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Crank: High Voltage

EMAILPRINTLionsgate

Crank: High Voltage reviews
41
6.7 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 15 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 68 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Action

Written by: Mark Neveldine
Brian Taylor

Directed by: Mark Neveldine
Brian Taylor

Release Date:
Theatrical: April 17, 2009
DVD: September 8, 2009

Running Time: 96 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for frenetic strong bloody violence throughout, crude and graphic sexual content, nudity and pervasive language

Starring Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight Yoakam, Efren Ramirez, Clifton Collins Jr., and Bai Ling

Picking up immediately where the first movie left off, Crank: High Voltage finds Chev surviving the climactic plunge to his most certain death on the streets of Los Angeles, only to be kidnapped by a mysterious Chinese mobster. Three months later, Chev wakes up to discover his nearly indestructible heart has been surgically removed and replaced with a battery-operated ticker that requires regular jolts of electricity in order to work. After a dangerous escape from his captors, Chev is on the run again, this time from the charismatic Mexican gang boss El Huron, and the Chinese Triads, headed by the dangerous 100 year-old elder Poon Dong. Once again turning to Doc Miles for medical advice, receiving help from his friend Kaylo’s twin brother Venus, and re-connecting with his girlfriend Eve, who is no longer in the dark about what he does for a living, Chev is determined to get his real heart back and wreak vengeance on whoever stole it, embarking on an electrifying chase through Los Angeles where anything goes to stay alive. (Lionsgate)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

91

The Onion (A.V. Club) Josh Modell

It'd be silly to call Crank: High Voltage over the top: The top is so far below that it isn't even visible. But at this mostly unexplored altitude--only 2007's inferior "Shoot 'Em Up" comes close.

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75

Entertainment Weekly Adam Markovitz

The result, an eye-popping strobe of flesh and blood, is as visually stunning as it is absurdly offensive, sure to thrill some while leaving others in a state of outrage-induced catatonia.

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75

TV Guide Jeremy Wheeler

This time, the adrenalized formula is even more unpredictable, with twists, turns, curves, and splurges taking the viewer on a rollercoaster ride unlike any other.

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63

ReelViews James Berardinelli

Crank 2: High Voltage is the freak show act at a carnival. It's so over-the-top that the phrase ceases to have meaning in this context. It's a bizarre concoction of testosterone, adrenaline, and psychedelics. It seeks not only to top its predecessor, "Crank," but to outdo itself at every turn.

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60

Empire Helen O'Hara

Proof that you can make good movies based on video games, as long as you don't bother making a video game first. Juice us up for Crank 3D.

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60

Los Angeles Times Sam Adams

The movie thrives on absurdity and outrage, calculating that at some point you'll give in to its gonzo energies and go along for the ride.

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50

The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck

Follows the same formula as the first, with one difference: They've managed to ramp up the action and vulgarity beyond the insane heights of the original.

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50

Premiere Rob Calvert

If you have a propensity for motion sickness you would be best served staying away. This movie is Tarantino on speed, and without focus and style. It is in-your-face and proud of it with no apologies.

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40

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Laughably and knowingly preposterous, cheerfully un-PC, and violent in a way that makes the myriad slaphappy deaths of Wile E. Coyote seem downright dull in comparison.

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38

Boston Globe Ty Burr

Imagine some very smart people setting out to make a very naughty action film and shooting themselves in the foot. Voila: Crank: High Voltage.

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30

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

In Crank: High Voltage, Statham just looks miserable, as if appearing in this lousy picture just sucked all the heart right out of him.

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25

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

The movie feels like a form of aversion therapy designed to take the fun out of dumb.

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20

The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

Boorish, bigoted and borderline pornographic.

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10

Variety Rob Nelson

Benefits of the first film's ancillary gross-out will jolt "Voltage" like a speedball shot to the groin, until word of mouth spreads like an STD.

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10

LA Weekly Jim Ridley

The diminishing returns of shock value are the movie's built-in joke, and it would be a lot funnier without the directors' unforgivably bratty postsexist/postracist/posthuman showboating.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 6.7 (out of 10) based on 68 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Daniel T gave it a0:
Ugh... maybe my way of thinking or preferences to movies made me hate this film. The number one reason (though there are A LOT of reasons) I hate this film is the way it is filmed. The shaky, every-changing camera doesn't focus on just one thing, and forces your mind to digest this crap.

Chris W gave it a10:
For gods sake don't listen to these moron reviewers who feel they have to say the best film in the world is something like 'Citizen Kane' because they want to be trendy. Crank: High Voltage is a brilliantly funny, fast paced and action packed film that doesn't take itself seriously. Watch it with mates and have a laugh.

William M gave it a2:
What a piece of garbage film. Whoever made this needs to lay off the drugs. I don't think I've ever seen a film that couldn't keep it's focus like this thing. It's all over there, it's completely ridiculous and apparently halfway through they got bored of just fighting and tits so decided to throw in weird cutscene garbage because they have the attention span of a gnat.

Michael L gave it a3:
Awful movie! Not even close to as good as the first one. They really had no script and just stole stuff from the first one to make this one. Not a good idea.

sergio r gave it a10:
I liked Crank. I love this sequel. Sure it's not realistic at all, but the direction and craziness of it all made on hell of a movie. Just so much randomness going on, it's insane. I recommend it. Made my all time favorite movies list.

Nikko C gave it a7:
Silly, fun, if this made you wanna walk out Jason S, man, what were you expecting!!? It is an obvious rental anyway - and no you can't have money or your hour back.... if you wanna walk out don't wait an hour!! And then ask for your money! How long is it? 80 mins? Dude, what a tight ****, can your dad have his sperm back?

Ortho S gave it a0:
It took me exactly 10 minutes to figure out that I did not want to waste 90 minutes on this turd. Set aside the fact that the movie defies the laws of physics—so does every action movie. Spinedoc, you obviously gave yourself an epidural before watching this.

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