Today’s quick review: Crank. Chev Chelios (Jason Statham), a freelance hitman for a West Coast crime syndicate, wakes up to discover that he’s been injected with an exotic poison as payback for his most recent job. The only way to stave off the effects of the poison is to flood his body with adrenaline. Chev must engage in a series of dangerous and outlandish stunts to stay alive long enough to get his revenge on the man who killed him.
Crank is a stylized action movie with a unique premise. The movie follows Chev Chelios on a city-wide rampage as he seeks the thrills he needs to keep his heart pumping. Crank takes this premise and runs with it, subjecting Jason Statham to every chemical and criminal stimulant available. The movie offers little in the way of plot or characters, but it does showcase plenty of creativity when it comes to stunts and presentation.
Crank features a distinctive style that sets it apart from other action movies. The film constantly experiments with its camera, editing, and presentation to convey Chev’s frantic mental state. The tools it uses are blunt but effective. Crank never slows down for more than a moment at a time, and its heavy stylization gives the film an air of freewheeling insanity. However, the style drowns out the substance; Crank bets everything on flash.
Crank is a polarizing watch. The film’s explicit content fits hand-in-glove with its abrasive style. Chev’s rampage escalates from cocaine use and armed robbery to public sex and murder. Chev himself is more sociopath than hero, and the movie’s only moral creed is revenge. The action is also more limited than the movie lets on: Crank only has a handful of fights, and it relies on its extreme stylization and Chev’s temper tantrums to make up the difference.
For those who can stomach its frenetic pace and sordid content, Crank is an inventive, experimental take on the action genre. Its plot logic and tone could have been lifted straight from a mature video game, an effect that even the most far-fetched action movie struggle to capture. However, its style is entireley hit-or-miss. Those hoping for a conventional action movie or substance to back the style will be disappointed.
For an even more ridiculous take on the same basic premise, check out the sequel, Crank: High Voltage. For a movie that goes for something similar but has a greater focus on gunplay, check out Shoot ‘Em Up. For a fast-paced, experimental action movie with a first-person perspective, check out Hardcore Henry.
7.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for an interesting premise with hit-or-miss execution; your score will vary.