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{{short description|2006 American action film}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
|name = Crank
| name = Crank
|image = Crank final.jpg
| image = Crank final.jpg
| alt =
|director = [[Neveldine/Taylor]]
| caption = Theatrical release poster
|producer = [[Tom Rosenberg]]<br />[[Skip Williamson]]<br />Michael Davis<br />[[Gary Lucchesi]]<br />Richard S. Wright
|writer = Neveldine/Taylor
| director = [[Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor]]
| producer = {{Plainlist|
|starring = [[Jason Statham]]<br />[[Amy Smart]]<br />[[Jose Pablo Cantillo]]
* Michael Davis
|music = [[Paul Haslinger]]
* [[Gary Lucchesi]]
|cinematography = [[Adam Biddle (cinematographer)|Adam Biddle]]
* [[Tom Rosenberg]]
|editing = [[Brian Berdan]]
* [[Skip Williamson (producer)|Skip Williamson]]
|studio = [[Lakeshore Entertainment]]<br />[[Lions Gate Entertainment|Lionsgate]]<br />[[@radical.media]]<!--per poster credits-->
* Richard S. Wright
|distributor = Lionsgate<br />Lakeshore Entertainment<!--per poster credits-->
}}
|released = {{Film date|2006|9|1}}
| writer = Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
|runtime = 88 minutes<ref name=imdb>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0479884/</ref>
| starring = {{Plainlist|
|language = English
* [[Jason Statham]]
|budget = $12 million<ref name=mojo/>
* [[Amy Smart]]
|gross = $42,931,041<ref name="mojo">{{cite web |title=Crank |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=crank.htm |work=[[Box Office Mojo]] |accessdate=1 March 2015}}</ref>
* [[Jose Pablo Cantillo]]
* [[Efren Ramirez]]
* [[Dwight Yoakam]]
}}
| music = [[Paul Haslinger]]
| cinematography = [[Adam Biddle (cinematographer)|Adam Biddle]]
| editing = [[Brian Berdan]]
| production_companies = {{Plainlist|<!--per poster credits-->
* [[Lakeshore Entertainment]]
* [[RadicalMedia]]
}}
| distributor = [[Lionsgate Films|Lionsgate]]
| released = {{Film date|2006|09|01}}
| runtime = 87 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 87:52--><ref>{{cite web | url=http://bbfc.co.uk/releases/crank-3 | title=''CRANK'' (18) | work=[[British Board of Film Classification]] | date=August 1, 2006 | access-date=April 8, 2015}}</ref>
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $12 million<ref name="mojo" />
| gross = $42.9 million<ref name="mojo">{{cite web |title=Crank |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=crank.htm |work=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref>
}}
}}


'''''Crank''''' is a 2006 American [[black comedy]]/[[action film]] written and directed by [[Neveldine/Taylor|Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor]] and starring [[Jason Statham]], [[Amy Smart]] and [[Jose Pablo Cantillo]].
'''''Crank''''' is a 2006 American [[action film]] directed by [[Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor]] (in their directorial debut). It stars [[Jason Statham]], [[Amy Smart]], [[Jose Pablo Cantillo]], [[Efren Ramirez]] and [[Dwight Yoakam]]. The title of the film comes from a slang word for [[methamphetamine]]. In the film, Chev Chelios (Statham), a [[Los Angeles|LA]]–based assassin, is poisoned by a synthetic drug and must keep his [[adrenaline]] flowing constantly to keep himself alive, while trying to track down the culprits responsible for poisoning him. It was followed by a sequel titled ''[[Crank: High Voltage]]''.


==Plot==
The plot centers on a British [[hitman]] in [[Los Angeles]] named Chev Chelios who is poisoned and must keep his [[adrenaline]] flowing constantly in order to keep himself alive. He does so by various methods including taking drugs and getting into fights, while he tries to track down the man who poisoned him. The title of the film comes from the slang word for [[methamphetamine]].
Chev Chelios, an [[Los Angeles|L.A.]]–based hitman, works under Don "Carlito" Carlos's crime empire. Chelios is contracted by Carlito to kill Don Kim, a mafia boss, as members of the [[Triad (organized crime)|Triads]] have been encroaching on Carlito's business. Chelios goes to Don Kim and apparently kills him. In the confusion, Ricky Verona, an ambitious small-time criminal, uses the opportunity to conspire with Carlito against Chelios: Verona will kill Chelios so the Triads won't retaliate, and then take Chelios's place as Carlito's newly hired gun.


