10 Movies Not Screened For Critics (That Were Actually Good)
6. Crank
When he's dosed with a "Beijing Cocktail," Jason Statham has to keep his heart-rate up until he can find an antidote. Under doctor's orders, he embarks on a high-octane quest for vengeance in which the action literally cannot let up for more than a few seconds. It's just about the purest excuse for an action movie there is.
He steals cars, starts fights and shoots people. His consumption of cocaine, energy drinks and assorted pharmceauticals would kill a shire horse. Glen Howerton from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia zaps him with a defibrilator. He even headbangs along to "Achy Breaky Heart."
It's not perfect by any means and there are a few things that just wouldn't make it on film today, including a notoriously dodgy sex-scene. But it's stupid and it knows it's stupid. It's also endlessly entertaining and frequently hilarious. The reception was bound to be mixed so in this case (and for the sequel - "Crank: High Voltage") it was probably a good idea to stick two fingers up to the critics and release without a screening.