Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Crank



Runtime: 88 minutes

Directed by: Mark Neveldine/Brian Taylor

Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Efren Ramirez, Dwight Yoakam

From: Lionsgate

I decided to go to Blockbuster on Sunday and as it was 49 cents for a cheap rental, I decided to get both this and Crank 2. I hadn’t seen either since the spring of ’09. It turns out, I did not remember all that much about this film.

Before I get to talking about the plot, I do have to comment it was quite a shock to hear that Tony Scott took his own life on Sunday. No matter the reason it was still sad news. It turns out I’ve seen more of what he’s produced than what he’s directed, but early in ’09 I did get to see Top Gun on the big screen with a crowd of only a few others, and that was quite the experiences. Most of the homoerotic overtones were laughed at, especially the infamous beach volleyball scene. Anyhow, without Tony Scott’s stylized directing style I say there’s no way this film would have turned out the way it did.

The plot is rather simple: some gangsters get revenge on Chev Chelios (Statham) for killing their boss by injecting him with a legal drug. He literally has to keep his adrenaline up or else he’ll die. Thus explains all the batshit insane stuff he does throughout.

This is certainly a loud, profane, and in your face movie, filmed and directed in a stylized way. Usually that sort of thing at least runs the risk of turning me off. But somehow and someway, it works for this movie. It’s so fast paced and frenetic (and it’s appropriate for what the movie is about) it manages to be enjoyable for being so crazy and out there and balls-out and just wacky. In hindsight, Nveldine/Taylor may be one trick ponies as what they’ve worked on since the Crank movies definitely hasn’t been as well-received, but maybe one day it’ll change. As is, I manage to enjoy this unique film for what it is.

I’ll be back Wednesday night.

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