While Chelios sleeps in his apartment, Verona and his brother Alex, along with several henchmen break into the apartment and inject Chelios with a Chinese [[synthetic drug]], which inhibits the flow of [[adrenaline]], slowing the heart and eventually killing the victim. Chelios wakes to find a recording left by Verona showing what he has done. A furious Chelios calls Doc Miles, a mafia surgeon, and Miles informs Chelios that to survive he must keep his adrenaline pumping through constant excitement and danger and is unsure if the antidote exists.
== Plot synopsis ==
Chev Chelios ([[Jason Statham]]) is a [[Los Angeles]]-based [[England|English]] [[hitman]], working for a [[Organized crime|Crime Syndicate]] headed by Carlito ([[Carlos Sanz]]). Chelios is contracted by Carlito to kill mafia boss Don Kim ([[Keone Young]]) as members of the [[Triad (underground society)|Triads]] have been encroaching on Carlito's business. Carlito betrays Chelios by making it appear he assassinated Don Kim on his own, without his authorisation. Ricky Verona ([[Jose Pablo Cantillo]]), an ambitious small-time criminal uses the opportunity to conspire with Carlito against Chelios; Verona will kill Chelios so the Triads do not retaliate, and then take Chelios's place as Carlito's new hired gun. While Chelios sleeps in his apartment, Verona, his brother Alex (Jay Xcala), and several henchmen break in and inject Chelios with a Chinese synthetic drug which inhibits the flow of adrenaline, slowing the heart and eventually killing the victim. Chelios wakes to find a recording left by Verona showing what he has done.


Chelios keeps up his adrenaline through risky and dangerous acts, which include picking fights with other gangsters and police, reckless driving and motorcycling, taking illegal drugs and synthetic epinephrine and having public sex with his girlfriend Eve. Chelios visits Carlito at his penthouse and asks him to help find an antidote as well as to find and kill Verona and his crew. Carlito says there is no antidote and only confirms that Carlito and Verona are working together. Carlito tells Chelios that he will use his death as a scapegoat against the Chinese.
Chelios phones [[Mafia]] physician Doc Miles ([[Dwight Yoakam]]), who informs Chelios that in order to survive he must keep his adrenaline pumping through constant excitement and danger.Chelios his adrenaline up through reckless and dangerous acts like picking fights with other gangsters, taking illegal drugs and synthetic epinephrine, fighting with police, stealing a police officer's motorcycle, having sex with his girlfriend in public, and driving his car through a shopping mall.


Chelios visits Carlito at his penthouse and asks him to help find an antidote, as well as to find and kill Verona and his crew. Carlito says there is no antidote and only confirms that Carlito and Verona are working together. Carlito tells Chelios how he will use his death as a scapegoat against the Chinese. An angered Chelios leaves Carlito's penthouse to find Verona. Through Chelios' street contact, a transvestite named Kaylo ([[Efren Ramirez]]), he finds Alex at a restaurant and unsuccessfully interrogates him about his brother's whereabouts before killing him. Chelios phones Verona through Alex's phone and tells him about of his brother's death, prompting Verona to send thugs after Eve as a revenge. Chelios rushes to pick up Eve before Verona's thugs get to her. Chelios reveals his true profession to her and that he spared Don Kim's life because he wanted to quit the syndicate and spend more time with her.
An angered Chelios leaves Carlito's penthouse to find Verona. Through a [[crossdresser]] named Kaylo, Chelios finds Alex at a restaurant and unsuccessfully interrogates him about his brother's whereabouts before killing him. Chelios phones Verona through Alex's phone and tells him of his brother's death, prompting Verona to send thugs after Eve as revenge. Chelios rushes to pick up Eve before Verona's thugs get to her. Chelios reveals his true profession to her and that he was planning to retire to spend more time with her. Kaylo, who has been kidnapped by Carlito's men, is forced to call Chelios and tell him that Verona is at a Triad warehouse.


Kaylo, who has been kidnapped by Carlito's men, is forced to call Chelios and tell him that Verona is at a Triad warehouse. Chelios goes there, finding Kaylo's corpse and the henchmen. They reveal that Carlito ordered them to kill Chelios. Eve, who has followed Chelios, unexpectedly arrives, but then escapes with Chelios after a shootout with Carlito's henchmen. Chelios and Eve go to Doc Miles's place, where Miles explains that he cannot cure Chelios. Knowing that he will die soon, Chelios decides to take his revenge on Verona and arranges a meeting with him at a downtown hotel.
Chelios goes there, finding Kaylo's corpse and the henchmen. They reveal that Carlito ordered them to kill Chelios. Eve, who has followed Chelios, unexpectedly arrives, but then escapes with Chelios after a shootout with Carlito's henchmen. Chelios and Eve go to Doc Miles's place, where Miles explains that he cannot cure Chelios. Knowing that he will die soon, Chelios decides to take his revenge on Verona and arranges a meeting with him at a downtown hotel. Chelios goes to the rooftop of the hotel and meets with Verona, Carlito and his henchmen.


