Crank (2006)
★★★ — Crank (2006)
Crank arrived in the summer of 2006 as the writing and directing debut of Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine, a duo who had previously worked in commercials and music videos (the kinetic, maximalist sensibility shows). Shot on a relatively modest $12 million, the film was produced through Lakeshore Entertainment and given a wide theatrical release by Lionsgate, eventually pulling in well over $40 million worldwide, enough to greenlight the 2009 sequel Crank: High Voltage. Neveldine and Taylor famously shot much of the film on consumer-grade digital cameras, with the directors themselves performing stunts on rollerblades to capture low-angle chase footage. For Statham, already established through the Guy Ritchie gangster films and The Transporter series, the role of Chev Chelios was a comfortable but energetic fit, cementing him as the go-to lead for high-concept action fare of that mid-2000s era.
Crank is absolutely bonkers, in the best and worst ways. It’s a non-stop adrenaline shot of a film, following Jason Statham as Chev Chelios, a hitman with a poison-induced slowing heart who has to keep his adrenaline up or die. The whole thing’s shot like a sensory overload (pulsing music, shaky cam, rapid cuts, neon lights) so you actually feel the panic, the rush, the desperation. It’s a genuinely unique approach to action, like someone injected a video game into a movie. Statham’s actually pretty good here, which surprised me. He leans all the way into the absurdity, doing increasingly ridiculous things while somehow keeping Chev grounded enough to root for. The story’s paper-thin, sure, but it doesn’t pretend to be anything more. It knows exactly what it is: a live-wire, 90-minute sprint with zero brakes. That said, once you get past the gimmick, it’s just… more of the same. Loud, flashy, and relentless, but not especially clever or exciting beyond the surface. As far as “turn your brain off” action goes, it’s decent, not great. It’s fun for what it is, but doesn’t leave much of a mark. Wild while it lasts, but forgettable the second it’s over.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 2006 | Watched: 2025-09-03
Where to watch (UK)
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from Brian Taylor: Crank: High Voltage (2009)
More with Jason Statham: Death Race (2008) · Crank: High Voltage (2009) · Snatch (2000)
More from the 2000s: Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) · Daredevil (2003) · Apocalypto (2006)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
More thriller: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) · Angst (1983) · The Long Walk (2025) · Punishment Park (1971)
