the follow up to the 2006 trashy-action-classic, crank 2 : high voltage proved to be a less fruitful and indeed joyable experience than its surprisingly great predecessor. the problem lies in the fact that everything is amplified in the sequel, and not just the positive aspects. the casual racism of the first has been replaced by a torrent of racial hatred and abuse, although the fact that no single aspect of society has been left out may be seen as a plus to some. its treatment of women was not only disgusting, but shocking that this sort of attitude can be displayed on the cinema screen in 2009. it was horrifying, as were the accompanying laughs that came with it from the audience. saying that, jason statham is his usual semi-affable self, and the video game-esque aesthetics prove desirable once again. crank 2 is much longer than its swift predecessor, which proved just how apt the originals running time was, as halfway through i felt physically exhausted.

obviously this sort of picture was never intended to appeal to a cinemagoer like myself, but as i actually enjoyed the first film i dont think this is a case of me just not “getting” crank 2, it was simply a poor film.