Chelios goes to the rooftop of the hotel and meets with Verona, Carlito, and his henchmen. Carlito takes out a [[syringe]], filled with the same poison used by Verona. As he is about to kill Chelios by injecting the second dose into him, Don Kim arrives with his Triads to assist Chelios and a [[shootout]] follows. During the battle, several of Don Kim's and all of Carlito's men are killed. Carlito tries to escape with his private [[helicopter]], but Chelios manages to catch up to him and holds him at gunpoint. Before Chelios can kill Carlito, Verona sneaks behind and injects Chelios with the syringe, after which Chelios collapses. Carlito himself is betrayed by Verona, who shoots him to death and then tries to escape with his helicopter.
Carlito takes out a [[syringe]], filled with the same poison, and is about to kill Chelios by injecting the second dose into him, but Don Kim, who is alive as Chelios spared him, arrives with his Triads to assist Chelios and a shootout follows. During the battle, several of Don Kim's and all of Carlito's men are killed. Carlito tries to escape with his private helicopter, but Chelios manages to catch up to him and holds him at gunpoint. Before Chelios can kill Carlito, Verona sneaks behind and injects Chelios with the syringe after which Chelios collapses.


Chelios manages to stand up, boards the helicopter, and engages in a fight with Verona. After some struggle, Chelios manages to pull Verona out of the helicopter and while mid-air, Chelios proceeds to snap Verona's neck, killing him. While falling, Chelios calls Eve on his cell phone to apologize for not coming back. Chelios hits a car, bounces off it and lands right in front of the camera. In the last shot, it is implied that his adrenaline is indeed still flowing fast; his nostrils flare, he blinks, and two heartbeats are heard.
Carlito is betrayed by Verona, who shoots him dead and tries to escape with his helicopter. However, Chelios manages to board the helicopter and engages in a fight with Verona. After some struggle, Chelios manages to pull Verona out of the helicopter. While mid-air, Chelios proceeds to snap Verona's neck, killing him. While falling, Chelios calls Eve on his cell phone to apologize for not coming back. Chelios lands in the middle of an intersection, [[Crank: High Voltage|but manages to survive the fall.]]


== Cast ==
==Cast==
* [[Jason Statham]] as Chev Chelios
* [[Jason Statham]] as Chev Chelios
* [[Amy Smart]] as Eve Lydon
* [[Amy Smart]] as Eve Lydon
Line 44: Line 64:
* [[Keone Young]] as Don Kim
* [[Keone Young]] as Don Kim
* [[Reno Wilson]] as Orlando
* [[Reno Wilson]] as Orlando
* [[Edi Gathegi]] as Haitian Cabbie
* [[Sam Witwer]] as Henchman
* Jay Xcala as Alex Verona
* [[Chester Bennington]] as Pharmacy stoner (cameo)
* [[Glenn Howerton]] as Doctor
* [[Valarie Rae Miller]] as Chocolate
* [[Noel Gugliemi]] as Warehouse Rooftop Hood


== Production ==
==Production==
The film was written in 2003 with [[Johnny Knoxville]] in mind for the lead role, but [[Jason Statham]] came on board. Rather than being shot on [[35 mm movie film|35mm film]] like most films at the time, the filmmakers of ''Crank'' opted to shoot on digital videotape, using [[Canon XL2]] and [[CineAlta|Sony CineAlta HDC-F950]] cameras.<ref name="Zitron">{{cite web |date=2019 |author=Ed Zitron |title=Gamer Was A Batshit Great Bad Movie That Was A Decade Ahead Of Its Time |url=https://deadspin.com/gamer-was-a-batshit-great-bad-movie-that-was-a-decade-a-1833034814 |website=Deadspin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304205154/https://theconcourse.deadspin.com/gamer-was-a-batshit-great-bad-movie-that-was-a-decade-a-1833034814 |archive-date=2019-03-04 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The film was shot on-location in [[Los Angeles]]. Co-directors [[Mark Neveldine]] and [[Brian Taylor (filmmaker)|Brian Taylor]] operated both "a" and "b" cameras, where one would get a wide shot and the other would get a close-up shot. [[Jason Statham]] did all of his own fight and car stunts, including the fight with Verona in a helicopter 3,000 feet above Los Angeles.<ref name="Lionsgate">{{cite web |title =Crank |work = Lionsgate:Crank|url = http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/3700/notes.pdf |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080407132553/http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/3700/notes.pdf |archivedate=April 7, 2008 |accessdate = September 16, 2007|format = PDF}}</ref>


