Crank (2006) & Trailer

[Rez]

Is the guy who's in this ever going to be in anything but stupid, mindless, story less, over stylized action movies?

Apparently you've never watched Revolver; one of the most thought out, complex films I've ever seen. He's the star, by the way.

 

[black_dust]

Apparently you've never watched Revolver; one of the most thought out, complex films I've ever seen. He's the star, by the way.

I have its random crap saw it like 18months back and the ending doesn`t make much sense. For a market trader Jason has done pretty well i say

 

[bluejake01]

No, he's right. The best action films had actual story, and good characters. Predator, Aliens, Die Hard, Terminator, these movies and their sequels.

No doubt...but the majority of action films have had very loose plots, entertaining leads, one-liners and **** blowing up.

 

[MOIDANGEREUX]

Doesn't say anything about market trader in his IMDB BIO!!!

IMDB: Jason Statham

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005458/bio

Height
5' 11" (1.80 m)

Mini biography
Born in 1972, Jason Statham has done quite a lot in a short time. He has been an Olympic Diver on the British National Diving Team and finished 12th in the World Championships in 1992. He has also been a fashion model, black market salesman and finally of course, actor. He got the audition for his debut role as Bacon in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) through French Connection, for whom he was modeling. They became a major investor in the film and introduced Jason to Guy Ritchie, who invited him to audition for a part in the film by challenging him to impersonate an illegal street vendor and convince him to purchase fake jewelery. Jason must have been doing something right because after the success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) he teamed up again with Guy Ritchie for Snatch. (2000), with co-stars including Brad Pitt, Dennis Farina and Benicio Del Toro. After Snatch. (2000) came Turn It Up (2000) with US music star Ja Rule, followed by a supporting actor role in the Sci-Fi film Ghosts of Mars (2001), Jet Li's The One (2001) and another screen partnership with Vinnie Jones in Mean Machine (2001) under Guy Ritchie's and Matthew Vaughn's SKA Films. Finally in 2002 he was cast as the lead role of Frank Martin in The Transporter (2002). Jason is also in the summer 2003 blockbuster remake of The Italian Job (1969), The Italian Job (2003), playing handsome Rob.


Trivia
Did nearly all of his own stunts in The Transporter (2002), including car chase sequences, scuba diving sequences and fight sequences.

His break into the entertainment business came when an agent put him on an advertisement for the French Connection clothing company.

Prior to The Transporter (2002) he already had a background in martial arts which enabled him to perform his own fight sequences.

 

[black_dust]

Doesn't say anything about market trader in his IMDB BIO!!!

IMDB: Jason Statham

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005458/bio

Height
5' 11" (1.80 m)

Mini biography
Born in 1972, Jason Statham has done quite a lot in a short time. He has been an Olympic Diver on the British National Diving Team and finished 12th in the World Championships in 1992. He has also been a fashion model, black market salesman and finally of course, actor. He got the audition for his debut role as Bacon in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) through French Connection, for whom he was modeling. They became a major investor in the film and introduced Jason to Guy Ritchie, who invited him to audition for a part in the film by challenging him to impersonate an illegal street vendor and convince him to purchase fake jewelery. Jason must have been doing something right because after the success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) he teamed up again with Guy Ritchie for Snatch. (2000), with co-stars including Brad Pitt, Dennis Farina and Benicio Del Toro. After Snatch. (2000) came Turn It Up (2000) with US music star Ja Rule, followed by a supporting actor role in the Sci-Fi film Ghosts of Mars (2001), Jet Li's The One (2001) and another screen partnership with Vinnie Jones in Mean Machine (2001) under Guy Ritchie's and Matthew Vaughn's SKA Films. Finally in 2002 he was cast as the lead role of Frank Martin in The Transporter (2002). Jason is also in the summer 2003 blockbuster remake of The Italian Job (1969), The Italian Job (2003), playing handsome Rob.


Trivia
Did nearly all of his own stunts in The Transporter (2002), including car chase sequences, scuba diving sequences and fight sequences.

His break into the entertainment business came when an agent put him on an advertisement for the French Connection clothing company.

Prior to The Transporter (2002) he already had a background in martial arts which enabled him to perform his own fight sequences.

Bwhahaha your going off IMDB?

