Crank: High Voltage (2009)
★★ / ★★★★

At this point, I can enjoy just about any movie that Jason Statham stars in because even though most of them are mindless, they’re fun to watch. Statham is as charismatic as ever for his return as Chev Chelios, a hitman who gets caught up with gangsters who (literally) stole his heart. In order to survive, he must constantly charge his artificial heart which only lasts for about an hour. Half of the fun about this picture was the lead character trying to look for ways to charge his life force. The film is lewd, crude and downright crazy because even rubbing up against people could create enough electricity for him to survive. However, even I have to admit that I enjoyed this sequel less than the original for a few reasons. Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the writers and directors, brought back certain characters from the original only to kill them off almost instantly. When a character did come back and survived, the character was not utilized in such a way that they could push the film forward. Therefore, there were many points in the film when it felt stuck even though the characters were kinetic in purpose and movement. I liked the campiness of the film but there were also times when it was too campy. In fact, there was a scene when it tried to summon Godzilla parodies. As adventurous as it was, it was dead on arrival for me because the violence that was being portrayed on screen was not funny, which was unlike the rest of the movie when everything else was cartoonish. In fact, that fighting sequence should have been quite epic, in my opinion, despite Johnny Vang (Art Hsu) being a simple-minded henchmen, because Statham’s character spent more than half of the film trying to chase him. Other actors that returned were Amy Smart as the girlfriend, Dwight Yoakam as Doc Miles, Efren Ramirez as Venus (who played Kaylo in the first), and Keone Young as Don Kim. I enjoyed this film’s enthusiasm to entertain but I ultimately have to give it a mediocre rating because it needed to have more focus instead of just aiming to be all over the place. Even though the first one was crazy, it tried to tell a story. On the other hand, “Crank: High Voltage” just felt like a series of random scenes pasted together which did not make sense as a whole.

Because you love it.

It was a decade ago when the indie cult classic hit the world and caused an international fan base on one hand and a number of sceptical viewers and critics calling it unworthy of cult status on the other. 10 years since ‘The Boondock Saints‘ was released, with a budget of $8million and a gross revenue of not even double that, the film with it’s unique and perceptive story became a must see everywhere.

However, I bring news. Good, or bad depending on your view, but news all the same. ‘The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day‘ has finally arrived, or rather it’s about to arrive, can you Guess? October 30th, that’s right, Halloween. However, here comes the bad news… The film, based on it’s predecessors cinematic activity is only available for a limited release… In U.S.A. Unlike it’s predecessor though, it’s fairly certain that the film will soon after become widely available all over the world, and in turn DVD release.

The film has a secret of its own to provide though, as all but one of the original cast are back for even more gunslinging; god-loving, evil-eradicating action than the prequel. Including; Sean Patrick-Flanery (Simply Irresistable, D-Tox, Savage Planet), Norman Reedus (American Gangster, Hero Wanted, Pandorum), Billy Connolly (The Man Who Sued God, The Last Samurai, A Series Of Unfortunate Events) and some brand new members, such as the lovely Julie Benz (Rambo, Held Hostage, and TV’s Dexter) and Clifton Collins Jr. (Capote, Crank 2: High Voltage, Star Trek). This is one to see for certain my friends, I hope you enjoy the trailer.

I’ll put up my review on this tomorrow. But as a preview I thought it was awesome. Ridiculous, over-the-top, but tons of fun!

Been wanting to see Crank: High Voltage for awhile now since I liked the first one.  This one is way better than the first.  I has the same crazy over the top action and comedy, but turned way up.  This movie is very fast paced, the characters are crazy over the top and there are some really funny moments.  I liked this movie.  You have to suspend disbelief.  That is what it make it fun.  It has an R rating for a reason.  Lot of violence and what not.  That stuff is fine but the comedy makes this movie.  I haven’t seen any like this movie before.  Don’t want to give any of that stuff way.

This is a great movie if you suspend disbelief and just have fun watching it. Oh, and the comedy is pretty wacky.

4 out of 5 GT (GT = Good Times)

Thanks to Tammy for sending me an interactive link on MySpace for your pleasure.  It’s the Crank movies’ official MySpace profile with a bunch of fun stuff. 

Also in the news, ‘Snatch’ is going to be released in Blu-ray on December 1st.  Some features include commentary by Guy Ritchie and his producer, a making-of featurette, deleted scenes, optional commentary and…most funny…Pikey subtitles.

Nur zur Info

Wem Teil 1 gefallen hat, für den ist Teil 2 ein absolutes Muss! Nur noch geil der Film

Allein schon Amy Smart ^^

My weekend had evaporated into thin air and I was steadily approaching the most hated of days, Monday. Mondays always fill me with dread and I can always be assured of a poor nights sleep prior to boot. I was feeling rather listless and bored, just waiting for the weekend to end, so I decided to take a gamble and have a bit of fun (or so I hoped). I had seen Crank on DVD, and rather unusually, had actually enjoyed it. It was a movie with a wholly original plot, great characters and I was surprised to find great tongue in cheek humorous dialogue running through it.

I was determined to catch the sequel in the cinema this time. I cajoled my father in law into joining me on this escapade, as the ladies of the family were indulging their own passions with a ‘ladies’ night at home, with two frightfully feminine movies. He decided that going with me to see Crank 2; High Voltage, was preferable to the feminine torture of a ladies night. We were totally unsure of what to expect this Sunday night.

From the start, this movie will surprise even the most steadfast of cinema goers. The opening credits are designed to appear in the style of a classic arcade game, with the end sequence of the first movie shown in cartoon motion. This was quite an unusual opening and served to heighten the excitement of the rapidly approaching movie. I knew we were going to be utterly shocked to the core, in a good way, and I was not wrong either!’ Chev Chelios’ (played by the enigmatic powerhouse that is Jason Statham of Transporter 1,2,3 vintage) is the main character and the movie effectively revolves around his actions, most of which are highly daring and unpredictable. We find Chev having the worst of days. Our bad days consist of mostly work, family or hair trouble. Chev had just fallen out of a Helicopter, bounced off of a parked car and hit the pavement with a rather sickening thud. Chinese gangsters suddenly appear in an unmarked van and stride over to the inert body of Chev Chelios.