The film was shot on location in [[Los Angeles]]. Co-directors [[Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor]] operated both "A" and "B" cameras, where one would get a wide shot and the other would get a close-up shot. Statham did all fight and car stunts on his own, including the fight in a helicopter 3,000 feet above [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="Lionsgate">{{cite web |title =Crank |work = Lionsgate:Crank|url = http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/3700/notes.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080407132553/http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/3700/notes.pdf |archive-date=April 7, 2008 |access-date = September 16, 2007}}</ref>
''Crank'' has a number of notable references to [[video game]]s, especially the early ''[[Grand Theft Auto (series)|Grand Theft Auto]]'' series. In the opening credits there are flashes of arcade machine [[boot up]] sequences, and also the [[high score]] table of ''[[Robotron: 2084]]'' (1982) is briefly displayed. Another example of this is Verona's sidekick is seen playing ''[[Berzerk (video game)|Berzerk]]'' (1980) in the car. The humanoid graphic of ''Berzerk'' is also displayed on the male toilet door Chev enters. At one point, Chev tells Eve that he is not actually a video game programmer. A short post credits sequence shows Chev running and shooting through a [[16-bit]] style world drawn by [[Pixel art|pixel artist]] Miguel Sternberg and produced/directed by [[imdbname:2395217|David Marks]] at Silverbirch Studios in Toronto.


=== Soundtrack ===
===Music===
The [[soundtrack]] for the film was released on August 22, 2006. [[Allmusic]] gave the album three out of five, stating "What is here is imaginative, creative, and head-scratchingly cool. While it's a very tacky and overly obvious thing indeed to end with the Jefferson Starship tune "[[Miracles (Jefferson Starship song)|Miracles]]" (why not just give away the ending, huh?), this set is pretty much unassailable."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/crank-mw0000562147 |title=Crank |last=Jurek |first=Thom |work=[[Allmusic]] |access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref>
The soundtrack for the film was released on August 22, 2006. [[Allmusic]] gave the album three out of five, stating "What is here is imaginative, creative and head-scratchingly cool. While it's a very tacky and overly obvious thing indeed to end with the Jefferson Starship tune '[[Miracles (Jefferson Starship song)|Miracles]]' (why not just give away the ending, huh?), this set is pretty much unassailable."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/crank-mw0000562147 |title=Crank |last=Jurek |first=Thom |work=[[Allmusic]] |access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref>
{{Track listing
{{Track listing
| collapsed = yes
| title1= ''A Warrior's Death''
| title1= ''A Warrior's Death''
| length1= 0:13
| length1= 0:13
Line 122: Line 148:
}}
}}


== Marketing ==
==Marketing==
Directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, along with actors Jason Statham and Efren Ramirez, appeared at the 2006 [[Comic-Con International|Comic-Con Convention]] in [[San Diego, California]]. The panel showed a short clip and promoted the film, mentioning that it was shot in [[HDV|HD]] and that no wires or [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] were used for the stunt scenes.<ref>{{cite web |title = CON: Lionsgate panel |url = http://joblo.com/index.php?id=12183 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20120729055535/http://www.joblo.com/?id=12183 |archivedate=29 July 2012 |work = [[JoBlo.com]] |accessdate = 1 March 2015}}</ref>
[[Neveldine/Taylor]], along with [[Jason Statham]] and [[Efren Ramirez]], appeared at the 2006 [[Comic-Con International|Comic-Con Convention]] in [[San Diego, California]]. The panel showed a short clip and promoted the film, mentioning that it was shot in [[HDV|HD]] and that no wires or [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] were used for the stunt scenes.<ref>{{cite web |title = CON: Lionsgate panel |url = http://joblo.com/index.php?id=12183 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729055535/http://www.joblo.com/?id=12183 |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |work = [[JoBlo.com]] |access-date = 1 March 2015}}</ref> The filmmakers also made extensive use of [[Online advertising|web advertisement]] to promote the film. [[Lionsgate Films|Lionsgate]] bought a featured spot on the home page of [[YouTube]] and paid several of its well-known members to advertise.


