Yup, I’ve got another movie review for you. For this time around, I’ll be taking a look at Crank, a high-octane thriller starring Jason Statham. This is the same guy whose claim to fame is the Transporter movies, so if you’ve seen those two flicks, you’ll pretty much know what to expect from Crank.
The basic premise behind Crank is that Chev Chelios, a professional hitman played by Jason Statham, has been injected with some sort of chemical that blocks certain receptors in his brain. As a result, his heart slowly crawls to a halt and the only way that he can stay alive is if he keeps his adrenaline levels through the roof. As such, we find Chev partaking in all sorts of ultra-risky behaviors. We see him using a defibrillator on himself at the hospital. We catch him instigating a brawl with about a dozen muscle-bound black guys. We even see him engaging in some rather hot action in Chinatown, and I’m not talking about a fist fight. I’m talking about the very alluring Amy Smart.
The action in Crank starts within mere minutes of the movie’s opening and the thrills don’t let up until the very end. It’s all incredibly fast-paced with some real fantastic action scenes. Between car chases, we see gun fights. This movie isn’t for those with weak stomachs either, because the violence does get a little gruesome at times. I’m talking about the chopping of limbs with blood spewing everywhere. I thought it was great. Better still, Jason Statham did most of his own stunts and these were not shot on a green screen (for the most part). In the final battle scene, Chev Chelios is dangling on the edge of a helicopter, duking it out with Verona (played by Jose Pablo Cantillo). And yes, Statham really is dangling from a helicopter hundreds of feet above the city.
If you’re looking for a well developed story and intriguing character development, this is not the movie for you. Don’t get me wrong, the story is actually described quite well and has more depth than most other action movies. The anguish and intensity in Jason Statham’s face makes for some great character development and credibility. But that’s not why you’d be interested in Crank. You want action. You want thrills. And Crank delivers with eight cylinders pumping at 8,000rpm. The movie’s tagline perhaps says it best:
There are a thousand ways to raise your adrenaline. Today, Chev Chelios will need every single one.
4.5 Stars Out of 5
It’s like this guy tries and tries, but he just can’t seem to make it into being a B-list or better actor. His movies are all action, and they are ok but just don’t garner that widespread support.
Transporter 2 wasn’t that good, by the way. 🙁