Hopped-up assassin Chev Chelios is back in the Red Bull-fueled ‘Crank 2: High Voltage’ - a sequel to the cult 2006 fave that left no camera trick or vulgarity unturned. Actually, I take that back – ‘Crank’ left out anal rape via shotgun but that’s what we have sequels for, right?
Reviewing the ‘Crank’ films is a tough call and highly subjective depending on the mood. I can’t (and won’t) call them good films necessarily but there’s no denying the almost pathological intent to entertain on the part of writer-directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (two guys who were no doubt all the rage in their frat houses) - who seem to ride on the high of forcing the viewer to swallow the most abrasive scenarios they can come up with. It is the film equivalent of an alley-way mugging now that I think about it.
The last frames of ‘Crank: High Voltage’ only confirms that we are but the victims to Neveldine and Taylor’s aggressors. This, of course, doesn’t make the films any less entertaining if a constant stream of vulgarities and obscenities is your thing.
‘Crank 2’ picks up right where we left off from the original with Chelios presumably falling to his death from a helicopter.
In a move that would make Bugs Bunny proud, Chelios bounces off a car and onto an L.A. street where he’s literally scooped up with a snow shovel and sent to an apartment-bound ER room for a heart transplant. Apparently triad boss Poon Dong (David Carradine going full Fu Manchu) needs a new heart and clearly Chelios is sporting one heck of a chest muscle.
With a plastic heart, Chelios escapes when Poon Dong apparently sent word that he wants another one of, ahem, Chelios’ muscles and so begins another frantic search, this time for his real heart all the while needing some ‘high voltage’ juice when his pacemaker gives out.
This means a variety of other means – getting jumped via car, a dog’s shock collar, and reuniting with girlfriend Eve (Amy Smart) for another sexual romp in public.
Besides Eve, Dwight Yoakam reprises his role as Chelios’ doctor who doles out ridiculous advice along with Efren Ramirez as the twin brother of the last pic’s character who has full body Tourette’s syndrome.
Most notable new character is the particularly grating Bai Ling as an intentionally offensive caricature of an Asian whore – a character that would probably be downright intolerable in any other movie but in ‘Crank: High Voltage’ just manages to across as mildly irritating.
There’s not a lot to say other than the plainly obvious fact that if you found something to enjoy in ‘Crank’, chances are you will find something to entertain here as it’s more of the same just, well, dumber.
If you were borderline on the first then you might well leave this flick exhausted and not all that happy about it. For myself, I enjoyed the first half but nearing the hour mark was quite ready for it all to end.
The AVC 1.85:1 1080p encode is great, however, capturing all of the directors’ visual tricks with detailed aplomb. The DTS-HD Master Audio track is equally impressive and will give your sound system quite the work out.
Ample special features start off with the ‘Crank’d Out’ picture in picture commentary which is mostly Neveldine and Taylor cracking wise from a couch but also includes various cast and crew interviews and behind the scenes footage. A lot of fun and I had an easier time watching the whole film with this on.
‘Making Crank 2’ is a lengthy 51-minute doc that goes into great detail about pre, pro and post and is definitely worth checking out for those intrigued by both the film and filmmaking in general.
‘Take 2’ highlights all the continuity errors and film gaffes because I guess, hey, if they point it out, then all good. A short gag reel finishes things off along with the cool, standard Lionsgate BD-Live features like on-screen weather, time and news gadgets and Twitter and Facebook updates. Also included is the bonus digital copy that serves as a great cupholder.
There’s some fun stuff here and it will probably make a good time with a group of friends and an abundant amount of beer so it comes with a cautious recommendation as long as you know what you’re getting in to. The Blu-ray itself is a winner with great video, audio and special features so fans of the utterly ridiculous should have no reservations picking this up.
Crank 2: High Voltage [Blu-ray] is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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