Review of Crank: High Voltage (2009) by Adam B — 14 Aug 2010

Crank was a surprise hit, and one of my favourite films of the time. It was so utterly absurd, but revelled in it, and went against convention and good taste with such vehemence and drive that, much like Chev Chelios himself, it was going to hunt you down and batter you into blissful submission.

When I heard a second was on the way I had a few reservations. After seeing it, I must admit, they were partially justified. Yes it has momenst of fun, and some of the stunts it pulls do make you laugh, shout and wince in equal measure, but lurking underneath it all this is a film that is running out of steam fast and it doesn't have the energy and shock value of the first to fully pull it through.

It is a collection of ideas disregarded from the first film (some work, some don't) lashed together with the intention to be even sillier than the first, but forgetting that crank's silliness was fresh, whereas this films silliness is just a bit, well, silly.

It doesn't grab you, so much as prod you, which does start to get annoying after a while. I did enjoy the ride whilst on it, but watching it simply reminds you how good the first one was, which is usually the mark of a poor sequel.

So, Crank 2 can't be said to be waste of time, for either them or us, but in it's attmpt to overcome an impossible task, it's failure was inevitable. Still, there is always the chance of number 3, and you should never write off Chev Chelios.