CRANK
US, 2006, 87 minutes, Colour.
Jason Statham, Amy Smart.
Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.
There must be a niche market for this kind of action plus show: maybe gang leaders, assassins, psychopathic thugs who can watch the behaviour of Jason Statham, the ‘hero’ of Crank, and think, ‘I could be a thug like that when I grow up’.
This is one of those films where you need to make a distinction between form and content. Crank will get top reviews if attention is given solely to form. It is extraordinarily fast-paced, with rapid editing cuts, split screens and no wasting time. It has a self-confident bravura.
As regards content, Statham’s assassin, who like the hero of the classic DOA story, has been poisoned and has only a short time to live, is desperate to find a remedy or an antidote. His doctor tells him that what will keep him alive is keeping his heart pumping. His attitude then is of complete recklessness and disregard of anyone who gets in his way. He speeds through and smashes through a shopping mall. He crashes into people in the street. He blithely knocks doctors and nurses flying in a hospital as well as desperately ill patients. They don’t matter. All that matters is that he keeps the adrenalin pumping. The action becomes more and more absurd, including a ludicrous public sex episode and a finale fight on a helicopter and some free falling (where he actually uses his mobile). Some of the dialogue is tongue-in-cheek and the screenplay has TV and police acknowledging the mayhem and injuries he has caused.
But a self-absorbed, thuggish hero like this…?
1. The audience for the film? Action fans? Potential thugs!
2. The form of the film: swift pace, action, editing? Musical score? Pounding? An adrenalin form? Audiences responding favourably?
3. The content, the focus on the criminal? The wakening, watching himself on the screen, the threats from Verona? His being poisoned? His reaction, self-absorbed, desperate? Keeping the adrenalin pumping? The phone calls to the doctor? His going on the rampage, the car, smashing through the mall, crashing into people at the café? Going to the hospital, tossing doctors out of the way, disguised as a patient, upsetting the patients? No regard for anyone? His going to the club, threatening and the blacks pulling their guns on him? His getting away? Going to the warehouse, the shoot-out? The confrontation with the Mafia? The revelation that he did not kill the Chinese boss? His wanting to reform? Going to Eve’s place, going out with her, the sex in the public place? The absurd behaviour? Her following him, the warehouse, the shoot-out, down the fire escape? His continued pursuit, getting Verona, the attack on his brother and severing his hand? Going to the roof of the building, the helicopter, the fight, the free-fall, using his mobile phone, crashing to his death? What kind of hero?
4. Eve, lackadaisical, not taking anything seriously, getting ready, delays, the phone call, his spilling her purse, avoiding the shooting? The sexual encounter, her reaction? Following him to the warehouse? Believing him?
5. Verona, criminal, ambitions, the poison? The communications, the television, the phone? The final face-to-face confrontation, falling from the helicopter, his death?
6. His contacts, their being tortured, stakeouts?
7. The criminals, the gangs, the violence? Los Angeles and the triads? The Mafia?
8. The television, the comments – and the comment on the mayhem and the bodily injuries?
9. The overall value and effect of this kind of film?