Jason: Uh .. is that what I am? (laughs) I started out, I used to be like a street trader. I used to work on the markets, not the stock markets, but like what you'd call a flea market. But back home they're much more glamorous and they're much bigger and people come and spend money there like they would on the high street. So I used to do all that and work the corner selling jewelry out of a briefcase. We'd call it "fly-pitching" and there used to be a lot of street-corner con men. That's what I used to do for years.

Next time try going somewhere that isn`t IMDB for your info

http://www.jetli.com/jetli/projects/projects_one_articles_jason_01.php?bw=

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

No, he's right. The best action films had actual story, and good characters. Predator, Aliens, Die Hard, Terminator, these movies and their sequels.

Aren't we talking about specifically extraordinary films? I mean, those are just classics.

MOST action films are really about blowing stuff up. The fans of the action genre kinda accept that, thus being the "guy movie".

I'm not saying every action film needs to be over the top, insane stuff.

But, every now and again with a cool action film star like Statham is fun for me. The Transporter is just ****ing cool. And The Transporter 2 is even crazier. Over the top, unbelievable.....yeah. But, that's kinda the point I think.

Btw, Black Dust....nice find. It's pretty cool to see he kinda worked his way upwards.

 

[Hush]

Im so gonna see this Statham is amazing. He was phenominal in Snatch and Revolver!!! Truly just great.

 

[black_dust]

Btw, Black Dust....nice find. It's pretty cool to see he kinda worked his way upwards.

Yup! i think he is pretty cool for that.

 

[Mentok]

Meh... I could watch him eat toast for two hours. CRANK should be great. I am shocked at the great reviews its getting though. I figured it would be a pretty mindless 2 stars at best deal... Seems like it actually has some substance to it

 

[Lord Blackbolt]

I like the concept of the story....plus....He's way cooler than Van Damn, Segal or most of those forgetable 80's action stars. Yes...even cooler than Chuck Norris. Chuck can't act for ****...

 

[The Chairman]

I'm not big on Statham, but this film actually looks really good.

 

[XwolverineX]

I like the concept of the story....plus....He's way cooler than Van Damn, Segal or most of those forgetable 80's action stars. Yes...even cooler than Chuck Norris. Chuck can't act for ****...

Batmans cooler, and I'm cooler, and Master Chief is cooler.

 

[MOIDANGEREUX]

Production Photos -


http://us.rd.yahoo.com/movies/exclu...es.yahoo.com/movie/1808725259/photo/970406343

 

[MOIDANGEREUX]

Bump!

 

[kane9321]

cant wait for this...

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I am a little surprised too that it's getting good reviews.

But, I think his action films kinda lends itself to the genre. The over the top, unbelieveable, video game type action that most guys 15-30 years old would probably dig to watch just cause it's cool.

So, I think as long as you judge a film in it's genre, and how it handles that genre......it can get a good rating. But, if you try and compare it to some other film outside of the genre, that'd be pretty unfair.

 

[Fanticon]

Well, I saw Transporter...and I thought it was okay, but way cheesy....then I saw part 2 and thought, it was okay but even cheezier...then I saw the previews for Crank, and I thought...why don't they just call this Transporter 3? I know if I see it, I'm gonna walk out of the theatres really upset that I spent 10 bux 2 c it.

 

[Elisha Cuthbert]

Dude, okay, based on the coment last page about this not having a story...true, but this particular action movie has more of a story than the ones we have been seeing, and even from the trailer you can tell its got great characters too, which in the end is what makes a good action movie. I can't wait.

 

[MOIDANGEREUX]

Crank’ is visceral, pounding and urgent, a film
heart attack waiting to happen. And stunts and storylines that are ever more outrageous earmark it for cult status among a very specific type of moviegoer.