Using a snow scraper, (rather apt, considering Chev should have been akin to a pavement pizza) the Triad gangsters scraped Chev off the cement and flung him into the truck. Our next scene is of a rather grisly operation to remove the heart of Chev Chelios. Rather shockingly we are shown the operation to remove his heart and we see his heart being replaced by a mechanical heart, used before heart transplant operations. These hearts are only designed to be a temporary measure until the new heart could be fitted. This was a gory and highly graphic scene, and made me wonder what Chev had done to deserve this very harsh treatment. Johnny Vang (Art Hsu) watches the operation. The doctors then place Chev’s heart in a portable cooler with a padlock, and Jonny Vang takes possession of the box. Chev comes to, hearing the Doctors talking about which parts of his rather unhappy body they were going to take next.

Chev disagrees with their rather unpleasant suggestion and in a flash of fists and kicks, knocks them unconscious and escapes the building only to have to survive a rather violent confrontation with some hired henchmen. We find Chelios to be a fantastic marksman and he makes rather short work of the hired help and sets to interrogating one of the survivors in a rather unconventional way. This technique, however brutal, provides Chelios with the name of the man with his own good heart in the padlocked box; Jonny Vang. The plot then continues rapidly with Chelios phoning his ever contactable miscreant of a Doctor called Doc Miles (Played by the enigmatic Dwight Yoakam). Doc Miles tells Chelios he needs his heart back and that he must keep his artifical heart beating using static electricity or electric volts applied directly to the chest or he will die.

So we see Chev Chelios wreaking a path of destruction in his attempt to find Vang and rescue his heart. Along the way Chev finds the need to perform various tricky moves of the Kama Sutra amidst a live race event (static electricity) with his long suffering and vivacious girlfriend Eve (played by Amy Smart), hugging various High Voltage Electricity coils to get ‘juiced up’ and stacking up a body count which puts the combined Rambo collection to shame. We eventually find Chev’s heart has been transplanted into the body of the 100 year old Triad Leader, Poon Dong, played by the martial arts legend David Carradine to great effect.

Chev asks Doc Miles to find and remove the heart from Poon Dong. Doc Miles utilises his relationship with a certain nefarious ‘lady of the night’, who entices Poon Dong into the apartment she shares with Doc Miles. Doc Miles then proceeds to knock Poon Dong unconscious and waits for Chev Chelios to arrive. Chev on the other hand is preoccupied with the attentions of many more gangsters and finally with the unwelcome attention of El Huron, who eventually reveals to Chev Chelios that he is the brother of Ricky Verona, whom Chelios killed in the end flying scene of the first movie. Queue the arrival of a gang of gay bikers, friends called to Chevs assistance by Venus (Efren Ramirez), who reveals himself to be Kaylo’s brother, the sidekick of Chev Chelios in the first movie who dies unpleasantly at the hands of Ricky Verona.

For some extra comedy value Venus is portrayed as having Full Body Tourette’s Syndrome and remarkable skills with Nunchuks! The biker gang appear in the nick of time and all hell breaks loose. Bullets fly everywhere and the body count starts to clock up again – I fear we are reaching the tally of Hot Shots now. Venus tries to kill El Huron to avenge his brothers death but is nearly beaten to a pulp when he is set upon by newly invigorated Chev who has just over enthusiastically hugged an electricity pylon for extra voltage to keep his heart beating. Sufficient juice courses through Chevs veins that he easily defeats El Huron, but he is also on fire. Seeming not to notice this vital statistic, we see the end of the movie as Chev walks up to the camera and imparts to the audience the middle finger, a mask of burning flesh and exposed bone.

What can I say about this movie? Firstly the cast were fantastic. Jason Statham, Amy Smart and David Carradine were all superb and showed great skill and aptitude. The dialogue was at times stunted and often filled with expletives, but by the finish I could see that the dialogue was actually rather ingenious. This whole movie was a constant rush of adrenaline and like the main character, it kept my heart pumping with excitement. For those who dislike the constant movement of hand operated cameras, then I would perhaps suggest that this movie should be avoided, as it is from the constantly roving images that we get the whole sense of surging excitement and building insanity.

This movie is filled from start to finish with a nerve wrangling amount of gunfire, gore, violence, sex, nudity, swearing and most of all a never-ending supply of pumping adrenaline, which all actually adds up to make this an enjoyable but wholly unrealistic experience. You really do have to leave your need for realism at the door. The plot contains some subtle twists and keeps the audience enthralled. Some of the scenes were perhaps too over the top with gore, but these were few and far between. Was this movie as exciting and perhaps better than the original film? I would have to say yes and yes. This is a fantastic movie, and certainly one of the best I have seen this year. This is an excellent original piece of filmography, a complete break from reality and definitely set me up for a positive Monday! I would have to say that this movie would appeal more to the fan of action and adrenaline movies, rather than one for all the family. Be prepared to be shocked!

My verdict: 8/10

Chillybaltic

September 2009

Love this California Chronicle.com DVD review of ‘Crank 2: High Voltage’!  These writers are definite Jason Statham fans.  It’s wonderful to read good things about our boy for a change.  Got your DVD yet?

“Crank 2: High Voltage”

VPJ: “Umm … didn’t that guy die in the first movie? Like, plummeting from a helicopter whilst having a massive neural shutdown? I’m almost sure I recall that…

“Well, taking a page from the old movie serials, this nascent action franchise once again stars bullet-headed British torpedo Jason Statham, escaping from clearly depicted certain death, as a guy who, this time, has a transplanted heart that needs regular electric shocks so he can stay alive and kick enough people in the face for things to turn out OK.But I kid a guy who could cheerfully head-butt me into next Tuesday.

