I wanted to see this when it was in theaters, but I never made it. Best Buy had it on sale for $9.99 about a week ago, so I bought it.
This movie is basically a music video style updating of the classic D.O.A. (the Edmond O'Brien version was much better).
With a different approach, this could have been a very good, relentless action film. However, the over-the-top visual effects, blaring music, and misplaced humor drove this flick to an early grave. It's like watching an 87 minute MTV music video. Lots of spinning, swooping camera work, rapid film editing, and outrageous visual effects all set to fast-paced music.
If you aren't familiar with it, here's the plot: A gangster injects a guy with a poison that will kill him within an hour. However, the effects of the poison can be slowed down by raising the victim's adrenaline level. This results in a guy running and driving all over the city, doing everything possible (including having sex in public) to keep his adrenaline pumping, while he tries to find and kill the guy who poisoned him.
I really didn't like this movie, but I suspect it may be the type of flick that gets a little better with repeat viewings. What's your opinion?
I love Crank if only because it's just so damn over the top. It's nonstop from beginning to end and there aren't really any dull parts. It's a film that one can turn off their brain and watch. I really enjoyed the flick and have watched it a couple of times. Yes, the original is much much better but this is a good film for what it is. It knows it's not an intelligent film and is only there to be a spectacle and I love it for that.
Of course some of the jokes don't work, but they do help give the film the crass tone it was seeking. I say it's well worth a rental if you want a big stupid action film. Also, Amy Smart is hot in anything she does so it's worth watching just for her.
Another one for the pro column. I loved the movie for the same reasons that Ska just mentioned. The only problems I had with it were the needless sequence of Statham taking the mystery drug given to him by the cabbie and the use of CGI cars at certain parts of the movie. I know they did it to save money on wrecking expensive autos and paying experienced stunt drivers who do crazy sh!t like that, but CGI cars always bug the crap out of me. Additionally, I think I liked Crank even moreso because I saw it coming off of seeing both of Statham's abominable Transporter movies, so seeing the man in something that didn't suck really brightened my day. :teddyr:
Quote from: Skaboi on September 16, 2007, 11:47:53 AM
Yes, the original is much much better but this is a good film for what it is.
Waitaminute!
There was an original!?
Skaboi...you must be mistaken.
This movie was A-OK until Statham's character ran into his dumber than dirt girlfriend.
I think he's referring to DOA, of which Crank is essentially a remake. Very different remake though.
Yup I was referring to DOA. Crank is a rare case of not being a remake but actually a re-imagining.
I tried to like it, but didn't really care for it...
Sure it had it's entertaining parts, but I just got annoyed with things like the girlfriend etc etc.
Can't tell if it does stand well the test of repeated viewings, but I remember enjoying the film a lot. The adequate mix of dumb humour, action and ultra-violence.
On the "against" column, I'd write down the sex scene in Chinatown. That was crossing the line into distasteful.
*** out of ****.
Over the top and highly stylized B movie action!