==Reception==
The filmmakers also made extensive use of web advertisement to promote the film. Lions Gate Films bought a featured spot on the home page of [[YouTube]] and paid several of its well-known members to advertise.{{cn|date=March 2015}}
===Box office===
''Crank'' opened on September 1, 2006, in North America in 2,515 theaters. It grossed $10,457,367 on its opening weekend and was ranked at No. 2 at the box office, behind ''[[Invincible (2006 film)|Invincible]]''. The film ended up grossing $27,838,408 domestically and $15,092,633 internationally for a total of $42,931,041, on a $12 million production budget.<ref name=mojo />


== Release ==
===Critical response===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film holds an approval rating of 62% based on 99 reviews, with an average rating of 6.10/10. The website's consensus for the film reads, "''Crank''{{'s}} assaultive style and gleeful depravity may turn off casual action fans, but audiences seeking a strong dose of adrenaline will be thrilled by Jason Statham's raucous race against mortality."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crank/ |title=Crank (2006) |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=February 8, 2023 }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]] the film has a [[weighted mean|weighted average score]] of 57 out of 100 based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/crank |title=Crank |work=[[Metacritic]] |access-date= 1 March 2015 }}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade "C+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= CRANK (2006) C+ |work= [[CinemaScore]] |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 2018-12-20 }}</ref>


Lionsgate chose not to screen the film for critics or the press prior to its theatrical release.<ref>Souter, Collin. [https://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/not-screened-for-critics-remembering-a-very-special-labor-day "Not Screened For Critics: Remembering ...."] ''RogerEbert.com''. 29 August 2019. 29 August 2019.</ref> Some filmmakers and actors singled out ''Crank'' (and its sequel) among their favorite Statham films, including [[Seth Rogen]], [[Rupert Grint]], [[Simon Pegg]], [[James McAvoy]], [[Edgar Wright]] and [[Gareth Evans (director)|Gareth Evans]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The "What's Your Favourite Jason Statham movie?" database |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/jason-statham/28471/the-whats-your-favourite-jason-statham-movie-database |website=Den of Geek! |publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]] |date=September 16, 2016 |access-date=10 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lambie |first1=Ryan |title=Gareth Evans & Iko Uwais interview: The Raid 2, violence and more |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-raid-2/29991/gareth-evans-and-iko-uwais-interview-the-raid-2-violence-and-more |website=[[Den of Geek]] |publisher=Dennis Publishing |date=April 8, 2014 |access-date=10 May 2019}}</ref>
=== Box Office ===
''Crank'' opened on September 1 2006 in North America in 2,515 theaters and grossed $10,457,367 with an average of $4,157 per theater and ranking at No.2 at the box office. The film ended up grossing $27,838,408 domestically and $15,092,633 internationally for a total of $42,931,041, on a $12 million production budget.<ref name=mojo/>


=== Critical response ===
=== Home media ===
The [[DVD region code#2|region 2]] version of the [[DVD]] was released December 26, 2006, but initially had no special features. The [[DVD region code#1|region 1 DVD]] was released by [[Lions Gate Entertainment|Lionsgate]] on January 9, 2007. The DVD is available in separate [[Anamorphic widescreen|widescreen]] and [[Fullscreen (filmmaking)|fullscreen]] editions, each with [[Dolby Digital]] 5.1 and 2.0 tracks. The bonus materials includes running cast and crew audio commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, gags, maps, making-of insights and interviews with the cast. These features are all accessible via the "Crank'd Out Mode" – a [[pop-up window]] feature that allows access to the extras without ever leaving the film. The DVD also includes a "family friendly" audio replacement in which the film is dubbed over as it would appear on a [[television broadcast]], but the violence, language subtitles and nudity are still the same.
''Crank'' received mixed to positive reviews from critics and has a rating of 61% on [[Rotten tomatoes]] based on 92 reviews with an average score of 6 out of 10. The consensus states "It's a film about a guy injected with Speed... wait, there's no bus. It's a film about a guy who has to kick a bunch of squirmy butt to stay alive... wait, no snakes or planes here. But it is a film about doing lots of drugs and pulling lots of punches, and it entertains accordingly."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crank/ |title=Crank (2006) |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref> The film also has a score of 57 out of 100 on [[Metacritic]] based on 19 reviews indicating 'Mixed or average reviews'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/crank |title=Crank |work=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref>


==Video game==
=== Related media ===
A [[J2ME]] Crank game was developed by [[Silverbirch Studios]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.silverbirchmobile.com/development/games/crank.php |title=Crank |work=[[Silverbirch Studios]] |access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/Asian_MobileLink/Crank_mobile_game/prweb471492.htm |title=Asian MobileLink to Distribute 'Crank' Mobile Game in Asia |work=PR Web |date=6 November 2006 |access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref>
A [[J2ME]] game was developed by [[Silverbirch Studios]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.silverbirchmobile.com/development/games/crank.php |title=Crank |work=[[Silverbirch Studios]] |access-date=1 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402155512/http://www.silverbirchmobile.com/development/games/crank.php |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.prweb.com/releases/Asian_MobileLink/Crank_mobile_game/prweb471492.htm |archive-url= https://archive.today/20150301171533/http://www.prweb.com/releases/Asian_MobileLink/Crank_mobile_game/prweb471492.htm |url-status= dead |archive-date= March 1, 2015 |title=Asian MobileLink to Distribute 'Crank' Mobile Game in Asia |via=PR Web |date=6 November 2006 |access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref>