“I like Statham – his charmingly uncouth thug action hero is most welcome in the pretty boy-strewn hallways of action Hollywood, and reviving him, however ludicrously, for another go ’round in this cheerily stupid series, well … why not, I guess.”

JE: “And now he’s BACK AND BETTER THAN EVAH! I think we can just both agree Statham is on a special list reserved for actors we’ll watch no matter what? I mean, I found myself watching a part of the original ‘Crank’ one night if only to see how he kicks the next guy in the face. Same goes with ‘The Transporter 2.’

“I also think it’s good we both have given up on the whole ‘he needs to pull some respectable flicks on his resume’ argument. Just like a bar after Statham walks through, this guy’s career is littered with ridiculous (and cheesy) action movies. He seems to embody some weird sort of macho-charisma-face-kicking magic that captivates guys like us. In fact they should make ‘macho-charisma- face-kicking magic’ a Vitamin Water flavor exclusively made for and marketed by Statham. And I would buy it.”

I’ll let the videos speak for themselves for a moment. (Warning: Insane and very violent)

This, my readers, is the ultimate “manly man” movie. It’s politically incorrect, it’s sick, it’s bloody…and yet it’s so, so right. Sure, the film may have failed in box-office ratings (So did the first film, I think), but this is a movie that is tailor-made for at-home viewing, because it is the epitome of everything that hardcore action movie fans (And possibly film buffs period) want. I also predict this movie being a poster child of everything that is wrong with movies (Oh, wait, that already happened).

This, along with Inland Empire and Un Chien Andalou, are among the class of films that know how to work with insanity, or in other words: making Chaos not only convincing, but understandable in a sense. The main character’s heart is the rectangular box of this film, and the quick cuts, references, and moments of shock are like that of Laura Dern being lost in a swirl of past films, a sitcom with bunnies, and flashbacks.

Except the main character is in total control and is actually causing the chaos in pursuit of what rightfully belongs to him.

The film is a really, really primitive form of self-fulfilling fantasy. That’s not an insult, it’s a descriptive. The main character does a lot of things, all for a pursuit of a stolen object. Yet, what Jason Statham’s character does is what many a guy wants to do. Guys want to be invincible, to have the love of our lives in our arms, to kick ass and to take names. This movie does the job of fulfilling that fantasy better than most “hardcore”, mature-rated video games (And the Crank series references video games). Like it or not, we might see the character placed on a pedestal of masculine action heroes right next to Ash from Evil Dead, John Mcclaine from Die Hard, and King Leonidas from 300.

Yet there is one thing that places this film lower than the aforementioned films: The fact that while the film does have an objective, a structure, and a narrative, it is little more than the film equivalent of fired Oreos: It’s so wrong, so right, yet it’s not particularly filling for anything past the initial taste, even if one does keep diving back into the batch. Die Hard has roots in family bonding (With added explosions), Evil Dead has roots in the classic “Man stops evil force” story that has been told since ancient times (with added cartoonish mayhem in the sequels), and 300 is a story of bravery in the face of a threatening force (With added machismo, and in such a shameless way that the film gets praise and shit for being an “Iraq war movie”).

What, exactly, is Crank 2’s core philosophy? Sure, it’s very proud of it’s content, but why is it so proud? Sure, it’s funny, but is the humor in support of something or against? If so, what is it? Is it life in general? Is it the diversity of L.A. that is funny, or is it the impending force against it all? What does Jason’s character stand for? Is he really just another kick-ass action hero, or is he a symbol? After all, he is the dominant white male other than his friend (who is a nerdy guy dating a Black girl), so is he perhaps a symbol of inherent racism towards whites that exists in L.A.? Is he a sign of white male power? Is he…

Ok, let me stop. That’s an illustration of the problem with this film: One isn’t sure whether it is really is what it is, or if it is saying something about anything. This demonstrates that the films that are criticized as “plotless junk” are actually the films that say something (300, The Fall, Tideland) while films that are called “artistic” (Ghosts for Breakfast, Rhytmus 21) could either be much ado about nothing, or have a context that is so thin that one can only recognize it on a basic level, in which any examination beyond that edges dangerously towards pretentiousness or an alarmist mind.

Regardless, people who have a strong stomach can enjoy the film for what it is (Or, at least, what it’s probably perceived of as being…). I say this as a person who actually enjoyed the film: The film could either be saying absolutely nothing, or it could be trying to say everything to everybody. It’s dirty, yet it edges very closely to what is considered “art”. Just a warning.

Also, while I was watching this film in my college library, a girl walked up to me, asked me “What is the name of the movie you’re watching?” (In note form), and I wrote “Crank 2″ underneath the question. I asked her why, and she explained that she likes funny movies (She saw me laughing). I warned her that the film is politically incorrect. I should have given her more warnings.

I predict her reaction won’t be pretty.

The following Xbox 360 game reviews have been added: Dead Rising, Fable II, Gears of War, Halo Wars.

The following film reviews have been added: Crank 2, Brokeback Mountain, Get Smart, Role Models, Transformers.

The following album reviews have been added: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (Dave Matthews Band), Pins and Panzers (Plushgun).

Thanks for reading! Check out our contributors page for more information about how to contribute reviews or help out with other aspects of the site. Please share our link (http://relativelyreviewing.wordpress.com) on Facebook and Twitter!

— JD

Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) and his girlfriend, Eve (Amy Smart), get down and dirty in the action film "Crank 2: High Voltage."

It’s a slow week for DVDs, with only one major theatrical release — a Jason Statham thriller — making its way to video stores.

Crank 2: High Voltage
0 stars (out of four) Bomb!
Rated R for frenetic strong bloody violence throughout, crude and graphic sexual content, nudity and pervasive language
Lionsgate
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

“Crank 2″ is a rare breed of film, not because it’s bad but because it lacks value on every possible level.

The DVD cover, imprinted with a stern-looking Jason Statham brandishing a firearm, properly suggests a fast-moving action flick. Trouble is, “Crank 2″ is also a soulless sequel, borrowing heavily from its predecessor while charging forward without stylistic restraint or purpose.

