By Stephen Pytak 

     Take one dose of "Crank" and you'll be laughing and
clapping and buzzing about it for a few days.
     The best action-comedy so far this year, this wild ride
stars Jason Statham of "The Transporter" series. 
     He plays "Chev Chelios," a mercenary who's knocked out 
by a ruthless gang and injected with a concoction called 
"the Bejing Cocktail."
     It's meant to kill him within an hour if he slows down 
his metabolism. The only thing that will keep his heart
pumping are high doses of adrenaline.
     That in mind, he tears through Los Angeles in search
of his enemies, speeding, fighting, doing cocaine, and nasal 
spray filled with epinephrine along the way.
     The script, direction and editing are really good, but I
couldn't imagine this film without Statham. Though he plays
a tough guy, he's not redoing his same schtick from "The 
Transporter." This role's a little crazier. And the guy proves
here he can do physical comedy really well. Statham put
his stamp on this film the way Bruce Campbell did on "Evil
Dead II."
     "Crank" also stars Amy Smart of "The Butterfly Effect"
as Chelios' pot-headed but adorable girlfriend. She shares one
of the films more memorable scenes. 
     I don't want to spoil it. I'm not sure how critics are 
going to view it. I guess it's a matter of taste. But I thought 
it worked in the context of the story, though shockingly
funny.
     I have to really hand it to the filmmakers who came up
with this. It's a real thrill ride which doesn't quit. Laughs.
Gags. Fights. Bang! Bang! Bang!
     "Crank" is a summer drug you're going to want to hit.