== Home media ==
==Sequel==
The [[Region 2]] version of the [[DVD]] was released December 26, 2006, but initially had no special features. The [[Region 1]] DVD was released by [[Lions Gate Entertainment|Lionsgate]] on January 9, 2007. This DVD is available in separate [[anamorphic widescreen]] and [[Fullscreen (filmmaking)|fullscreen]] editions, each with [[Dolby Digital]] 5.1 and 2.0 tracks. The bonus materials includes running cast and crew audio commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, gags, maps, making-of insights, and interviews with the cast. These features are all accessible via the "Crank'd Out Mode" - a pop-up window feature that allows access to the extras without ever leaving the film. The DVD also includes a "family friendly" audio replacement, in which the film is dubbed over as it would appear on a television broadcast. However, the violence, language subtitles, and nudity are still the same.

== Sequel ==
{{main|Crank: High Voltage}}
{{main|Crank: High Voltage}}
A sequel titled ''Crank: High Voltage'' was released in 2009.


==References==
''Crank: High Voltage'' is the 2009 sequel to ''Crank''. It picks up seconds after the first film left off. It seems that the poison in Chelios' body has worn off, but retains the gimmick of the first installment; he now has an artificial heart which he must keep charged with electricity to stay alive.
{{Reflist}}


== References ==
==External links==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Wikiquote}}


== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0479884|Crank}}
* {{IMDb title|0479884|Crank}}
* {{AllRovi movie|335516|Crank}}
* {{TCMDb title|643889|Crank}}
* {{metacritic film|id = crank|title = Crank}}
* {{AFI film|63762}}
* {{Metacritic film|title=Crank}}
* {{Mojo title|crank|Crank}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|crank|Crank}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|crank|Crank}}
* {{mojo title|id = crank|title = Crank}}


{{Crank (film series)}}
{{Neveldine/Taylor}}
{{Neveldine/Taylor}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Crank (Film)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crank (Film)}}
[[Category:2006 films]]
[[Category:2006 films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:2006 action thriller films]]
[[Category:2000s action thriller films]]
[[Category:2000s crime thriller films]]
[[Category:American action thriller films]]
[[Category:American action thriller films]]
[[Category:American black comedy films]]
[[Category:Films about contract killing in the United States]]
[[Category:American crime thriller films]]
[[Category:Films about drugs]]
[[Category:Mafia films]]
[[Category:Films about organized crime in the United States]]
[[Category:Heroic bloodshed films]]
[[Category:Directorial debut films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Neveldine/Taylor]]
[[Category:Films directed by Neveldine/Taylor]]
[[Category:Films set in Los Angeles, California]]
[[Category:Films produced by Gary Lucchesi]]
[[Category:Films shot in Los Angeles, California]]
[[Category:Films produced by Tom Rosenberg]]
[[Category:Films set in 2005]]
[[Category:Films set in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Films shot in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Neveldine/Taylor]]
[[Category:Lakeshore Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Lakeshore Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Lions Gate Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Lionsgate films]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Paul Haslinger]]
[[Category:2006 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:Triad films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:2000s Hong Kong films]]
[[Category:English-language action thriller films]]

Latest revision as of 19:41, 21 December 2024

Crank
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Written byMark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAdam Biddle
Edited byBrian Berdan
Music byPaul Haslinger
Production
companies
Distributed byLionsgate
Release date
  • September 1, 2006 (2006-09-01)
Running time
87 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12 million[2]
Box office$42.9 million[2]

Crank is a 2006 American action film directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (in their directorial debut). It stars Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Efren Ramirez and Dwight Yoakam. The title of the film comes from a slang word for methamphetamine. In the film, Chev Chelios (Statham), a LA–based assassin, is poisoned by a synthetic drug and must keep his adrenaline flowing constantly to keep himself alive, while trying to track down the culprits responsible for poisoning him. It was followed by a sequel titled Crank: High Voltage.

Plot

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Chev Chelios, an L.A.–based hitman, works under Don "Carlito" Carlos's crime empire. Chelios is contracted by Carlito to kill Don Kim, a mafia boss, as members of the Triads have been encroaching on Carlito's business. Chelios goes to Don Kim and apparently kills him. In the confusion, Ricky Verona, an ambitious small-time criminal, uses the opportunity to conspire with Carlito against Chelios: Verona will kill Chelios so the Triads won't retaliate, and then take Chelios's place as Carlito's newly hired gun.

