Crank (DVD, 2007, Widescreen Edition)

I knew it was gonna be good when I walked into a 12:05PM showing and noticed the packed crowd. Yeah, I was a bit worried when the cheesy movie title popped up on the screen, but no worries. Crank is unashamedly violent, unapologetically un-PC, wickedly funny, and yes, a bit cheesy, which in a way, just adds to the unique flavor of the film.

The synopsis: When professional hit man Chev Chelios (Jason Statham), who sometimes works for a big time West Coast mob, purposely botches an assignment and lets the vic get away, he wakes up the next morning in a drugged state, confused and groggy, with a lethargically beating heart. While Chelios was sleeping, small-time scumbag Ricky Verona (Jose Pablo Cantillo) had injected him with a lethal Chinese synthetic drug (called the Beijing Cocktail) which will kill him in one hour. Now, fighting for each further second of life, Chelios must be constantly on the move and must keep his adrenalin pumping or his heart will stop. With nothing to lose and running out of time, the frantic Chev goes on a rampage as he gets his revenge on, prevents his lady love Eve (Amy Smart) from falling into the syndicate's hands, and, against all odds, tries to find an antidote.

The stylish, hyper-kinetic filmmaking is right up the alley of the easily-bored MTV generation (like me). Having said that, I couldn't help but point out that the more than a few elder viewers in the theater were also having a rollicking good time. Directors/writers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor apply frenetic camera techniques (dizzying pans, zooms, color washes, camera switches...) to ensure that Crank is a wild rollercoaster experience for the audience. You know how, more often than not, trailers lie to you? Well, Crank more than lived up to the promise of the trailer. The stunts and action sequences are totally banging. I was a bit surprised when Statham didn't use any martial arts moves, relying instead on bone-thudding physicality and gunplay to beat up on the bad guys. I was curious to see how creative the film was gonna be in finding ways to keep Chelios's heartrate elevated, and, man, they came up with some doozies: from snorting coke and nasal spray, ingesting power-ades and pop blasters candies, to resorting to resuscitation paddles and head-banging to "Achy Breaky Heart," to one hilariously outrageous scene in Chinatown in front of aghast and then cheering spectators.

The Italian Job, Cellular, The Transporter series...British ex world-ranked diver Jason Statham is coming hard and fast as the new face of American action cinema. He is intense and no-nonsense, with a certain rugged physicality that makes his he-man roles utterly believable. He's not blessed with Brad Pitt looks (although he is called "Handsome Rob" in The Italian Job); he's more of a regular bloke than anything else, though there's a certain glint in his eyes that would make a guy think twice before effing with him, even when he's clad in a patient's backless hospital garb. And here's the thing that differentiates him from the other action stars - Statham, unlike the Rock and Seagal and Van Damme, has natural acting chops.

And now on to Amy Smart. In my eyes, Amy Smart can do no wrong. Here, she plays Eve, the slightly ditzy, carefree love of Chelios's life and the reason he wanted out of the killing biz. Eve is clueless when it comes to setting the microwave clock, but she is SO smoking hot! Efren Ramirez, on the other hand, is not so smoking hot. Ramirez (Napoleon

Crank is a non-stop, high-octane intense action film, with a bit of witty humor thrown in. Try and imagine The Transporter mixed with something along the lines of Running Scared. Yah, weird...but that's Crank in a nutshell. Writers and directors Neveldine and Taylor put together a movie that is so extreme it actually feels as if you are playing a video game. It doesn't ever stop or give you time to even think of where it is heading.

Jason Statham plays a hit man (Chev Chelios) in Los Angeles who has been injected with a Chinese poison, giving him only one hour until imminent death. In order to stay alive for as long as possible he must keep his adrenaline up. Filled with rage and a desire for revenge Chev hits the streets of LA in search of the man who poisoned him. Calling up his doctor friend (Dwight Yoakam) he finds out that he has 3 means of staying alive: Sex, Drugs, and Violence. While trying to juggle all of this, he is also trying to find a way to tell his girlfriend Eve (Amy Smart) that he has been poisoned, and that he is a professional hit man. Eve is a little over the top with her character. She is supposed to be everything that Chev is not, but she comes across as lazy and ditzy. Instead of someone that completes him she makes you question why he is with her. She ends up not helping the flow of the movie as much as I was hoping.

As you can tell, the storyline is fairly simple, but the movie is definitely not hurt by its simplicity. Crank really excels in its filmmaking techniques. Neveldine and Taylor really bust out all of the stops on this one. The entire movie is filmed to make you feel that you are actually part of the movie instead of just an audience member. Something that really jumped out at me were the unique transitions. When Chev calls up his girlfriend or gets in a fight, we will see not only his story but also everyone else's story at the same time and in multiple frames on the screen.

The DVD

Video:
Quite possibly one of the best transfers that I have seen to date on Blu-ray. I know that may sound like a bold statement but the movie looks great. There is a scene where Chev jumps into a pool and you can literally see every drop of water. There are many scenes that are simply jaw dropping. What really helps Crank is that it takes place mainly outdoors during the day. Whenever you see a car pass by or someone on the street, the brilliant colors jump out at you. One neat aspect that comes into play is the use of Google Maps; there are several times when you see the how Google Maps helps progress the story and fills you in on where Chev is traveling next.

The only thing that does hurt Crank a little is post-processing. Crank is extremely high in contrast and although it looks amazing most of the time, sometimes it is a little overdone and you can see distortion in the picture.

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Features Actors:Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight Yoakam & Jose Pablo Cantillo
Running Time:87 Min.
Rating:R

Professional hit man Chev Chelios (Jason Statham, Snatch) is dying. He's been given the "Asian Cocktail" by crime competitor Verona (Jose Pablo Cantillo, Standoff) and has only a few hours to live before the blood in his system starts to coagulate and his heart stops. According to his doctor (Dwight Yoakum, Sling Blade), he has to keep his adrenalin levels high, lest the drug block his receptors and kill him. So Chev begins a citywide crime spree, desperate to find Verona, save his life, and hook up one last time with his dimwitted girlfriend Eve (Amy Scott, Felicity). With the help of his informant pal Kaylo (Efren Ramirez, Employee of the Month) and a body bloated on energy drinks, No-Doze, and various pharmaceuticals (both legal and illegal), Chev hopes he can stay alive long enough to get his payback. As long as he can Crank his system into overdrive, he just might have a chance.


Action packed thrill ride!Will keep you on the edge of your seat!Would recommed to rent or buy.Hope this helps you decide.Thanks for reading! :)