If you thoughtJason Stathamcouldn’t possibly top the madness ofCrank, just wait until you see what’s powering his heart inCrank: High Voltage. The 2009 sequel to the cult action hit is not only flying high on streaming charts — it’s also heading back to theaters for one night only. That’s right:Crank: High Voltagewill screen at Alamo Drafthouse in Raleigh on June 25 for one night only. Why would you wanna see it? Well, let’s go back to the first movie.
Yes, this is the one where Statham’s Chev Chelios falls out of a helicopterat the end of the first movie and somehow survives. But that’s only the beginning. InCrank 2, Chev wakes up to find that his heart has been stolen by Chinese gangsters and replaced with a battery-powered artificial heart that only runs for an hour unless he keeps electrocuting himself. Car batteries, tasers, power lines — if it conducts electricity,Chev’s slamming his chest into it.And that’s just before breakfast.
The cast is stacked with returning players and wild cameos.Amy Smart(Held Hostage in My House),Clifton Collins Jr.(Red, White & Royal Blue),Efren Ramirez(Due Justice),Bai Ling(Desert Fiends),David Carradine(Kill Bill),Dwight Yoakam(Cry Macho), and former Spice GirlGeri Halliwell. The movie is also chock-full of cameos, and features celebrities likeGlenn Howerton,Ed Powers,Nick Manning,Lexington Steele,Ron Jeremy,Lloyd Kaufman,Keith Jardine,Jenna Haze,and the lateChester Bennington.
Is ‘Crank: High Voltage’ Worth Seeing?
WhileCrank: High Voltageonly boasts a 64% onRotten Tomatoes, critics were mostly on the same page: the movie delivers on its promise of pure, unfiltered chaos.Alexander Larmanof The Guardian called it “mean-spirited unpleasantness,” which, depending on your taste, is either a red flag or a rave review. Either way, the movie knows exactly what it is — a high-octane, no-holds-barred thrill ride that dials everything up to 11.
Directed byMark NeveldineandBrian Taylor, a duo that branded themselves “Neveldine/Taylor” like a boutique law firm of mayhem,Crank: High Voltageis their follow-up to the originalCrank. The duo later brought their unfiltered energy toGamer,Jonah Hex,andGhost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, and their style — kinetic camerawork, surreal editing, and pitch-black humor — was arguably never more unhinged than here.
So if you’re in the mood for a movie where Jason Statham literally jumpstarts his own heart using jumper cables, pencil in June 25.Crank: High Voltageis coming back to fry your brain — again.
Crank: High Voltage