Even though the noir classic ‘DOA’ and the film ‘Rage’, loosely inspire it, ‘Crank’ is contemporary, a riff on the drug culture that kills and enriches. It’s piercing and dangerous in ways that few films have achieved.
Leading underworld assassin Chev (Jason Statham) isn’t feeling so swell. He was drugged in his sleep and the perp has left him a present - a DVD showing him popping a needle in his neck and advising him on how long he has to live.
One hour!
Chev just has to keep moving. And he needs adrenaline, as much as he can create in his body, and as much as he can find elsewhere. And that means keeping stimulated.
That’s what makes this film so exciting. It is all about moving forward, no reflection, no moral dilemmas, no looking front or back and nothing else matters. He is on vengeance mission shielded by the reality that he can’t be killed twice.
There are many ways to get adrenalin.
There is driving fast, and into a shopping mall and up the escalator, for one.
There is public sex.
There is the robbing of pharmacies.
There is snorting cocaine off a bathroom floor in a skuzzy strip club.
There is the emergency phone call to the doctor who offers temporary life support, if he ever gets back to LA.
And there is still a short opportunity to hunt down and kill your enemies.
Your vision might be getting blurry but you’ve never been more focused.
You’re a lethal weapon.
The visual trickery is sly and even funny. Not only are we treated to shots of our hero’s heart at work, and later, a pigeon’s, we read subtitles forwards and backwards, watch a guy freefall out of a helicopter and chat on his cell and any number of wondrous, creative and captivating sights.
Neveldine and Taylor have created a breathtaking death ride that Statham enhances with his rock hard persona. It is a little gem that continues the brutal, heartless excesses of his previous works, Snatch, Lock Stock, Revolver and the Transporter films.
Statham does not generally appear in, and probably isn’t asked to take roles that require a depth and complexity. He’s like Tom Cruise in MI: 3 – ever moving forward. It certainly doesn’t require previous Shakespearean training but it does require total suspension of disbelief. He does what he does with focus so hard it seems to cut through the celluloid and into the skin. I’d like to see other young actors keep up with him.
Kudos to the cinematographers, editors and Foley artists who helped the filmmakers create an incredibly rousing summer confection.
It’s so dense with action and surprise that there is no room to think, just react, gasp and enjoy.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=16292

Jason Statham Cranks It Up!
Source: Edward Douglas
August 31, 2006

Anyone who enjoyed seeing Jason Statham in action in "The Transporter" movies but were miffed by how stilted they felt with their strict PG-13 rating, should enjoy his new character in Crank. Chev Chelios, a hired assassin, spends a day running around L.A., killing, screwing and shooting up all sorts of substances in an attempt to stay alive after being injected with a lethal poison.

Yes, it's very much like D.O.A. (the original movie, not the video game!) meets Speed with a bit of the ultra-violent dark humor of Park Chan-wook's Old Boy thrown in. Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, two hot L.A. commercial directors, it's like playing a video game with a broken controller.

After seeing Statham treated like a rock star at Comic-Con in San Diego, ComingSoon.net had a chance to sit down and talk with the British actor about the movie and other things, like the status of sequels to his two most popular movie roles.

ComingSoon.net: How exciting was it to be able to be in a different kind of action movie like "Crank"?
Jason Statham: This film for me was something I wanted to do because it was a no-holds barred kind of action film, undiluted fun, which I never get to do. There's always a censored rating on my action films, and this on the other hand, is a hard-R, for obvious reasons, and therefore, you can have a bit of fun. The violence is violent, I suppose, but it's not supposed to be taken seriously. This is a comical sort of romp, and it's more of a video game or comic strip film than something that's supposed to be too serious. We know it's not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but that doesn't matter, because it's true to itself. We're not trying to offend anybody, we're trying to make something that is an enjoyable romp, and this certainly is that. If you don't like it—I'm sure it's not going to be everyone's taste—but there's also a lot to be said about a film that's really true to itself.

CS: And you get a bit of romance in this one, if you could call it that.
Statham: A romance in Chinatown! Yeah, it was a really sweet relationship we had, me and Amy [Smart].

CS: What were the discussions like in terms of how far you and Amy were going to go in that Chinatown scene?
Statham: Heh heh heh… I think we pushed it as far as we could go. (laughs) How far can you go with that? We kind of rang every bell there was to ring. It's something we were quite nervous about doing in front of 200 extras. It was something I was looking forward to, but to have a sex scene with Amy Smart, I really WAS looking forward to that, but the location I was not.

CS: How was it working with Amy?
Statham: Oh, she's a delight, to say the least. She's just an adorable person that's great company and just tons of fun, and has no reservations about doing anything. She just takes the bull by the horns and knows how to have fun.

CS: What was the craziest thing you had to do in this movie and where was the line for you saying that they had to get a stuntman to do something?
Statham: The line kind of kept dropping and dropping as the more weeks passed. We were having so much fun, and we knew we were getting good material, and we knew that people enjoy this kind of thing. I just kept allowing myself more and more leeway to do more crazy stunts, and luckily, we did the most dangerous things right at the end. (laughs) In case they lost me, they at least had the film. The hanging out of the helicopter was probably the last thing and the dropping to the floor on the Descender Rig prior to the helicopter thing. Those two pieces were the most dangerous and we stuck them on for the last few days.

