing cocktail - payback for taking out triad mob boss Don Kim. With the poison already coursing its way through Chev's body he'll be lucky to see out the hour. Which is a bummer! You see, Chev was planning on going straight, following the timely acquisition of a moral compass from dippy, yet adorable, girlfriend Eve (Amy Smart). Slightly pissed off that he's about to die, won't be able to redeem himself and not get to bonk Eve one last time, Chev realises he can hold off the poison attacking his heart, for a short time at least, if he undertakes actions that will fuel his body with adrenaline. Hence, with a few cans of Red Bull to overdose on, along with full-blooded violence and a pumping soundtrack in mind, Chev can at least attempt to stave off death in time to exact his revenge against those that have conspired towards his downfall. If he's lucky, he might even get to shag Eve one last time and find an antidote as well!
Before continuing it is probably worth mentioning that Crank, by all accounts, is a stupid film. For instance, if ever there was a lead character's name directly taken from George McStupid's big book of Stupid then Chev Chelios would be that name. Likewise the plot, whilst not as stupid as putting snakes on a plane, suffers from incredulous implausibility, with the whole 'adrenaline keeping Chev alive' concept being just a little too far-fetched for its own good. In reality it's more an excuse for the filmmaker's to blow stuff up, have Statham undertake some mad bonkers stunts and commit some random acts of violence (whilst showing his arse), and for the film to feature the most ridiculous sex scene filmed since Showgirls.
Still, stupid doesn't necessarily mean bad. John Woo's magnificent Hard Boiled, with all its balletesque styled gun battles, will testify to that and, in many ways, Crank embraces its absurdity with a childish brand of enthusiasm that makes it immediately engaging - if you remember to disengage the old grey matter that is. Indeed, Crank is one of those peculiar marmite films. If you're expecting some characterisation and thought-provoking dialogue, well, you should have stopped reading at "stupid film". If, however, you're a connoisseur of either the post-pub movie or late eighties Jean Claude Van Damme hi-jinks, you're likely to get a real kick out of Statham's rampage around LA. Not only does it merge the style of nineties filmmaking with eighties homo-erotic machismo, the vagaries of such a daft concept make for a genuinely unique and entertaining take on the action flick genre.
For one thing, the adrenaline based concept is sly enough to ensure the film is delivered at a whip-cracking pace. Similar in effect to The Terminator, most of the film's plot dynamics are delivered on the move or in situations where Chev needs to heighten his adrenaline rush, ensuring that the action hardly ever let's up. Sequences similar to Chev bombing through an enclosed shopping mall in a carefree manner trailed by irate police vehicles whilst talking on the phone to his sardonic doctor (Dwight Yoakum) are par for the course. In this way, Crank stays true both to its action junkie roots as well as the ridiculous concept.
Additionally, the visual orchestra on show, despite looking at times like it's been edited by a monkey with ADHD, complements this extreme action and pace remarkably well, as does the subtle ring-tone to Chev's mobile. Performing as a hyper-shrill tone that just as quickly warps and fades to a monotone nothingness, it's a perfect representation throughout to the affects of both the poison and the adrenaline pumping through Chev's body. Of course, the concept also allows for some fairly memorable scenes. Bonking Amy Smart in the middle of Chinatown to get a fix of adrenaline is hilarious. Getting a doctor to blast him with heart-paddles to achieve the same aim is utter bonkers madness.
Holding everything together though is Statham who is excellent in the lead role, having a great time being as reckless as possible. From chopping the hand off one of his foes with a meat cleaver, to running around LA with only a hospital shawl and a massive erection (compliments of overdosing on a shot of adrenaline) it certainly adds to Statham's growing stature, as someone who can pull off the action man role with relative ease. He also seems to relish the dialogue provided, instigating a dry wit beyond many of his action genre contemporaries (Vin Diesel take note). Not only is Statham comfortable with the mocking of his cockney accent when asking for something beginning with E (England, replies a nonchalant nurse), but he also delivers one of the finest uses of the C-word yet seen in filmdom! Indeed, Statham makes for a rather affable anti-hero.
