Opening Day: 2 Nov 2006

Synopsis:

Chev Chelios is about to begin his morning with an unexpected wake-up call. Groggy, practically unable to move and with a heart that's barely beating, he hears the voice of thug Ricky Verona, who reveals Chev has been poisoned in his sleep and only has an hour to live. As it turns out, Chev is a hit man who freelances for a major West Coast syndicate. A run of the mill job the night before instead went awry: he let his target slip away in an effort to quit professional killing and start a new life with his girlfriend Eve. Now, Chev must keep moving to stay alive: the only way to prolong the poison from stopping his heart is to keep his adrenaline flowing. As the clock ticks, Chelios cuts a swath through the streets of Los Angeles, wreaking havoc on those who dare stand in his way. He must rescue Eve from danger, stay two steps ahead of his nemeses and search for an antidote to save his own life.

Movie Review:

What would you do if you wake up one morning and learn that you only have an hour left to live? Would you succumb to the stone cold truth or would you seek revenge on the person who did it to you? If you chose the latter, then follow Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) on his journey in doing so, in Crank.

Crank starts off on an immediate rush of blood to the head as we are introduced to Chev Chelios, a freelance hit man who has been poisoned in his sleep by villain, Ricky Verona. Learning that his life has been reduced to a paltry hour, he tracks down Verona. He soon starts reeking havoc on the town by naturally, breaking numerous laws when he is told that he can keep himself alive on adrenaline. Think the bus from Speed but on two legs.

As he trashes the town, he also desperately seeks his girlfriend, Eve (Amy Smart), knowing full well they would be after her too. As Chelios also learns that the man who hired him is also behind the plan to want him dead, a more human side of him is shown. In a bid to stop being a hitman for his girlfriend’s sake, he allowed the man he was supposed to kill, run away. So, again, in trying to keep alive, protect Eve, he seeks Verona. The repetitious storyline is what drives the 88 minute long film.

Action movies have been known to defy logic, well, most times and not surprisingly, Crank joins that ever growing list. While the plot borders on the ludicrous, the short run time though makes up for it. Crank is essentially compact as Chelios wastes no time in doing what he has to do, well, because he really does not have that much time!

Surprisingly enough, there is blood aplenty, at times involving a missing body part or two. If you are expecting the wham-bam of martial arts, this is no Tony Jaa film. Instead, get ready for hard-hitting, knuckle-whipping, gun-toting, British-brute style, lock, stock and all. These scenes will actually draw a chuckle or two but the one that will throw one up in arms would be a public sex scene involving numerous bystanders in downtown Los Angeles, Chinatown to be specific.

Jason Statham has come a long way having bit roles in Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Overtime, he has headlined several films, a list which includes Cellular with Kim Basinger and both Transporter movies. Up next, he is starring alongside Jet Li in Rogue and The Brazilian Job, a follow up to The Italian Job where the same cast is expected to return. Statham has cemented himself as a leading action man, an alternative to the martial arts inspired action films. And with Crank, he too, is the only saving grace of the film.

Amy Smart in her silver screen returns plays the token girlfriend, Eve and also the other partner in the now famous public sex scene from this film. She joins the rest of the forgettable cast for their very bad acting.

Crank carries a surprise at the end with its ending that is a rarity in most action films. Without giving too much away, the scene shows that scriptwriters do think about putting some heart in these brutes but still, the scene could have been better executed. Jason Statham and how the film makes you laugh should be the only reason why you come out of the theatre, alive.

Movie Rating:

(A unique plot, a good leading man but bad execution and worse acting are Crank’s failing)

Review by Mohamad Shaifulbahri