While Chelios sleeps in his apartment, Verona and his brother Alex, along with several henchmen break into the apartment and inject Chelios with a Chinese synthetic drug, which inhibits the flow of adrenaline, slowing the heart and eventually killing the victim. Chelios wakes to find a recording left by Verona showing what he has done. A furious Chelios calls Doc Miles, a mafia surgeon, and Miles informs Chelios that to survive he must keep his adrenaline pumping through constant excitement and danger and is unsure if the antidote exists.

Chelios keeps up his adrenaline through risky and dangerous acts, which include picking fights with other gangsters and police, reckless driving and motorcycling, taking illegal drugs and synthetic epinephrine and having public sex with his girlfriend Eve. Chelios visits Carlito at his penthouse and asks him to help find an antidote as well as to find and kill Verona and his crew. Carlito says there is no antidote and only confirms that Carlito and Verona are working together. Carlito tells Chelios that he will use his death as a scapegoat against the Chinese.

An angered Chelios leaves Carlito's penthouse to find Verona. Through a crossdresser named Kaylo, Chelios finds Alex at a restaurant and unsuccessfully interrogates him about his brother's whereabouts before killing him. Chelios phones Verona through Alex's phone and tells him of his brother's death, prompting Verona to send thugs after Eve as revenge. Chelios rushes to pick up Eve before Verona's thugs get to her. Chelios reveals his true profession to her and that he was planning to retire to spend more time with her. Kaylo, who has been kidnapped by Carlito's men, is forced to call Chelios and tell him that Verona is at a Triad warehouse.

Chelios goes there, finding Kaylo's corpse and the henchmen. They reveal that Carlito ordered them to kill Chelios. Eve, who has followed Chelios, unexpectedly arrives, but then escapes with Chelios after a shootout with Carlito's henchmen. Chelios and Eve go to Doc Miles's place, where Miles explains that he cannot cure Chelios. Knowing that he will die soon, Chelios decides to take his revenge on Verona and arranges a meeting with him at a downtown hotel. Chelios goes to the rooftop of the hotel and meets with Verona, Carlito and his henchmen.

Carlito takes out a syringe, filled with the same poison, and is about to kill Chelios by injecting the second dose into him, but Don Kim, who is alive as Chelios spared him, arrives with his Triads to assist Chelios and a shootout follows. During the battle, several of Don Kim's and all of Carlito's men are killed. Carlito tries to escape with his private helicopter, but Chelios manages to catch up to him and holds him at gunpoint. Before Chelios can kill Carlito, Verona sneaks behind and injects Chelios with the syringe after which Chelios collapses.

Carlito is betrayed by Verona, who shoots him dead and tries to escape with his helicopter. However, Chelios manages to board the helicopter and engages in a fight with Verona. After some struggle, Chelios manages to pull Verona out of the helicopter. While mid-air, Chelios proceeds to snap Verona's neck, killing him. While falling, Chelios calls Eve on his cell phone to apologize for not coming back. Chelios lands in the middle of an intersection, but manages to survive the fall.

Cast

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Production

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The film was written in 2003 with Johnny Knoxville in mind for the lead role, but Jason Statham came on board. Rather than being shot on 35mm film like most films at the time, the filmmakers of Crank opted to shoot on digital videotape, using Canon XL2 and Sony CineAlta HDC-F950 cameras.[3]

The film was shot on location in Los Angeles. Co-directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor operated both "A" and "B" cameras, where one would get a wide shot and the other would get a close-up shot. Statham did all fight and car stunts on his own, including the fight in a helicopter 3,000 feet above Los Angeles.[4]

Music

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The soundtrack for the film was released on August 22, 2006. Allmusic gave the album three out of five, stating "What is here is imaginative, creative and head-scratchingly cool. While it's a very tacky and overly obvious thing indeed to end with the Jefferson Starship tune 'Miracles' (why not just give away the ending, huh?), this set is pretty much unassailable."[5]