One gets the feeling writers-directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor were shooting for a dramatic comedy akin to Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” flicks, but Tarantino won’t make a movie this bad unless he loses both his sense of humor and style.

Statham is back as British hitman Chev Chelios, and fans of the first “Crank” will remember that he ended that movie by falling thousands of feet from a helicopter and bouncing off the roof of a car. Turns out he survived only so members of the Asian Triad gang could harvest his legendary heart for their ailing boss.

Fortunately for Chev, gang members give him an artificial heart to keep him alive long enough to harvest his other organs. The plan seems dandy until Chev regains consciousness, frees himself and starts a ridiculously over-the-top and violent search for his real ticker. Making his journey particularly difficult is the fact that his electronically powered replacement heart can only maintain a charge for limited periods, so Chev must repeatedly find ways to shock himself back into action.

“Crank 2″ is loaded with so much violence, sex and profanity, that it qualifies as an exploitation film, but the nostalgic charm of old-school grind house efforts has been supplanted by a forced visual style that seems more experimental than planned. Because of this, “Crank 2” carries a marked sense of desperation, as though Neveldine and Taylor figured they would never be allowed to make another film, so they threw everything they had into the mix.

Even the usually reliable Statham is handcuffed by the project’s goofy, unrestrained nature. He looks tough and all, but his action sequences aren’t as cleverly staged as in the “Transporter” films, and the script is just terrible.

Poor Amy Smart takes the brunt of the punishment, as she’s asked to trot through one embarrassing sequence after another as Chev’s sexy but dim-witted girlfriend. At least she can take solace in the fact that nobody looks good in this movie. Neveldine and Taylor made sure of that.

“Crank 2” is available on multiple home video releases, including a two-disc edition with a digital copy for portable devices and computers. Extra features vary.

ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

“The Office” — Season Five: This quirky sitcom exploiting the personalities and working relationships of co-workers in a Pennsylvania paper supply company, is one of network TV‘s biggest hits. Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer star.

“The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” — The Complete First Season: This co-production between the BBC and HBO brought Alexander McCall Smith’s novels about the first female detective agency in Botswana to life on the small screen. All seven episodes, plus extra features, are presented on a 3-disc set.

“Homicide”: The Criterion Collection is delivering a director-approved edition of writer-director David Mamet’s 1991 thriller about a homicide detective (Joe Mantegna) on the trail of a murderer and drug dealer (Ving Rhames). William H. Macy and Rebecca Pidgeon also star.

“Fringe” — The Complete First Season: Season two of this drama about FBI agents working on the fringe of traditional science will kick off Sept. 17. That doesn’t leave much time to pick up this set and catch up.

“The Human Condition”: Adapted from a six-volume novel, this nine-and-a-half-hour Japanese film project delivers the story of a man who rises from labor camp supervisor to Imperial Army soldier. Directed by Mosaki Kobayashi, the saga was originally released as three separate films between 1959 and 1961, but the always-outstanding Criterion Collection has collected them into one impressive package. Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

“Harper’s Island” — The DVD Edition: The horror series — about a group of friends who travel to celebrate a wedding and end up dying one by one — only lasted 13 episodes, but that was enough to wrap up the loose ends. You’ll find the entire arc here.

“That Hamilton Woman”: Laurence Olivier plays a British Royal Navy officer having an affair with the wife of a British ambassador (Vivien Leigh) during the Napoleonic Wars. The 1941 film was produced and directed by Alexander Korda.

“Bedknobs and Broomsticks”: In this classic re-release from the Disney vault, three children take flight on a magical, musical journey with an apprentice witch (Angela Landsbury). Being sold as the “Enchanted Musical Edition,” the new release has a number of extra features, including bits on the special effects and music.

“Worst Week: The Complete Series”: TV comedy focused on a bad-luck magnet named Sam (Kyle Bornheimer) and the woman he’s about to marry, Melanie (Errin Hayes). When they visit Melanie’s parents, Sam accidentally creates one ridiculous problem after another. Although the program was consistently funny, it lasted only 16 episodes. That’s too bad for fans, but the cancellation may have been a blessing. The setup wasn’t broad enough to last for multiple seasons and the early cancellation means we’re left with only good episodes.

“Local Color”: Dramatic feature about a teen painter (Trevor Morgan) who convinces an aging master (Armin Mueller-Stahl) to take him under his wing for a summer. Written and directed by George Gallo.

Forrest Hartman is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation’s largest publications. E-mail him at Forrest@ForrestHartman.com

September 08, 2009

• Catwoman (Warner)
• Crank 2: High Voltage (Lionsgate)
• Creepshow (Warner)
• Dance Flick (Paramount)
• Dead Calm (Warner)
• The Exorcist: The Version You’ve Never Seen (Warner Brothers)
• Freddy vs. Jason (New Line)
• Friday: Deluxe Edition (Warner Brothers)
• Fringe: The Complete First Season (Warner Brothers)
• Menace II Society: Deluxe Edition (Warner Brothers)
• The New World: Extended Cut (New Line)
• The Office: Season 5 (Universal)
• Over the Top (Warner)
• The Postman (Warner)
• The Quick and the Dead (Sony)
• Requiem for a Dream (Lionsgate)
• Set It Off: Deluxe Edition (Warner Brothers)
• Silverado (Sony)
• Sphere (Warner)
• Terry Fator: Live from the Mirage (Image)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) (New Line)

JUST ON DVD

Criminal Minds: Season 4 [7 Discs]

David Carradine’s Shaolin Cardio Kick Boxing

Gifted Hands

Harper’s Island [4 Discs]

Homicide

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Season 4

Local Color

Masters of the Universe

Morrison Murders

Mr. Belvedere – Season 3

Parks & Recreation – Season One

Worst Week – The Complete Series

Gdybym Was zapytał jaki film idealnie odwzorowuje akcję dziejącą się w którymkolwiek Grand Theft Auto, pewnie musielibyście się chwilę zastanowić. Podalibyście niejeden film gangsterski. Ja tymczasem wymieniłbym “Adrenalinę”

Jason Statham jest aktorem, który zaszufladkował się sam. Począwszy od pierwszego “Transportera” w 2002 roku, przez “Death Race: Wyścig śmierci” po “Transportera 3″ kojarzy nam się z kierowcą, który na dodatek dobrze umie się bić. Tym samym reżyser “Adrenaliny” nie musiał się długo zastanawiać nad obsadą głównej roli w swoim nowym filmie, gdzie Statham może się popisać umiejętnościami.. nie tylko bokserskimi i szofera.

