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Post by paulblackpool on Jan 11, 2009 2:43:48 GMT
This film is looking to be even more shit than the first one, cant wait to see it.
Havent seen Corey Hain since Licence to drive, gotta Love his tea shirt "nice jugs" haha, i wonder where i can buy one?
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Post by Dave on Jan 11, 2009 12:28:16 GMT
I re-watched Crank yesterday. Thought I should re-appraise it after I have been going on about it in this thread. I hadn't seen it since I saw it in the cinema.
Well, I still stand by most of what I said... in fact, there was more inventiveness in it than I remembered in terms of visual ideas and directorial choices.
For example, there's a brief throw-away bit where Chev (Jason Statham) is talking to a Chinese bloke in a lift. Due to hallucinatory reasons, the Chinese bloke is talking with the voices of different characters that have appeared throughout the film... but that's not important. ;D The shot cuts back and forth between the two characters' perspectives, so you just get a front-on shot of each character talking. When the Chinese bloke does talk in Chinese we get subtitles. But when we cut to the perspective of the Chinese bloke, the subtitles are still there as though they are hanging in the air, reversed and slightly out of focus! Quality!
I forgot about the opening credits having brief flashes of what looks like a high score table from an old arcade game, and then having the title CRANK come up in hugely pixelated graphics above a pixelated pumping heart. Basically saying this film is like an arcade game, have a quick blast, but don't take it too seriously. Combined with the opening music which is that Quiet Riot song which keeps shouting "Bang your head!", I think it makes for quite an amusing tongue-in-cheek opening.
I had also kind of forgotten about the horrendous disregard the main character has for innocent bystanders! haha. Which is all part of the fun if you're onboard for the ride.
...and the 4 screen, split screen security cam useage.
...and the surreal way in which people he is talking to on the phone are sometimes shown superimposed in his current surroundings (on a wall, on a wing-mirror, etc).
...and the low-rent useage of Google Earth where they unashamedly keep the Google Earth logo in the bottom right of the screen.
...and the completely stupid double meaning of "Get down!" which he shouts at his girlfriend.
....and there is a clear sign at the end of the film that he isn't dead.
But basically, my re-appraisal leaves me thinking it's still the film I thought it was, but it actually has more lulls in the action than I remembered (I thought it was more frenetic throughout), but more inventiveness than I remembered.
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Post by Dave on Jan 17, 2009 3:37:42 GMT
I'm keen to check out these Crank films. You seen Shoot 'Em Up Dave? I'm sure you'd like it. Thanks for that. I think I have just seen one of the worst films ever! Shoot 'Em Up is awful crap. It makes Crank look like a work of God-like genius in comparison. The whole thing felt very cynical. Almost zero flair or invention, just multiple amounts of theft from other films (The Transporter, The Quick and the Dead and Raising Arizona just off the top of my head). Oh look, he's sliding along on something while shooting a load of chumps for the umpteenth time! It all just oozed an embarrassing sense of self-aware irony that was painful to behold. Hey, don't you hate it in action films when the guy... blah, blah, blah. Well, now we've mentioned action films within our own action film, our film is instantly genius! Kerpoww! Clive Owen is not an action film star. He's no good. What can be the 'hook' for his character.... oh, he eats carrots! Well someone call the zany police! We've got a grade A piss-poor attempt at trying to make a memorable character right there! Oh my word, and his one man crusade against annoying social mores throughout the film are the most cringe-making set-pieces imaginable. Paul Giomatti is just a lame pantomime villain. Awful gags, pathetic dialogue all round really. "Fuck you, you fucking fuckers!". Oh how we laughed. Someone actually wrote that down! The film has no charm to it. It feels like a very soulless parade of abysmally stupid action scenes. Yes they are ridiculous, but this isn't the same ridiculous I am talking about in Crank. You won't see Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) pushing a carrot into someones gob so that it sticks out the back of his skull..... because that's total shite which has been specially geared towards people who like action films, but only ironically. Shoot 'Em Up takes away the guilt these people feel by having the 'knowing' irony built in. Crank is not ironic. It is clearly made by people who love action films, whereas Shoot 'Em Up does not feel like that at all. ... and to cap it all of, there's judicious lazy use of CGI. CGI blood (probably crime number one in my CGI law book), a CGI umbilical cord, and most bizarrely of all CGI dirty water in a toilet bowl. What is going on? When will anyone understand that Crank is not like any of these films?! Nobody understands me Ha ha, Ryd, I'd love for you to watch Crank and report back on whether you can see what I'm going on about, or whether I am mental. I think you should after recommending this Clive Owen cack-fest. ;D
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Post by jtrodreigez on Jan 17, 2009 9:49:14 GMT
your a crank
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Post by Hyde on Jan 18, 2009 16:09:32 GMT
christmas with the cranks.