No.TitleLength
1."A Warrior's Death"0:13
2.""Metal Health" by Quiet Riot"5:16
3."Nasal Spray"0:06
4.""Trix Are for Kids" by The Crowd"0:49
5."You Stop, You Die"0:04
6.""Bandera" by Control Machete"4:30
7."Small Children"0:06
8.""New Noise" by Refused"5:04
9."Chinese Sh*t"0:04
10.""China Town" by Paul Haslinger"1:25
11."Hardcore Sh*t"0:05
12.""Kill All The White Man" by NOFX"2:46
13.""Vitamin" by Incubus"0:04
14."Dipsy Doodle"2:47
15.""Everybody's Talkin" by Harry Nilsson"0:07
16."Adrenaline Junkie"5:33
17.""Turn Me Loose" by Loverboy"0:57
18.""Haitian Cab Ride" by Paul Haslinger"2:54
19.""Achy Breaky Heart" by Jarrett & Long"0:57
20."Check List"0:13
21.""Adrenalina" by David Rolas"4:04
22."I Kill People"0:09
23.""Bring Us Bullets" by Rocket from the Crypt"3:12
24."Eve's Machine"0:11
25.""Let's Get It On" by Gerald Levert"4:25
26.""Does She Know?" by Paul Haslinger"0:46
27.""Stayin' Alive" by The Sleeping"4:25
28."How Much?"0:04
29.""Meva Juan" by Roberto Tuscan Feat. Erica Garcia"0:55
30."Juice Me"0:24
31.""Guasa, Guasa" by Tego Calderón"5:17
32."It's a Miracle"0:05
33.""Miracles" by Jefferson Starship"6:51

Marketing

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Neveldine/Taylor, along with Jason Statham and Efren Ramirez, appeared at the 2006 Comic-Con Convention in San Diego, California. The panel showed a short clip and promoted the film, mentioning that it was shot in HD and that no wires or CGI were used for the stunt scenes.[6] The filmmakers also made extensive use of web advertisement to promote the film. Lionsgate bought a featured spot on the home page of YouTube and paid several of its well-known members to advertise.

Reception

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Box office

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Crank opened on September 1, 2006, in North America in 2,515 theaters. It grossed $10,457,367 on its opening weekend and was ranked at No. 2 at the box office, behind Invincible. The film ended up grossing $27,838,408 domestically and $15,092,633 internationally for a total of $42,931,041, on a $12 million production budget.[2]

Critical response

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On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 62% based on 99 reviews, with an average rating of 6.10/10. The website's consensus for the film reads, "Crank's assaultive style and gleeful depravity may turn off casual action fans, but audiences seeking a strong dose of adrenaline will be thrilled by Jason Statham's raucous race against mortality."[7] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[8] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade "C+" on an A+ to F scale.[9]

Lionsgate chose not to screen the film for critics or the press prior to its theatrical release.[10] Some filmmakers and actors singled out Crank (and its sequel) among their favorite Statham films, including Seth Rogen, Rupert Grint, Simon Pegg, James McAvoy, Edgar Wright and Gareth Evans.[11][12]

Home media

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The region 2 version of the DVD was released December 26, 2006, but initially had no special features. The region 1 DVD was released by Lionsgate on January 9, 2007. The DVD is available in separate widescreen and fullscreen editions, each with Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 tracks. The bonus materials includes running cast and crew audio commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, gags, maps, making-of insights and interviews with the cast. These features are all accessible via the "Crank'd Out Mode" – a pop-up window feature that allows access to the extras without ever leaving the film. The DVD also includes a "family friendly" audio replacement in which the film is dubbed over as it would appear on a television broadcast, but the violence, language subtitles and nudity are still the same.

Video game

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A J2ME game was developed by Silverbirch Studios.[13][14]

Sequel

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Main article: Crank: High Voltage

A sequel titled Crank: High Voltage was released in 2009.

References

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  1. ^ "CRANK (18)". British Board of Film Classification. August 1, 2006. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Crank". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  3. ^ Ed Zitron (2019). "Gamer Was A Batshit Great Bad Movie That Was A Decade Ahead Of Its Time". Deadspin. Archived from the original on March 4, 2019.
  4. ^ "Crank" (PDF). Lionsgate:Crank. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2008. Retrieved September 16, 2007.
  5. ^ Jurek, Thom. "Crank". Allmusic. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  6. ^ "CON: Lionsgate panel". JoBlo.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  7. ^ "Crank (2006)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  8. ^ "Crank". Metacritic. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  9. ^ "CRANK (2006) C+". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
  10. ^ Souter, Collin. "Not Screened For Critics: Remembering ...." RogerEbert.com. 29 August 2019. 29 August 2019.
  11. ^ "The "What's Your Favourite Jason Statham movie?" database". Den of Geek!. Dennis Publishing. September 16, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  12. ^ Lambie, Ryan (April 8, 2014). "Gareth Evans & Iko Uwais interview: The Raid 2, violence and more". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  13. ^ "Crank". Silverbirch Studios. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  14. ^ "Asian MobileLink to Distribute 'Crank' Mobile Game in Asia" (Press release). November 6, 2006. Archived from the original on March 1, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015 – via PR Web.
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