Despite all this nodding approval, Crank becomes a little unstuck as the movie progresses and really falls down with the action scenes it constantly parades. Yes, there are plenty of them; the problem is they are often highly generic and really nothing special to write home about. Typical shoot outs and car chases, which you've seen a billion times in many a movie previously, are distinctly lacking in imagination and somewhat underwhelming. Indeed, despite the pace orchestrated by the cinematography, the action sequences simply meander along dispassionately, leaving you waiting for something spectacular to happen, only to be felt a little hard done by when the money shot doesn't eventually arrive. Whereby films of The Matrix, Ong-Bak and Hard Boiled's quality pushed the boat out with regards to their action style, Crank just seems like a small unheard whimper at the foot the mountain - it's just not spectacular enough. Which is a shame as the bombastic soundtrack and kinetic visual style merged with something that little more exhilarating, could have produced something very, very special.
As it stands, Crank stays true to its ridiculous bonkers colours by being utterly ridiculously bonkers throughout and it's a great piece of entertainment for it. Whilst the film does disappoint in lacking a distinct cutting edge that would otherwise elevate it amongst the Hard Boiled's and Ong-Bak's of this world, it's still delightfully amusing in spots and has enough generic action throughout to keep even the most hardened action freaks pulse flowing. And in this cynical age, it is great to see a film that ends in a thoroughly non-conformist fashion. Of course, Crank is still a highly stupid film and will never get away from that fact, but it also makes for some decent post-pub fare!
Overall - Would you like some marmite with your toast? You either do or you don't. File alongside Van Damme's better films (i.e. Timecop and Hard Target).
Director: Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor
Screenplay: Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor
Cast:
Jason Statham ... Chev Amy Smart ... Eve Jose Pablo Cantillo ... Verona Efren Ramirez ... Kaylo Dwight Yoakam ... Doc Miles Carlos Sanz ... Carlito Reno Wilson ... Orlando Edi Gathegi ... Haitian Cabbie Glenn Howerton ... Hospital Doctor Jay Xcala ... Alex Keone Young ... Don Kim
Advantages: Some decent action scenes Disadvantages: The script, the characters, generally the movie
...is fair to say that Crank doesn't seem to have anything that even remotely resembles a plot of any description. Part of the reason for this seems to be that the two men behind this film are debutant Directors and writers. The duo of Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine have been credited for both roles, although I can imagine the writing took them about 5 minutes in the pub over a couple of pints. The direction is slightly better and I couldn't help feeling ... ...it might have worked a lot better for them. The way the film is put together actually works quite well, with some very clever shots showing Chev's heart beat fluctuating.
The action scenes too look quite good, especially the car chase through the shopping centre. They are very well choreographed and slightly make up for the lack of any real plot. It seemed to me that the entire script probably took them very little time to write as it just seems ...
Andy.mack 18.01.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Crank (DVD)
Advantages: Good action sequences, good special effects, Jason Statham is good Disadvantages: A silly plot
...silly action movies! Oh, and Crank 2: High Voltage is due to release in the UK in April 2009, I think I'll be watching that!
Writers and Directors: Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine
Release Date: September 2006 UK)
Certificate: 18 (Violence, language)
Running Time: 87 minutes
Amazon Availability: £4.98 plus delivery charge.
Main Cast:
ason Statham ... Chev Chelios Amy Smart ... Eve Jose Pablo Cantillo ... Verona Efren Ramirez ... Kaylo Dwight ...
mummy2harry 17.10.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Crank (DVD)
Advantages: Jason Statham, fast paced action Disadvantages: Brainless
Crank was released in 2006 worldwide and is an all-out action thriller starring the one and only Jason Statham. It’s rated 18 as it’s very violent and contains some very strong language and runs for approximately 87 minutes. Crank was greeted with a mixed opinion and it’s easy to see why the opinion was split with this. However 60% gave this film a good review. Crank was made on a budget of $12,000,000 and grossed an estimated $39,242,841 at the ... ...sequel to this film named Crank High Voltage was released in cinemas on the 16th April 2009 and so far hasn’t been too much of a hit yet receiving mainly mixed reviews.
Jason Statham is of course the lead in Crank, he’s also starred in The Bank Job and Death Race. Amy Smart plays his girlfriend in the movie, she’s appeared in: Just Friends and Road Trip. Chev Chelious (Jason Statham) is a top class hit man you really don’t want to mess with, however ...
