I was a huge fan of the first Crank film, so I was eager to see what the second one would bring. If you haven't seen the original Crank yet, you need to do that right away. Most people either love it, hate it, or don't get it. If you fall into either of the last two categories, don't even bother watching the second movie. Crank 2 follows our same main character, Chev Chelios, which might be surprising considering the ending of the last film. This time his heart has been stolen, and an artificial one is keeping him alive. The heart uses an internal battery to keep on ticking and Chev has to make sure he keeps it charged. This film, like the first one, asks you to abandon rationality for a while and just sit back and go for the ride. I was totally fine with that and really got into the first film, even though it is unrealistic to the point of ridiculousness. It is clear that the filmmakers came in to the 2nd film trying to outdo themselves in every way possible. The first film had sex and violence but it is nothing compared to Crank 2's gratuitous nudity, sex, and graphic violence. There are also some really trippy scenes in this movie that I didn't quite understand. All of this stuff is fine and entertaining, but at some point you don't feel like you are watching a movie anymore. I mean, there are no real characters and there isn't much of a plot. I felt like I was playing a video game, and they aren't subtle about that either. The opening credits basically replay the ending of the first movie in an old-school arcade game style. The sequences in the movie seem more like levels that you have to complete in a video game. Get to the next checkpoint so you can see where you go from here... then kill the main boss at the end. It was all a very odd experience that I am still trying to digest. I liked Crank 2, but definitely not as much as the first one. Crank 2 just kept getting crazier as it went, and towards the end I had pretty much jumped off the roller coaster. I think Jason Statham does another great job, and might be the only reason I kept watching to the finish. I am gonna go ahead and not recommend this one, though it makes me sad to do so. It is just too much. However, if you do see it I would love to hear what your thoughts are.
-deric
Filed Under: Action