107) Crank: High Voltage (2009)

107) Crank: High Voltage (2009) Dir: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor Date Released: April 2009 Date Seen: April 18th, 2009 Rating: 3.5/5

It's not surprising that the Crank boys gave their sequel exactly what the original needed more of--more supporting characters to help Chev "Superdepravedman" Chelios (Jason Statham) carry the burden of being the film's focus and even more depraved and offensive hyper-action. What's disappointing is that the former almost certainly detracts from the latter. While it's tempting to want to give such a spastic action-comedy more balance, that just doesn't jibe with the film's winningly infantile tone, even if it does make Crank 2 a little more bearable at times. 

The expansion of the Crank world to include several more characters is also a welcome change of pace in that it provides more fodder for obnoxious, loud and crude caricatures of L.A. as a racial melting pot that never boils. I cringed and laughed longer and louder than the first film, which is definitely an accomplishment, but that may be because I saw this film in a crowded theater and not alone on my 60-inch TV. I will say this: Crank 2 may not have me begging for a sequel like the first one did but I do look forward to more wacktacular adventures of Chev and the gang.