“Adrenalina 1” opowiada historię niejakiego Cheva Cheliosa, który odkrywa, że została mu podana śmiertelna trucizna. Znajomy lekarz opisuje mu dokładnie działanie owej tajemniczej substancji i jak należy przeciwdziałać rozprzestrzenianiu się jej w organizmie. Podstawowym sposobem jest produkcja wzmożonej ilości adrenaliny na jakikolwiek sposób. Teraz zamknijcie oczy i popuśćcie wodze fantazji – Jak naprodukować sporo adrenaliny w krótkim czasie? Tak, wszystko to, co przyszło Wam do głowy ujrzycie w tym filmie! Począwszy od zażywania narkotyków, poprzez bójki i ucieczki samochodami i motocyklami przez miasto, aż do trykania swojej blond dziewczyny ;P

Nie bez powodu porównałem ten film do GTA. Po pierwsze mamy tu ciągłą akcję. Bohater kradnie fury, rozwala złych kolesi i jest poszukiwany przez wszystkie instytucje porządku publicznego. Jego Wanted Level wzrasta z minuty na minutę, a na dodatek każdy chce go zabić (“Chev, czemu nie pójdziesz wreszcie spać?”).  Gdyby to jeszcze robił dla kasy bądź satysfakcji, tymczasem jego przekleństwem jest fakt, że przeżył i nie ma ochoty umierać. Pomaga mu w tym lekko głupiutka dziewczyna, która “z miłości” daje się przez niego gwałcić w japońskiej dzielnicy pośród tłumu gapiów :]

Ujęcia są niezwykle dynamiczne i mocno podkręcają akcję. Można nawet powiedzieć, że utrzymują u widza wysoki poziom adrenaliny przez pełne półtorej godziny filmu. A jak mu jest mało to warto sięgnąć po..

“Adrenalinę 2“!! Tutaj wszystkiego jest więcej, lepiej i szybciej! Tym razem już od pierwszych minut filmu pojawia się mega przegięcie na stole operacyjnym, gdzie Cheliosowi wycinają serce! XD Na szczęście nic nie jest zbyt proste i koleś dostaje rozrusznik napędzany małymi wyładowaniami elektrycznymi Teraz zabawa się rozkręca i już żywcem przypomina czasowe misje w gta. Chev żyje od naładowania do naładowania. Jak nie akumulator to defibrylator, jak nie paralizator to ponownie seksik ze swoją laską ;] Coś jak ładowanie życia u prostytutek w grze ;P W poprzedniej “Adrenalinie” chciał dorwać bad guy’ów aby dostać antidotum na truciznę, tutaj najzwyczajniej w świecie chce odzyskać swoje “końskie” serce

O ile “Adrenalina 2″ jest fajniejsza niż jedynka, tak jest też o wiele bardziej pojechana Cała masa zwrotów akcji i kosmicznych sytuacji, jakich normalny człowiek nie byłby w stanie przeżyć to tylko czubek góry lodowej. Przykładem niech będzie scena jak z japońskiego filmu o Godzilli, która walczy z potworami na tle makiety wielkiego miasta Ogólnie, jak komuś podobał się pierwszy film, to drugi już całkowicie go usatysfakcjonuje. Gorąco polecam, choć nie jest to wybitne kino i na pewno nie każdemu przypadnie do gustu. A na zachętę >>Bai Ling<<, grająca panią lekkich obyczajów :]

pozdrawiam,
pit

Od Utha w temacie:
Ja zacznę od mocnego “Fuck you Chev Chelios, Fuck you!” i na tym w zasadzie mógłbym skończyć całą tyradę, jaką chcę wytoczyć na temat tego przestrasznego filmu bez fabuły (generalnie to czepiam się dwójki)
Na początek aktor, który jak nie patrzeć idealnie wpisuje się w stereotyp kozaka, przystojny, duży, trenował sztuki walki, zaszufladkowany w filmach akcji, łysy brutal o dzikim imieniu Chev, który większość swoich problemów rozwiązuję prawym prostym, albo czymkolwiek co mu wpadnie w dłonie (niczym Frank West z Dead Rising), bądź czymkolwiek kieruje choćby nawet to był walec.
O ile pierwsza część tak jak w przypadku Transformers trzymała wszystko świetnie zbalansowane i zaledwie ocierała się o granicę durnego absurdu, tak druga już zupełnie rujnuje całą rzeźbę, która powstała po szalonym i nieprzewidywalnym endingu jedynki (liczyłem na kontynuację- niestety pewnie życzenia się spełniają).
Momentalnie ordynarny i zarazem kapitalny żart przeradzał się w scenę pościgu zmontowanego z szalonych i dynamicznych ujęć przefiltrowanych jakimiś dziwnymi narzędziami, wszystko w fajnej, dzikiej i logicznej harmonii. Inaczej mówiąc przepiękna dynamika, żart i akcja wartka niczym najdziksza górska rzeka. Oł, je!
W dwójce jest inaczej, faktycznie jest tak jak napisał Pit: biger, badder and more badass. Czy to się sprzedaje? Oczywiście, że tak (np. w przypadku Gears of War 2). Sam pomysł na wciśnięcie bohaterowi plastikowego serca i zmuszenie go do ponownego, bezsensownego biegania po mieście i przypadkowych, nieoczekiwanych i debilnych zbiegów okoliczności gwarantuje 100% sukces. Tytuł mocny, aktor mocny, pomysł już raz sprzedany… i co? I dupa blada, film jest tak głupi, że po prostu nie potrafię przełknąć tak wielkiej dozy bezmyślnej brutalności, seksu i brudnych ujęć kamery. Identyczny jak część pierwsza, podobne schematy, wstęp zbieżny, scena seksu podobna, babcia- check! No i jak już wspomniałem wszystko poszło nie tak, każda scena jest przesycona tematem tak mocno, że nie potrafiłem tego wytrzymać, raziło niczym patrzenie stroboskop. Żarty wciśnięte na siłę, pomysły w stylu „ej przyszedł mi do głowy głupi pomysł, użyjmy go”, Azjaci, Latynosi i cała banda gangów z ulic San Andreas, która stara się Was przekonać do tego, że jest to doskonały film akcji. Wymieszanie z poplątaniem, surrealistyczne wizje, stary David Carradine, który nagle dostaje drugie życie bo ma serce Cheliosa…
Dla mnie to żenująca ekranizacja gry, która nie powinna powstać (zarówno gra jak i film) na miarę koszmarków Uwe Bolla…
Sorry Pit, takiej adrenalinie mówię zdecydowanie „3xnie”, ale znów czego mogę oczekiwać po zbokach, którzy stworzyli „Patologię”…
A Cheva tak bardzo lubiłem za filmy Guya Richiego i „rule nr 1: never change the deal.”.

