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The High Voltage of Crank 2 on DVD
by Reg Seeton
 I
must say that I've gotten a kick out of the reaction
from people who have seen of Crank 2: High Voltage
now that the action packed sequel finds its way
to DVD and Blu-ray on September 8. Given the flagrant
vulgarity, violence, and downright weirdness within
the sequel to the near heart stopping 2006 action
packed thrill-ride starring Jason Statham, Crank
2 left some people with an offensive taste of
uncomfortable high voltage mayhem while others
loved it. Although moviegoers had to free their
minds of any notion of believability to buy into
the first Crank, the second movie requires an
unbelievable amount of suspension to "believe"
in the sequel. After all, the ending of Crank
was off the chart but left everyone to wonder
how Statham's Chev Chelios character could possibly
return for a sequel. And it was only a matter
of time before Chelios found his way back to the
big screen for another heart-stopping adventure,
only this time in over-the-top fashion that truly
gives meaning to the sub-title tag of "high voltage."
Crank 2 makes the first movie look a Crank light.
In a heart-stopping nutshell, Chev Chelios is scooped up from the street where he landed at the end of Crank and given a new artificial heart since his extraordinary organs are a valuable commodity for those looking to make a buck. In order to survive, Chelios needs electrical charges to stay alive and keep his new heart pumping, which leads him to country singer turned actor Dwight Yoakam in the role of Crank pal Doc Miles who helps Chelios maintain a beating heart in order to save his life, kick butt, and crack some high voltage holes in a pedal to the metal revenge story that also features crazy insane action support from David Carradine, Clifton Collins Jr. Bai Ling, Efren Ramirez, and returning Crank gal pal Amy Smart.
 So,
in terms of the various forms of gratuitous
adrenaline in Crank 2, the sequel isn't for
everyone, especially kids. It's an "R" rated
adult action thrill ride that even some adults
haven't been able to stomach. But we're not
talking Mission Impossible, Bond, or the Bourne
movies; we're dealing with Crank, which, if
you saw the first movie, you know exactly what
you're in for. I mean, sex on the street for
comedic effect as people look on? Those are
the types of shock boundaries Crank pushed in
the first film and again in the sequel. However,
if you're stepping into the Crank franchise
for the first time with Crank 2, it's understandable
that some may not return if there's a third
film given just how high voltage it is from
its predecessor. But if you're looking to escape,
Crank 2 is push the envelope fun that offers
high intensity thrills you won't find in the
safe confines of PG-13.
But like I've said many times, given the true crap that people hypocritically hail as greatness on a weekly basis only to slam similar movies with similar themes, you can't stack a movie like Crank 2 next to Slumdog Millionaire and expect something from a Crank movie that's not possible. That's not to say Crank 2 is a masterpiece, because it isn't. It's a fun escape and one hell of an entertaining ride for sure. But Crank 2 follows the same formula as the first film with full-throttle degeneracy, unabashed comedy for those who love hitting the strip club on a Friday night before cranking up their own form of high voltage at an after-hours VIP club. And for movie-going guys of the peeler variety, Crank 2 offers one of the craziest, insanely vulgar, violent yet funny strip club action sequences of the past few years, which makes it hard to write off Crank 2. The sequel fires on the exact same cinematic cylinders as Crank in terms of surprise, over-the-top entertainment value, especially when you're about to throw in the towel, which is part of the appeal of Crank 2. The best way to describe Crank 2: High Voltage is that it's like an action packed video game with an "R" rated warning label on the front cover.
 By
now I've written hundreds upon hundreds of DVD
reviews since 1998, so filling up space to describe
am audio commentary is almost completely useless,
unless of course you've never listened to one
until now. But commentaries are largely the
same in terms of production content and context
across the board, and always have been, and
the track by writers/directors Nark Neveldine
and Brian Taylor is no different in terms of
behind the scenes production activity, secrets
from the set and the process of bringing a film
to life. However, what is unique to the DVD
is the option of High Voltage mode, which features
the two Crank creatives and more in a highly
entertaining, lighthearted and over-the-top
PIP. If you want to know exactly how the two
pulled off a sequel after the unbelievable ending
events of the first film, the commentary is
the place to be.
After a much too brief but candid segment on visual style, shooting and mishaps called "Crank 2, Take 2," the Crank 2 bonuses close out with a surprisingly comprehensive and informative "Making Of" feature, which clocks in at nearly an hour. Although I wasn't expecting much in the way of behind-the-scenes activity, the making of Crank 2 is one of the better behind-the-scenes features of 2009. If you loved the movie, this is a must watch for enhanced entertainment value. And for those Crankers who want Crank 2 on the transport, the second disc is fully charged with a digital copy of the film.
 Is
Crank 2 better than Crank? If you loved the
first one, you be in for one hell of an entertaining
ride for the sequel. Okay, I've said enough.
Just go and lose your mind for a couple of hours
with Crank 2: High Voltage and don't take cinematic
life too seriously in the process. If you're
easily offended, there's always the Sunday night
TV movie instead. If you're indifferent, Crank
High2: Voltage lands on DVD and Blu-ray on September
8.
STUDIO: Lionsgate
RELEASE: September 8, 2009
RUN: 96 minutes
RATED: R
AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby Digital EX
VIDEO: 1.85:1 Widescreen
FEATURES: Audio Commentary with Writers/Directors Neveldine/Taylor
Crank 2, Take 2 Featurette
Making of Featurette
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