Crank

[Amazon Link]
(paid link)
[2.5
stars] [IMDb Link]

I'm not sure why, but more and more these days, I put on one of these thrill-a-minute, nonstop action flicks and wind up nodding off in the middle somewhere.

Theory: I'm finally growing up, no longer impressed with flashy, but essentially empty, movies.

Alternative theory: I'm just getting old.

Anyway, this movie has an unusually absurd premise. A professional hit man (played by Jason Statham) is dosed with a poison which will eventually kill him; the end, however, can be delayed if he keeps adrenaline coursing through his system. He spends this extra time wreaking R-rated revenge on his enemies. Amy Smart plays Jason's girlfriend, for whom (of course) he was about to give up his profession. Dwight Yoakam—always nice to see Dwight—plays Jason's Dr. Feelgood, cooly advising on the best way to avoid death.

There's a lot of flashy self-conciously stylistic cinematography and hyperkinetic editing. If you like that sort of thing for its own sake.


Last Modified 2024-02-02 4:47 AM EDT