The first “Crank” movie was a surprisingly innovative action movie starring the great Jason Statham (“The Transporter”, “The Expendables”). “Crank 2: High Voltage” offers more of the same but I think it’s even more violent and crazy. At times, it really pushes the boundaries of taste but it’s still entertaining.

Chev Chelios (Statham) is back! Chinese mobsters literally steal his heart as they carry out an operation to replace his heart with an artificial one. This now requires him to receive electric shocks to stay alive. It’s more fighting, more sex and more zaniness as Chelios tries to locate his real heart and punish the bad guys responsible.

Statham just has so much energy in these movies and it’s so very impressive. One particularly shocking sequence sees him use cables for jumpstarting cars to shock himself while another has him insert a shotgun into a gangster’s backside. Some of the special effects on Statham near the end are not very good at all. Amy Smart (“Rat Race”) is back as Chev’s lover and again is not given a great deal to do. There are some surprising cameos in this movie as we see Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, Spice Girls’ Geri Halliwell, Lloyd Kaufman (“Terror Firmer”), David Carradine (“Kill Bill: Vol. 2”) and adult film star Ron Jeremy.

“Crank 2: High Voltage” is definitely not a movie for the family. We have a graphic scene depicting heart surgery, a gang member slicing off parts of his own body, topless women, a ridiculous sex sequence and man getting his privates electrocuted. This movie is undeniably fun as it is just a rollercoaster ride. It’s not quite as inventive as the first film but I think they are both equally entertaining. If you are a fan of Statham and you’ve seen the first “Crank” then make sure you see this sequel.