Być może nie wyłączyłem pstryczka próbując to obejrzeć, ale w końcówce filmu byłem już najzwyczajniej w świecie zmęczony. Po finale było „uff i aby tego już nigdy nie ruszali”, choć skoro końcówka identyczna jak w jedynce to i pewnie trójka będzie.

Pozdrawiam
Uth

Wobec takich zarzutów muszę to napisać: nie słuchajcie Utha, Adrenalina 2 to jeden z najlepszych filmów akcji ostatnich lat. Sam obejrzałem go chyba z 6 razy, a jak pojawi się wydanie DVD to szmyrgnę do sklepu, żeby postawić to dziełko na półce. Rzekłem to ja, Bzduras.

Chev Chelios is back and this time he’s wired! The Triads have stolen his heart and replaced it with an artificial one that continously needs to be recharged. Now he needs to find who has it so he can make sure it gets back to where it belongs, in his chest.

Written and Directed by – Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor

Starring – Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight Yoakam, Efren Ramirez, Julanne Chidi Hill, Reno Wilson, Keone Young, Art Hsu, Joseph Julian Soria, Ling Bai, Clifton Collins Jr., David Carradine, Corey Haim, Geri Halliwell, Billy Unger

One thing I love about the Crank movies is that they aren’t pretending to be anything besides what they are, pure, over the top, video game, ADD action flicks. This one even starts out with a little video game intro of Jason Statham falling from the helicopter in the previous film. I burst out laughing but my girlfriend didn’t get it. She hadn’t seen the first film and didn’t know what she was in for.

That video game intro pretty much sums up the movie. It really is just a live action game. The camera swings all over the place, the editing is super quick and the lead character, Chev Chelios, is virtually unstoppable. It’s like hes entered the cheat code for invincibility. The movie is so action packed that it gets my heart pumping just to watch. I wasn’t sure I could fall asleep after just from feeling so wired after watching.

Statham and Smart share a quiet moment together!

After the events of the first movie, the Triad have stolen Chev Chelios’ heart for a transplant into their leader. After what he’s survived they just assume his heart is unstoppable and now they want it and the rest of his organs for themselves. That’s really it. The rest of the movie is a roller coaster ride as he tries to get his heart back while keeping his new artificial heart pumping. He does that by shocking himself over and over again to recharge the battery.

Not the type of boost I'm used to.

Don’t expect anything even remotely close to reality in this one. I know that action flicks are supposed to be over the top but this one destroys the line between reality and fiction. That’s why I love these films so much. I mean, they aren’t even attempting to be slightly realistic. I can almost feel the movie running it’s fingers through my hair and whispering in my ear, ‘Shhhh, just shut your brain off and watch the crazy man blow stuff up.’

It’s literally non-stop action. There’s probably one moment in the movie where everything slows down for a second before it explodes again. Most of the conversations are either very short or are done in the middle of a gunfight. If you’ve seen the first one then you know what you’re in for but if you haven’t I suggest you just back to back these flicks. Pure adrenaline fueled action, over the top fights and scenarios and amazing amounts of fun.

Under the marquee – Will

Sinopse:

O assassino profissional Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) encontra mafioso chinês que roubou seu coração e colocou no lugar uma máquina movida à bateria. Caso não receba descargas constantes de eletricidade, ele morre.

- Se quiser assistir um filme sério, não assista esse! Se quiser dar risada, assista! Sério, ri demais com esse filme. Esse tipo de humor é massa!

- Assistido em 29/08/2009

by The Great White Gypsy

Amreeka – Written and Directed by Cherien Dabis
We’ve seen this kind of thing on TV and in movies before. Actually, a lot recently. But this story of a single mother emigrating from Palestine and working at a White Castle in Illinois looks interesting. If you liked The Visitor, you’ll probably enjoy this, and it’s gotten a lot of positive reviews from Cannes and Sundance.
Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muellam, Alia Shawkat
September 4

Carriers – Written and Directed by Alex and David Pastor
Chris Pine (Star Trek, Bottle Shock) has already proven himself to be a versatile actor. Looks like your typical virus-ends-mankind thriller, but since when is that a bad thing? The Pastor brothers are new, but the preview is enticingly vague and eerie.
Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, Lou Taylor Pucci
September 4

Extract – Written and Directed by Mike Judge
The creator of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill has been sadly absent from cinema since Office Space in 1999 (save 2006’s Idiocracy). About an Extracts plant owner who thinks his wife is cheating on him, the fact that the preview and the tagline compare it to Office Space could spell trouble, but Judge, Bateman, and J.K. Simmons haven’t let me down so far.
Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis, J.K. Simmons, Kristen Wiig, Clifton Collins Jr.
September 4

