Holly
09-06-2006, 08:59 AM
What if the movie “Speed” was done with a person who had to stay at a certain pace, instead of a bus?
That pretty much explains “Crank,” a somewhat preposterous yet still enjoyable thriller that also owes a lot to “D.O.A.”, a classic melodrama in which a man tried to find out who had poisoned him before he died from the chemical. “Crank” gives the premise a major 21st-century overhaul, not just in the plot details, but also a filmmaking approach that shows a music-video sensibility.
It works, as Jason Statham (“The Transporter”) plays a professional killer who has to stay on the move, or the poison his enemies have injected into him will take effect ... and you know the rest. His plight is another take on the “Dead Man Walking” idea, and Statham has just the right gaunt look as his character tries to find the enemies who have forced him to keep up his heart rate, or else.
Amy Smart, who's also in the ensemble cast of the upcoming TV series “Smith,” is a good female foil for him as the girlfriend who can't quite believe what she's gotten into through her ties to the victim-to-be. Her penchant for humor, which she's shown in such pictures as “Just Friends,” comes in handy as the frantic action just keeps escalating; country singer Dwight Yoakam, who's actively been building up his movie resume lately, also turns up.
Handled by two directors who clearly understand the overall style intended, “Crank” is one of those treats that can sneak up on you at the tail end of a very busy summer movie season. It may not have the hype of a “Snakes on a Plane,” but it offers its own pleasures for those willing to go along for the ride. And “Crank” is a pretty wild ride, indeed.
(Rated R)
That pretty much explains “Crank,” a somewhat preposterous yet still enjoyable thriller that also owes a lot to “D.O.A.”, a classic melodrama in which a man tried to find out who had poisoned him before he died from the chemical. “Crank” gives the premise a major 21st-century overhaul, not just in the plot details, but also a filmmaking approach that shows a music-video sensibility.
It works, as Jason Statham (“The Transporter”) plays a professional killer who has to stay on the move, or the poison his enemies have injected into him will take effect ... and you know the rest. His plight is another take on the “Dead Man Walking” idea, and Statham has just the right gaunt look as his character tries to find the enemies who have forced him to keep up his heart rate, or else.
Amy Smart, who's also in the ensemble cast of the upcoming TV series “Smith,” is a good female foil for him as the girlfriend who can't quite believe what she's gotten into through her ties to the victim-to-be. Her penchant for humor, which she's shown in such pictures as “Just Friends,” comes in handy as the frantic action just keeps escalating; country singer Dwight Yoakam, who's actively been building up his movie resume lately, also turns up.
Handled by two directors who clearly understand the overall style intended, “Crank” is one of those treats that can sneak up on you at the tail end of a very busy summer movie season. It may not have the hype of a “Snakes on a Plane,” but it offers its own pleasures for those willing to go along for the ride. And “Crank” is a pretty wild ride, indeed.
(Rated R)