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Post by RydCook on Jan 20, 2009 0:26:34 GMT
I will check out Crank, mate.
What a reaction to Shoot 'Em Up you've had there! Ha ha, fair enough. Can't be everyone's cup of tea. For the record, I don't LOVE action films... I like action films both ironic and non-ironic. It all comes down to just how much enjoyment i've got out of them. Not how much thought or cleverness there is. I do think Shoot 'Em Up is clever... but perhaps I haven't seen enough action films to know what's been done before... hadn't seen any of the films you mentioned it having stolen off. Felt fresh to me! Anyway, each to their own. I love it. Maybe I'll love Crank too... maybe I'll hate it! We shall see.
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Post by Hyde on Jan 20, 2009 0:48:23 GMT
HEY DAVE CRANK IS SHIT IT DOESNT EVEN MAKE ANY FRIGGING SENSE I MEAN COME ON PUTTING A BOMB IN HIS HEART THATS JUST DUMB COME ON ITS AN ACTION FILM AND NOT A GOOD ONE LIKE NOTHING EVEN ACTUALLY HAPPENS ANYWAY AND YOU CANT RELATE TO THE CHARACTER HE'S LIKE A VIDEO GAME RUBBISH I GIVE IT 2/10
least shoot em up had a positive message, eat your carrats and you can save babies.
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Post by Dave on Jan 20, 2009 3:00:04 GMT
HEY DAVE CRANK IS SHIT IT DOESNT EVEN MAKE ANY FRIGGING SENSE I MEAN COME ON PUTTING A BOMB IN HIS HEART THATS JUST DUMB COME ON ITS AN ACTION FILM AND NOT A GOOD ONE LIKE NOTHING EVEN ACTUALLY HAPPENS ANYWAY AND YOU CANT RELATE TO THE CHARACTER HE'S LIKE A VIDEO GAME RUBBISH I GIVE IT 2/10 least shoot em up had a positive message, eat your carrats and you can save babies. He's gone CAPS LOCK crazy! There is no bomb in his heart. What you on about? Did you see the right film? He's like a video game? Hmmm, not that that was what the film-makers were aiming for or anything, (see opening credits flash of arcade score board and pixelated CRANK title and heart.... and the post end-credits video game sequence.. for details). ;D
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Post by Davros on Jan 27, 2009 11:19:11 GMT
I bought Crank yesterday in preperation.
Although for some reason none of my housemates remember seeing it at the cinema, im pretty sure at least one of them came with me. We'll have to watch it to jog their memory. This is pointless drivel.
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Post by Dave on Jan 27, 2009 12:02:53 GMT
I bought Crank yesterday in preperation. Although for some reason none of my housemates remember seeing it at the cinema, im pretty sure at least one of them came with me. We'll have to watch it to jog their memory. This is pointless drivel. It's a good rewatch. See if you notice more inventiveness this time. I think I had forgotten the unusual directorial ideas since the first watch. ...and on Shoot 'Em Up again. I'm not saying all that raving lunacy I posted is aimed at the viewers who enjoyed Shoot 'Em Up.... I just found the film very cynical and I couldn't get over that. It wasn't any good as a film either though.
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Post by Dave on Feb 15, 2009 15:34:48 GMT
Amazing tag line spotted!
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Post by Dave on Feb 17, 2009 1:19:14 GMT
Another brilliant Crank 2 poster which really captures the essence of the films.... Hey Davros, what did you think of the first Crank after your re-watch? I felt there was less non-stop action than I remembered, but there was actually more inventiveness than I remembered. Thank goodness for this sensible thread away from the Inglourious Basterds punch-up! ;D
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Post by Gareth on Feb 17, 2009 14:09:21 GMT
you seen 'No Retreat No Surrender' Dave? superb crap No chance! Jean-Claude Van Cack! Crank is a different breed of film. It is self-aware, but not ironic. Any laughable, lame, stupid, ridiculous, crap bits know that they are laughable, lame, stupid, ridiculous, crap bits. The film is directed and written with an awareness of all of this, and the film can pull it off too. No Retreat, No Surrender is just crap (I'm guessing). It may be superb because it is so crap, but it is still just crap. you really need to watch it, van dams on the front cover and he's in it for all of 5mins, its the worst made film in cinema history, hilarious
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Post by Dave on Feb 17, 2009 14:53:36 GMT
The worst made film in cinema history you say?
Hmmm... now I'm interested!
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Post by Gareth on Feb 17, 2009 16:17:48 GMT
seriously! this will some up the film perfectly
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