Gamer – Written and Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Pro: It’s good to see Gerard Butler in an action movie after being in bullcrap like P.S. I Love You, Nim’s Island, and The Ugly Truth.
Con: The Writer/Director team is the same guys who did Crank and Crank 2.
Futuristic story about convicts who are players in a live action video game, controlled by real people. The winner is set free…everyone else dies. Granted, it appears to be a solid movie, but Crank 2 didn’t do anything for Jason Statham’s career (especially after Transporter 3), and after movies like Death Race, The Condemned, and Running Man, don’t expect to see anything groundbreaking.
Gerard Butler, Ludacris, Michael C. Hall, John Leguizamo
September 4

9 – Directed by Shane Acker, Written by Shane Acker and Pamela Pettler
Sure, 9 little rag dolls running around in a post-apocalyptic world might not rattle your cage, but after seeing Sebastian’s Voodoo at the Ashland Festival last April, I can’t wait to see Shane Acker’s animated short come to life as a full length feature. Not only is the voice casting solid, but it’s being produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. I feel like I’ve been waiting for this for 9 years (don’t worry, I already punched myself for that one.)
Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Crispin Glover
September 9

The Other Man – Written and directed by Richard Eyre
Liam Neeson suspects his wife is cheating on him. Then she disappears, which makes him…slightly more suspicious. So he sets out to find and meet the man she’s seeing. Then they play a game of chess (if only Ingmar Bergman was alive to collect royalties on that). Kinda looks like Taken 2, but Neeson, Banderas, and Linney are all solid, and Eyre directed Notes on a Scandal, which got a lot of Oscar attention. Also based on a short story by Bernhard Schlink, who wrote The Reader. Unsure about this one.
Liam Neeson, Antonio Banderas, Laura Linney
September 11

The Burning Plain – Written and Directed by Guillermo Arriaga
Kicking off Oscar pre-season is Guillermo Arriaga’s (writer: 21 Grams, Babel) poignant drama about three women searching for happiness. Not only are Theron and Basinger involved, but composer Hans Zimmer (Frost/Nixon, The Dark Knight), cinematographers Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton) and John Toll (Gone Baby Gone, The Last Samurai, Almost Famous), and Production Designer Dan Leigh (The Last Kiss, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) are all present and accounted for. Could be a contender.
Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, John Corbett, Jennifer Lawrence, Joaquim de Almeida, Robin Tunney
September 18

Disgrace – Directed by Steve Jacobs, Written by Anna Maria Monticelli
Adaptation of Nobel Prize winning author J.M. Coetzee’s (Elizabeth Costello, Waiting for the Barbarians) novel about a professor in post-apartheid South Africa who has an affair with a black student. When he is dismissed, he goes to live with his lesbian daughter, and they are attacked by a group of black teenagers. Films like this are hard for Americans to swallow, because they often forget that apartheid really didn’t start to disappear until 1994. Rookie director and writer, but Malkovich is always brilliant.
John Malkovich
September 18

The Informant! – Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Written by Scott Z. Burns
I’m trying very hard to forget about Ocean’s 11-13, and Soderbergh’s love affair with George Clooney. If I focus really hard on films like Out of Sight, Traffic, and Sex, Lies, and Videotape, then maybe I’ll give this Kurt Eichenwald (Conspiracy of Fools) adaptation of an agricultural businessman turned government informant a chance. I make no promises.
Matt Damon, Scott Bakula
September 18

Paris – Written and Directed by Cedric Klapisch
About a Parisian man with heart disease who is waiting for a transplant. He observes the city, and the people around him as they struggle through life and love. Klapisch looks fairly prolific in France, and I’m a Juliette Binoche fan. Looking forward to it.
Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini
September 18

Jennifer’s Body – Directed by Karyn Kusama, Written by Diablo Cody
A hot high school girl takes a plain jane under her wing. Turns out she’s possessed, and trying to kill everyone. Normally I won’t even mention high school horror films like this. However, the people involved have me interested. Diablo Cody wrote Juno, which was amazing. Kusama directed Girlfight (good), but she also did Aeon Flux (not good). Probably won’t see it on the big screen, but I’ll look for it on On-Demand.
Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Adam Brody
September 18

Splice – Directed by Vincenzo Natali, Written by Vincenzo Natali and Antoinette Terry Bryant
Again, normally I wouldn’t hype a film that appears to be a rip off of Species. But it also reminds me of Mimic, which was directed by Guillermo del Toro and, interestingly enough, del Toro is producing this sci-fi thriller. I like Adrien Brody, and I liked The Orphanage. Enough said.
Adrien Brody, Sarah Polly
September 18

The Blue Tooth Virgin – Written and Directed by Russell Brown
As an aspiring writer, I’m always a sucker for a film about aspiring writers. Two such people in L.A. have their friendship thrown into turmoil when one of them doesn’t like the other’s new screenplay. I’m interested, but most of you might wait until you see it on cable.
Karen Black, Roma Maffia, Lauren Stamile, Lance Aaron, Amber Benson, Bryce Johnson
September 25

The Boys are Back – Directed by Scott Hicks, Written by Alan Cubitt
The director of Snow Falling on Cedars and Hearts in Atlantis is teaming with Clive Owen for this dramedy about a man trying to raise his young son and reconnect with his older son after his wife dies suddenly. Looks more dramatic-family-dynamic than feel-good-comedy, a good departure for Owen as of late.
Clive Owen
September 25

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men – Written and Directed by John Krasinski
Krasinski’s directorial debut portrays a woman (Nicholson) interviewing men about their relationship patterns. Might not be really innovative, but after The Office and Away We Go, I’ll shell out $10 to support Johnny K. Not only that, it’s based on a short story by David Foster Wallace (Infinite Jest), who is freaking brilliant. Good luck finding this anywhere, though; I can’t even find an actual preview yet.
John Krasinski, Julianne Nicholson, Timothy Hutton, Lou Taylor Pucci, Josh Charles
September 25