CS: What was that Descender Rig like? Did you really end up going downwards that fast for such a long distance?
Statham: It's an old type thing that I think Joel Robinson invented, an old stuntman from the U.S. The braking system was more like a handbrake, but now it's all computerized and apparently very safe. It's an elaborate set of spools with high-tensile wire that's computer-controlled, and literally, you can program how many feet you want to freefall, when the braking system has to kick in, it's amazing piece of equipment. Very smooth, but you're still 200 feet up facing the sky, dropping towards the concrete. It's much better looking at the concrete because you can get the sensation of how fast you're traveling, but when you're falling backwards, it just takes your breath away. And you never know how close you are. Is it going to brake? Am I still going to live?

CS: Was there any stunt that was just too crazy and you had to say "no" to it?
Statham: They're always saying no. They're the ones that say "no" because they're the ones that are concerned that you're not going to be able to do it. They didn't want me to do the helicopter stunt. Usually, it's the explosions and the pyrotechnics. There's no point to do those anyway. There's no skill involved. It's just ridiculously dangerous, and I don't see any value in me doing those crazy head-on collision in a car, what's the point? Let the stuntmen do what they're supposed to do.

CS: Did you have any injuries?
Statham: Yeah, you always get a few knocks and bruises and tweaks, but I'm used to that stuff.

CS: Did you find yourself having to keep your own adrenaline going while shooting this movie and what do you do in your own time to get a rush?
Statham: I'm not going to incriminate myself here. I do a lot of active sports. I do a lot of snowboarding when I can. I go every Christmas and New Year with a bunch of friends. You go off to learn a new trick and there's always a rush to that. Scubadiving is another thing that I'm very partial to. [On the movie], we drank a lot of Red Bull and a lot of coffee. Energy levels do lull, but the two directors Mark and Brian had such an energy that you rise to the occasion. You know you have to do it. You become a professional and you can't just say "I'll be in my trailer. Call me when I'm ready." You have to keep your energy levels high and that's what they're paying you to do.

CS: How was it working with two directors like Mark and Brian?
Statham: On the face of it, you usually expect that to be a bad thing, but they worked really well together. They co-wrote the script so they knew what they wanted, which was a great help, but I think it's like going fishing with two nets. You catch more fish. With two directors, you get more opportunity to try something that might work, and this was a very experimental sort of film for me. We shot what we had to shoot, and then they went, "Now do what you want to do." And one of them would come up with an idea to try, and then a different idea to try, so we were improvising a lot. That's what makes it fun.

CS: How did they break down the responsibilities?
Statham: They'd sort of go, "Do you want to shoot this one, Brian?" and Mark would go, "I'll shoot this one." It was pretty much like that. They had no strategy or plan. Apart from the scenes that moved with great velocity, when I'm running, the rollerblading camerawork was all done by Mark because he's so good on a set of skates. They devised this backpack that housed all the "gubbins" for the hi-definition cameras that they were using. Pretty much he'd be following me on a set of rollerblades as much as he could. He'd be traveling backwards while I was on the motorbike, he'd be on the blades skidding around. That stuff was all Mark Neveldine; he's a lunatic, believe me! I've had to run before with a Stedicam operator, and they can never get the pace that you want them to get. For me, to have Mark on a set of skates was a great asset. I loved that he was able to catch me at full pace… but you can't run faster than a guy on skates.

CS: What are your thoughts on being a European action star crossing over into Hollywood?
Statham: It's great, because we don't make action movies in the UK. All we have is the old James Bond franchise, and that is it. Obviously, I'm not a part of that, so I'm very happy to come to Hollywood and have a bit of fun over there. They've made great action films for decades, and I've been very fond of some of the action films they've made. Luc Besson is the person that gave me my big start as an action star, so apart from going to work for Luc in France, I've no other chances pushed in front of my nose, only in Hollywood, so I'm very happy to be in Hollywood.

CS: Are you still based in London?
Statham: No, I go between the two. I wouldn't say I spend most of my time in London, that would be a lie. I go home to see my friends and kick around for a couple of weeks, and then I'm back over in L.A.

