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'Crank: 4K Ultra HD + Digital'
(Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Carlos Sanz, et al / 4K Ultra HD + Blu ray + Digital / R / (2006) 2019 / Lionsgate Films)

Overview: Professional assassin Chev Chelios (Statham) learns his rival has injected him with a poison that will kill him if his heart rate drops.

4K Ultra HD Verdict: Lionsgate continues to expand their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this May with the release of this quite stunning, and highly underrated 'Crank' in the new 4K home video format on May 21st, 2019.

For my money, this 'Crank: 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital' combo pack's sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is 'Crank' presented to us as a two-disc combo pack with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Upscaled 4K (2160p), HDR: HDR10 Aspect ratio: 1.78:1, and Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHD's, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisper with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what's more is that it's enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color; like the delicious hues and nuances of all the frantic outdoor running, screaming scenes involving the many foot chases.

Indeed, the picture enjoys the fruits of the added resolution in terms of bringing out the aforementioned extremely fine facial and some of the yellow graded material (notably some scenes where Statham is running "at" the camera, his face boiling red, his adrenaline pumped to the max) now have a kind of honeyed amber appearance. Which is interesting, and at least a little different from the 1080p Blu-ray accounting.

As for the audio, well we have: English: Dolby Atmos, English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), and Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1.

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

Phew! OK, so, as for the movie itself. Well, as noted above, Chev Chelios (Statham) has just been poisoned with a strange drug that lowers his adrenaline and will eventually kill him!

Unless he keeps his adrenaline up, and being a super tough hit-man, he is not one to go out quietly nor get revenge on those that poisoned him.

Jason Statham fits the role of the intense, crazy, ultra-cool, badass Chev Chelios so perfectly that it's just amazing.

Maybe he is being type cast from his role in 'The Transporter,' but when you have a movie as exciting and awesome as this, even he wouldn't care.

Packing a terrific high octane direction that never lets up the tension nor the action this is possibly the best pure action film of 2006. From the get-go, it's all about the action.

Forget logic. Forget realism. Just hold on for an intense and amazingly entertaining movie.

It all works, because from the very first scene sets up the craziness of the rest of the film up perfectly. On a rough comparison you could say that this is 'The Transporter' meets 'Snatch' but that hardly does the film justice.

It is not just a blending of two previous movies, it is a adrenaline packed ride that is often only found on B-movies these days some of which are good some of which are not, but they are just action films.

And this is just an action film. Pure. Simple. And terrifically badass. It also features what may be one of cinema's most hilarious sex scenes!

And so to sum up, if you're questioning the realism or fundamentals of 'Crank' at any time, without letting them wash over you with a smirk, you are not the target demographic!

Switch off that brain and let this unique, high octane, barnstormer of a film, roll with the awesome punches it so clearly wants to throw at you!

Anyway, that's that, for the most part, so now let's concentrate on the two all-new featurettes now included. The first is a rather brilliant, and obviously fun 'Crank @ Comic-Con' Featurette where the filmmakers talk up the film to an as-yet knowing audience of soon-to-be fans!

The other is the more factual run-of-the-mill 'More Stories from Crank' Featurette where the filmmakers once again discuss the ins and outs of making the film, whilst at the same time reveal how certain scenes were actually filmed (which was rather cool, to be honest).

Written and directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, and available for the very first time in this absolutely stunning format, the 'Crank: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack' releases May 21st, 2019 and will be available for the suggested retail price of $22.99.

This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.31:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs via 1080p and comes with the Special Features of:

“Shooting Crank” Featurette
“The Stunts of Crank” Featurette
“Pushing Crank” Featurette
NEW “Crank @ Comic-Con” Featurette
NEW “More Stories from Crank” Featurette

Official Trailer

www.LGF.com





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