Great_reviewer07 21.04.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Crank (DVD)
Advantages: It's under 90-minutes Disadvantages: Pooly Directed and Edited, Incredibly Dumb
...I can safely say that Crank is absolutely terrible in every way and that's despite having a plot which on paper actually sounds pretty good. Statham plays the absurdly named Chev Chelios, an English professional hitman in LA. After giving some crime lord the nark, he finds himself knocked out and injected with a Chinese cocktail of drugs. With his heart close to giving up his beat, Chev must keep his adrenaline up to keep alive. What ensues is about ... ...big problem I had with Crank is that it's been written and directed by two gentlemen who can't seem to shoot and edit a film competently. The way all the action is staged is incredibly annoying with every camera trick and jump cut thrown in to try and make it exciting. This kind of MTV style filmmaking doesn't sit well with me as it just shows a complete lack of understanding of cinema. Action can still be done well in this modern day, just look ...
utero 04.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Crank (DVD)
...Minutes
Price: Varied
Crank is an incredibly funny and intense film, with lots of exciting action. The film is about a guy named, Chev Chelios, (Jason Statham) he wakes up from a poison injection, giving to him by this Japanese gangster (Jose Pablo Cantillo) who he tells him he hasn't got long to live, one hour to be precise. Chev Chelios has to been on the move all the time, otherwise his pulse rate will slow down, and his heart will stop, causing ... ...coming out soon as well. Crank though, was just like them films, but he didn't have a stylish black suit, and Jason didn't have control of his own body. Jason's girl was played by Amy Smart, who's also starred in films such as, Road Trip; a filthy comedy, I thought was hilarious. When I knew Amy Smart was going be in this one, I thought it should have quite a bit of humour in it, and she sure doesn't disappoint!
It was that kind of film, that would ...
GavinWRogers 19.02.2009 (20.02.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Crank (DVD)
Freelance hitman Chev Chelios wakes up with a big problem; a DVD left in his apartment by small-time gangster Ricky Vanero tells him that he has only one hour to live. While Chev was asleep, Vanero injected him with a deadly synthetic drug from China--known as the Beijing Cocktail--as payback for Chev's last hit. Now, Chev's only hope to stay alive is to keep his adrenalin pumping.
[A]s showily amped and amiably amoral an extreme action pic as the exhaust-end of summer deserves (Entertainment Weekly, 13/02/2009)
[An] exuberant actioner....CRANK wouldn't work without Jason Statham. Battered, weary, wiescracking and astoundingly, viciously lethal, he's the working class angel of death cinema... (Total Film, 13/02/2009)
DVD Description
Freelance hitman Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) wakes up with a big problem; a DVD left in his apartment by small-time gangster Ricky Vanero (Jose Pablo Cantillo) tells him that he has only one hour to live. While Chev was asleep, Vanero injected him with a deadly synthetic drug from China--known as the Beijing Cocktail--as payback for Chev’s last assignment, which failed. Now, Chev's only hope to stay alive is to keep his adrenalin pumping. Dead set on revenge against Vanero, Chev also has to keep his girlfriend, Eve (Amy Smart), out of the mob's hands. To complicate matters, naive, sweet Eve has no idea that her charming British boyfriend is a hitman. Even worse, Chev's boss, Carlito (Carlos Sanz) has no intention of helping his favourite freelancer. Luckily, Chev’s friend Doc Miles (Dwight Yoakam) can offer some temporary lifesaving advice; his drugged pal has to keep moving. Downing cans of Red Bull and popping over-the-counter energy pills, Chev is a crazed man on a mission. He has to exact revenge on Vanero, save his girlfriend, and find an antidote, all while keeping his slowing heart pumping. Fear, sex and violence are the best way to keep adrenalin flowing, and there's no shortage of any of them in this non-stop action flick. Screenwriters and directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor make their feature-film debut in this fast-paced film and extreme chase scenes, shootouts, and romance abound, along with plenty of clipped dialogue and just enough dark humour. Statham plays Chev with a perfect combination of steely determination and utter insanity--a guy who is finally trying to do the right thing, even if it means killing lots of people along the way.
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