Crank (2006)

My title for this review pretty much says it all. I don't know how I became acquainted with this gritty gem, but I must say that I am glad that I got to knowing it. When I first got into this, I really didn't know what to make of it because I was not that used to many of Jason Statham's movies. The movies of his that I did watch before this ("Ghosts of Mars" and "War," just to name a couple) were not anything to write home about. This, on the other hand, is.In my opinion, this is like a lost episode of "Mission Impossible." Why? Well, the home movie that Chev Chelios views contains details about what happened to him. Then he consults his doctor friend to figure out how to stay alive. Throughout the movie, he keeps in close contact with the doctor all the while fighting off the villains and spending some time with his girlfriend. As stated, it almost reads like "Mission Impossible" in some unique way not known to man.Let's not forget some of the dialogue that gets thrown around. When my brother and I first watched this, we were rolling on the floor laughing. The one-liners are memorable. Granted this movie would never get any awards (most action movies almost never do), it is definitely good for a barrel of laughs. Jason's reputation as an action junkie definitely shows here and it is definitely something to write home about. If you're having a bad day and feel like punching something, watch this movie for a bit of inspiration.

A movie for 12 year old boys. It is supposed to be funny, I think . However the writers forgotten to write anything vaguely witty. There is a lot of bad language (yawn) and ridiculous action sequences but we have seen that all before. I quite like action films, for instance, I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed Jason Statham in the Transporter movie. This is another story altogether though, it just becomes tiresome very quickly. I know I saw the original movie that the story was taken from and remember how much I enjoyed it - I think it starred Edmond O'Brien then and even that was remade with Dennis Quaid I think. Both decent thrillers. This one is just a pain to watch, which is why I am critiquing it now after only about 30 minutes. Jason Statham has been someone I I had avoided until I tried Transporter, but I think I will not pursue any more of the Crank movies.

My friend is a big Jason Statham fan. I said to her, 'You must have LOVED 'Crank' then?' to which she said that – actually – she hated it. Her reason was that it was too 'unrealistic.' So, perhaps straight off, I should warn people that if they're expecting something majorly true to life and realistic then they better move on. Crank is 100% not realistic. There have been numerous parallels to video games (mainly the 'Grand Theft Auto' franchise) in as much as it's stupidly over-the-top, but knowingly so – so that's okay (in my book, anyway).Jason 'The Stath' Statham, plays a hit-man with a name that I can never remember how to spell and, one sunny morning in Los Angeles, he wakes up poisoned by a baddie and with less than an hour to live (but, it's also worth noting that the film's runtime is over an hour and a half, so we know that the Stath is going to last a little longer than his foe intended). However, luckily for our cockney hero (yes, he's not bothering with his faux U.S. accent) he soon figures out that if he keeps his adrenaline suitably raised then he'll be okay (well, not okay, but won't die instantly).So, that's basically the film – Jason Statham runs (literally!) from scene to scene, finding one weird and wonderful way of keeping his heart rate up while trying to track down and kill the person who did this to him (and, if there's a genuine antidote out there, he'll have that, too). And that's where the video game similarities start to ring true. It does seem like Jason Statham is travelling from one 'level' to the next, fighting an 'end-of-level-boss' before moving on to the next. What I'm trying to say is that there isn't much of a story to it, so – again – if you're expecting either realism or an in-depth story then you're looking in the wrong place.Me? I like a film that's totally unrealistic with no real story. Therefore, I loved 'Crank.' Yes, it's totally daft, but it never sets out to be anything other than a completely ridiculous action film that's filmed like a cool 'MTV-style' music video. If it wasn't for the fact that Jason Statham is a sex symbol for women, I may be almost tempted to say that Crank is a 'guy's film.' Either way, it's a type of film that you'll either love or hate. I can't see film critics appreciating it much. You don't need much brain power to 'get' it – just be in the mood for something both action-packed and low brow. This is definitely it.

Another winner for Jason Stratham is "Crank", and really exciting thriller currently available on NetFlix Instant Download Streaming. It is an action packed movie from 2006, and leaves one breathless with each ensuing scene. It is directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor and it is written by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. The stars include Jason Stratham, Amy Smart, and Carlos Sanz. The story is that of a hit man who has been poisoned by a Chinese drug that inhibits adrenalin and he has to keep his heart racing in order to stay alive. I gave it two thumbs up for its never ending action and thrilling ending. One should not miss this winning show.