Crank Movies: Release Order
The Crank series consists of two hyper-kinetic action films starring Jason Statham as Chev Chelios, a hitman thrust into increasingly absurd life-or-death scenarios. Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, these films are known for their frenetic digital cinematography, over-the-top violence, dark humor, and complete disregard for conventional action movie rules.
The first film introduces Chev as he's poisoned with a synthetic drug that will kill him unless he keeps his adrenaline constantly elevated. High Voltage picks up immediately after the original's ending, with Chev surviving a fall only to have his heart stolen and replaced with an artificial battery-powered device. The sequel amplifies everything from the first film to even more outrageous extremes.
Linear Timeline: Release Order = Story Order
Crank
Chev Chelios, a hit man wanting to go straight, lets his latest target slip away. Then he awakes the next morning to a phone call that informs him he has been poisoned and has only an hour to live unless he keeps adrenaline coursing through his body while he searches for an antidote.
Crank: High Voltage
Chelios faces a Chinese mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart and replaced it with a battery-powered ticker that requires regular jolts of electricity to keep working.
Other Film Series
Escape Plan
An action trilogy following security expert Ray Breslin as he infiltrates and escapes from increasingly dangerous high-tech prisons.
Fast and Furious
Street racing saga that evolved into a globe-spanning action franchise centered on family and high-octane heists.
Quentin Tarantino
Influential American filmmaker known for nonlinear storytelling, stylized violence, pop culture references, and memorable dialogue across ten acclaimed directorial works.
Renny Harlin
Finnish director known for high-octane action blockbusters and horror films spanning from the late 1980s to today.
The Roundup
A South Korean crime action franchise following Detective Ma Seok-do as he takes on increasingly dangerous criminal organizations.
Universal Soldier
A sci-fi action franchise about reanimated soldiers turned into enhanced super-warriors, following multiple timelines and reboots across different continuities.