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell – Directed by Bob Gosse, Written by Tucker Max
I’ve picked up Tucker Max’s book several times from the discount table at Borders, but, funny as it sounds, it’s not my kind of literature. However, the subject matter should make for an entertaining movie, and the outlandishly misogynistic things this guy says should be good for a laugh (the first line of the preview had me laughing out loud.)
Jesse Bradford, Matt Czuchry, Geoff Stults, Traci Lords
September 25

The Invention of Lying – Written and Directed by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson
As much as I respect Ricky Gervais (The Office…no no, the original one), this inside-out Liar Liar has the potential to be esoterically dull. That being said, anything with Jeffrey Tambor has my initial approval.
Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Patrick Stewart, Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey
September 25

Pandorum – Directed by Christian Alvart, Written by Travis Malloy
Unknown meets The Descent meets Event Horizon in this sci-fi thriller about two crewmen aboard a large transport spaceship. They wake up alone, without any memory, and start to see weird monsters and crazy visions. Ben Foster is creepy all by himself, but this film looks dark and tense. Director, cinematographer, and editor each have a respectable body of work in Germany, but few successes in the US. I’ll definitely see it.
Ben Foster, Dennis Quaid, Antje Traue, Norman Reedus
September 25

Surrogates – Directed by Jonathan Mostow, Written by Michael Ferris and John D. Brancato
This is an almost Aasimovian story about a future where everyone just stays home on the couch, and controls a robot surrogate in the outside world with their mind. No one’s supposed to die. Then someone does. How do they never see that coming? Unfortunately, Mostow directed Terminator 3, which, along with Terminator Salvation, was also written by Farris and Brancato. If I see Schwarzenegger once, I’m throwing popcorn.
Bruce Willis, Rosemund Pike, Ving Rhames, Radha Mitchell, James Cromwell
September 25

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Dorian Gray – Directed by Oliver Parker, Written by Toby Finlay
Oscar Wilde’s original novel may have been a bit dry, but it’s a classic. Like most classics, however, this one is yet again being twisted and exploited by the film industry. The effects look cool, but the story seems a bit off, and the shameless addition of lurid sex scenes, while generally enticing, is just corrupting another good book, so today’s teens can read the smutty film novelization instead of the real thing. Not sure when it’s hitting the states, but the UK gets it next month.
Ben Barnes, Colin Firth
September 9 (UK)

Creation – Directed by Jon Amiel, Written by John Collee
The story of Charles Darwin in the midst of his controversial theories on evolution. It’s supposed to be based on a biography, but it appears to have a little church propaganda slant to it. Nevertheless, Bettany and Connelly are generally good, and the genuine emotions in the preview look solid. Not sure when we’ll see this one, but once again the UK gets it next month.
Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam
September 25 (UK)

Here’s a couple of ‘Crank 2: High Voltage’ blu-ray disc reviews.  I haven’t read the whole thing so be aware there could be spoilers.  One review is from HighDefDiscNews.com and the other from Blu-ray.com.  The blu-ray and DVD release of the movie is Tuesday, September 8th.

Also, thanks to dawn26 for the heads up on V Festival Jason pics at Rex Features.  Looks like he just succumbed and actually posed for the camera…even though he didn’t seem too happy about it.  Wish we could find bigger versions.

Jason came in at 22 of a list of 25 Top Hollywood Hardmen on a British celebrity gossip blog called HecklerSpray.com.  Mind you, it’s just some guy’s opinion and possibly a couple of his friends so don’t take it too seriously.  I mean they actually think Chuck Norris at number one is the hardest of them all so you see where they’re heads are.  At least Jason is making all these lists now.  I remember a day when nobody knew who he was.

Is it just me, or has Hollywood been spitting out remake after remake of classic movies? Examples include The Day The Earth Stood Still, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Planet of the Apes, etc. Why does this happen? Why must we remake flawless movies? When I saw the original Halloween, I never thought to myself: “Man, this movie would be so much better if it were grittier and had more of a hard rock soundtrack.” No, I thought about making sure my front door was locked and was scared out of my mind. After I saw The Day The Earth Stood Still, I never thought: “I wish this had more destruction and a more current message.” No, I thought the message of the original rings true today and did not need any kind of reboot. Plus, I heard the remake sucked.

What’s worse is that movie studios do not plan on slowing down. Need proof? Take a look at the movies you love that Hollywood plans on “contemporizing”:

Poltergeist

Red Dawn

Harvey

The Wizard of Oz

The Neverending Story

The Karate Kid

Footloose

Total Recall

Bonnie & Clyde

I would make it through half the page on these articles before my eye starts twitching. Now, I understand that movies are a business, and that it is a fact that many of these remakes will inevitably make millions of dollars. It’s a smart business move, I guess, but it is a horrible heart move.

Every now and then, however, a remake surpasses/maintains the original intent of the movie. Examples are Father of the Bride, 3:10 to Yuma, Cape Fear, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and a few others I can’t think of right now. And I’m sure when news broke out that Martin Scorcese was remaking the classic Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck thriller, Cape Fear, people were concerned and skeptical. Their concerns were forgotten, though (or at least mine were). So, there’s that to consider as well. I consider myself a pretty open-minded guy when it comes to the cinema**, so I will try my best when I see these remakes. But that’s not the point of my post. I just think it’s a quick fix in Hollywood to just reboot an old classic and make it modern. This makes me sad, since I have about 20 ideas for films a week. I’m even writing some of them, so Hollywood: if you need something, you can email me at ikepeters99@yahoo.com. It’s gonna cost you, though…

** = also, because I use the word “cinema”

Conclusion: Everyone write your local congressman/woman. Don’t write them about health care reform, or abortion, or silly things like that. Write them saying: “Please prevent Hollywood from remaking Red Dawn.” You know Ben Franklin would’ve done it.