CS: Do you think being trained in the martial arts makes you a more aggressive person or less?
Statham: Much less, because you have a certain inner sense of control, and most of the idiots that are out there causing trouble are the ones that don't have a release for their anger. We all have an internal anger, but it's just a great release to involve yourself in any kind of training. It releases all the endorphins, makes you feel good. You know that you have a sort of control. A lot of people that are out there causing trouble have something to prove because they're insecure, and their ego is trying to get out. They're just idiots. They should take up a martial art. If they wanna go and fight, you only have to go to the UFC and see how many people are game there if you want to start picking fights with people. Just go to Vegas and step in the Octagon!

CS: A lot of British actors come from a classical background, whether it be university or theatre. What was your background before doing Guy Ritchie's movie, did you always want to be an actor?
Statham: No, I just used to work for myself. I used to train during the day to be an athlete and then I'd work weekends on Wembley Market and various times of the year when I wasn't competing, I'd work in the streets. I'd go up Oxford Street and sell fake jewelry and occasionally perfume.

CS: Are you surprised how far you've come as an actor without training and have you thought at all about going to classes or training more?
Statham: I don't want to jinx it, I suppose. There's always room to expand your skills. I've said this before, but it was the advice of Guy Ritchie, he said, "There's a fine line between technique and intuition, and intuition serves you well. It keeps you fresh and for what you're doing right now, it works rather well." Some of my favorite actors of all time have come from the traditional school of training, like Robert De Niro is one of my heroes. So I've kept with the advice of Mr. Ritchie, and I haven't had time to pursue any formal training really. There's a lot of time and hopefully, I'll be able to keep going for many years and find myself some training if I need it.

CS: Do you still keep in touch with Mr. Ritchie?
Statham: I go and visit him and strangle him on his mats. We share a great passion of mixed martial arts and Brazilian ju-jitsu is something he's really fond of, so it's like playing chess, but physically. We do that a lot, and we have great conversations. We have similar taste in movies. He's a great friend of mine and always will be. I have a lot of time for Guy Ritchie.

CS: Do you have any favorite action stars you'd like to make a movie with?
Statham: I just like them doing what they're doing. I don't know if you saw "District 13," there's a free-runner on there called David Bell. I'd love to work with him and Cyril Raffaele, they're great French actors/stuntmen, they're brilliant. Tony Jaa I'm a big fan of. Jet Li I'm also a big fan of. I just did a movie with him up in Canada called "Rogue." I did a movie with him a few years ago that I wasn't too crazy about, but this one is really good.

CS: Any update on the status of "The Italian Job 2" (AKA "The Brazilian Job")?
Statham: What do I know about it? It's looming, it's out there. There's nothing locked down.

CS: Is everyone signed on for the sequel?
Statham: Can't tell you that, I don't know. I would definitely say that I'd love to be a part of that. It's a great crowd. Mark's a good friend of mine, Charlize, Mos Def I don't see much, I know he lives over here, but every time I see him it's a pleasure. Seth Green is a funny ol' bastard, can't get enough of him.

CS: Why has it been so hard to get a sequel off the ground, as it's now been over three years since the original?
Statham: Yeah, so many moving parts, so many actors that are busy. How do you nail everyone down to the gate? I don't know. Maybe that's one of the reasons.

CS: Have you and Luc Besson talked at all about doing another "Transporter" movie?
Statham: Yes, we have talked about it, and we've talked about it. (laughs) I mean, people like the "Transporter" movies. I get a lot of good feedback from it. We don't want to do one next week, but give us a bit of time and we'll stick another one in the bag. I'd like to and he said he would, too.

CS: How would improve on the franchise or character with a third movie?
Statham: I'm not a writer, but I know how many mistakes… I don't want to be too negative and say what I did and didn't like from that last film, but we have so much room to make a better film. We were up against all kinds of things, shooting schedules, hurricanes, different things, no prep time… and we still made a decent film. I know that [if you] give us the things we need, and we'll do something really special.

CS: Do you know what you're doing next?
Statham: I have a film that I'm ready to do, but I'll know in the next week if that's a "yes" or a "no." It's something that's going to be restful on my joints; there's no action involved. It's a drama that's set in London, and that's all I can tell you in case it doesn't happen.

Crank opens tomorrow, September 1.

 

[Mentok]

Sweet! I cant wait for it.

 

[black_dust]

Im seeing it tomorrow Hoorar!

 

[terry78]

100% on rotten tomatoes. Who knew?

 

[Octoberist]

who knew!

 

[Hunter Rider]

I had a feeling it was gonna be well recieved when Empire gave it 4 stars but this is a hell of a start