In 1950, there was a movie called "D.O.A." about a man who was poisoned and had only a couple of days to live. He used his remaining hours to find out who killed him and why. In 1988, the film was remade starring Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. "Crank" can probably be considered an action-comedy version of "D.O.A." It's about a hitman who's given a lethal injection, and the only thing keeping him alive is adrenaline, so he keeps his adrenaline pumping to stay alive at least until he gets his revenge on the person who gave him the injection. I guess it's sorta like a combination of "D.O.A." and "Speed," but more than anything, it seems very much like a feature film version of "Grand Theft Auto," and on that level, it succeeds.
Like the "Grand Theft Auto" video games, the main character is repellent. Aside from being an all-around asshole, he's violent, and not just towards "the bad guys." He'll punch an innocent person just as quickly as he'll punch a drug dealer. It would be hard to watch this movie if the character was a complete and total dick, so he does have a soft spot for his girlfriend, and in the movie, they have one of the most unusual and funniest sex scenes I've ever witnessed. It's up there with the sex scene from the uncensored version of "Team America: World Police," but I don't think any sex scene will ever beat that one.
"Crank" is by no means a subtle film. It's wildly over the top, and just about everything in it is far-fetched. It's ridiculous and even absurd at times, but I gotta tellya, I really enjoyed it. I was never bored, and I had a good time watching the movie. Sure, it's a shining example of style over substance, but for the kind of movie it is, it's really good. The star of the film is a man who's starred in this kinda movie before, Jason Statham. You may remember him from his starring roles in the equally ridiculous action films, "The Transporter" and "Transporter 2." I prefer the sequel to the original, but I think that "Crank" is his best yet. Jason Statham can probably make a very good living starring in movies like this for years.
Also in the film is Amy Smart ("The Butterfly Effect," "Road Trip," "Varsity Blues" and she also had a really nice scene with Carmen Electra in "Starsky & Hutch"), and she plays the girlfriend in the movie. Amy Smart is very pretty, and she plays the typical dumb blonde. Actually, I should mention something here. "Crank" is NOT a politically-correct film. There are scenes that might be considered sexist, and scenes that might be considered racist. All of it is done for laughs, with comedy being the intent, not hate. The way I see it, people need to lighten up, because it's a lot worse to take things too seriously. Still, I have to admit that one politically-incorrect scene with a cab driver made me feel rather uncomfortable. At the same time, I was laughing while watching it. Go figure.
Anyway...
Amy Smart is adorable in the movie. She's really likeable, and it's not hard to see why such a violent badass would turn to jelly around her. She adds a certain "cuteness" to the film that's needed. Fans of "Napoleon Dynamite" will be surprised to see the role that Efren Ramirez takes on. He plays a role extremely different from his unforgettable "Pedro" character, but he's still very good in the film. Dwight Yoakam (a country music singer who tends to play villainous characters, like in "Sling Blade" and "Panic Room") is in the film, and even though he doesn't necessarily play a villain in the movie, he plays an unsavory character of sorts. He plays sleazy well, and his character in "Crank" is no exception.
"Crank" was written and directed by the team of Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor. This is their first time directing a feature film, and it's also their first screenplay. Prior to this film, they'd both done some visual effects work and cinematography, and Mark Neveldine has done a little bit of stunt work, but their first collaboration of sorts was in a movie I never heard of called "The Real Deal," where Brian Taylor was the second unit director and Mark Neveldine was the second unit director of photography. I have a feeling that we're gonna be seeing great things from these guys. I look forward to their next project.
Realistically, "Crank" isn't a good movie. It wasn't screened for critics, and that's probably because it would have gotten a ton of negative reviews. That being said, I really liked it, and even though it's not actually based on "Grand Theft Auto," it was clearly inspired by it, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. It was bound to happen eventually. The sex, the violence, and the politically-incorrect aspects of it may offend some, but this movie isn't intended for those kinds of people. I liked "Crank" a lot, and I think that the intended audience will like it as much as I did, if not more.
Scale of 1-10: 8