Hitman Chev Chelios (Jason Statham, in one of his better star vehicles) wakes up to a taped message: he has been poisoned by his former colleague-turned-enemy Verona (Jose Pablo Cantillo) and has only an hour or so to live. Injected with an unspecified Chinese toxin, Chev consults with underworld medic Doc Miles (country singer-actor Dwight Yoakam in an extended cameo) who advises him that the only way to prolong his life is to keep his adrenaline going.
This sets off Chev's desperate bid to survive. He scours L.A. in search of not only his killers but also for ways to keep his heart going. Chev aims to kill Carlito and Verona before the poison can claim him. Chev also seeks out his girlfriend Eve (a scene-stealing Amy Smart), who thinks Chev is a videogame programmer, as well as help from his pal-informant Kaylo (Napoleon Dynamite's Efren Ramirez in drag).
Crank marks the feature film directing debut of cinematographers-commercial helmers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. The duo, who also scripted the movie, shot on digital video and employed a hand-held style to simulate a heightened sense of reality as the camera stalks Chev across L.A. While this shaky, gritty look is reminiscent of films such as Running Scared, it effectively captures Chev's frazzled state of mind.
What elevates Crank above other high-concept action fare, though, is its politically incorrect sense of humor and overall bent sensibility. Chev has zero regard for anyone standing in the way (intentionally or otherwise) of his survival, which leads to several darkly funny encounters. The film's most talked about (and funniest) sequence revolving around Chev's need to keep his adrenaline going is a public sex scene set in the streets of Chinatown.
The action scenes showcase Statham's physical skills well enough, although don't expect the chop-socky fisticuffs of The Transporter films. Chev doesn't have the time for such acrobatics; his fighting style is about making sure someone stays down, period. The highlight of the action sequences is a climatic brawl inside a chopper as it hovers over downtown Los Angeles. Both Statham and Cantillo really did their own stunts as they hang out of a helicopter hundreds of feet above ground.
Crank is certainly not everyone's cup of tea. It is an unabashed "guy movie" that doesn't care who it shocks or offends. That disregard is almost refreshing given the increasingly antiseptic and overly sensitive nature of all the bureaucratically executed fare cluttering multiplexes nowadays. Not every film has to be made with the whole family and every conceivable demographic in mind.
Score: 7 out of 10
The Video
The cinematography in Crank is at times grainy, gritty and hard-edged, and the images flit around like a Max Headroom blipvert. There aren't a whole lot of languid, lingering gazes at anything, and there are so many filters on the video that it's tough to get an accurate read on the quality of the video. However, having seen it in theaters, it's apparent that the transfer accurately preserves (and in some cases, enhances) the experience. The video is crisp in the few lucid moments in the film, so that is good evidence that integrity has been preserved.
Score: 9 out of 10
The Audio
Like the video, the audio is a jumble of sounds and music (way to start with Quiet Riot's "Metal Health," Neveldine/Taylor!), and the 5.1 EX Surround makes sense of it all. This is a hardcore, explosive film with a rich aural palette, and that is preserved from the theatrical experience. There is great directional sound and some good use of bass in the fighting sequences.
Score: 9 out of 10
The Extras
Since the advent of the DVD format, many studios have attempted to integrate features more fully with the movie as it runs, to varying degrees of success. The latest attempt comes on the Crank disc, with a featured called "Crank'd Out Mode." This is essentially a picture-in-picture commentary by various people attached to the production, including producers, the directors, and various others.
The curious thing is that "Crank'd Out Mode" is the kind of feature that the next gen formats, Blu-ray and HD-DVD are touting. But is it any good? Yes and no. It's cool to have specific details illustrated in the smaller frame, but there are a lot of times when the Lionsgate logo takes up the entire pic-in-pic window, which is a head-scratcher. Why bother branding a disc after someone has already bought it? Also, if a person is simply talking, and nothing else is going on in the frame, why is the disc so arbitrary about when it goes to audio-only and when it keeps a talking head up, blocking a good deal of the picture?
Gripes aside, the Crank'd Out Mode is better than a commentary track in that it provides more information when you want it, and a new way to present making-of material.
Another intriguing extra on the disc is the Family-Friendly Audio option, which is essentially the TV dub of the film. All the expletives have been replaced with more chaste things like "scum" and "crud." However, all of the violence and nudity (and written profanity) is preserved, so what's the point?
The only other available features are a music video for "Adrenalina" by David Rolas, which doesn't warrant more than one viewing, and previews for other Lionsgate movies. Aside from the Crank'd Out Mode, rather slim.
Score: 5 out of 10
The Bottom Line
Crank is a fast-paced, high octane ride and should not be taken too seriously. For action fans, it's a must-see. For the squeamish, probably not so much. The DVD shows some promise, but isn't loaded up with enough to be considered truly excellent.