Crank: High Voltage 2009

As the credits rolled on the original Crank, viewers were left with a sense of urgency as Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) plummeted from the sky, his fate hanging precariously in the balance. But just as all hope seemed lost, a group of Chinese medics swooped in to scoop up the injured protagonist, whisking him away to a makeshift medical facility.

Awakening to the sound of scalpels and sutures, Chev’s world was turned upside down as he discovered the unthinkable: his heart had been removed, replaced by a clear plastic artificial organ. The doctors’ intentions were far from benevolent, with plans to strip him of even more vital organs - including his most sensitive appendages. Enraged by the indignity, Chev unleashed a brutal display of strength and agility, sending the medical team scattering.

As he regained his footing, Chev’s attention turned to the peculiar device attached to his person: a yellow battery pack that seemed to be powering an artificial heart implanted in his chest. Seizing a nearby set of clothes, Chev slipped out of the hospital and onto the streets, where he soon found himself embroiled in a high-stakes gun battle and brutal interrogation session. The payoff came in the form of crucial intel: Johnny Vang’s (Art Hsu) name and location - Cypress Social Club.

With his phone in hand, Chev reached out to Doc Miles (Dwight Yoakam), only to learn that he was now host to an AbioCor Artificial heart, courtesy of his mysterious medics. The clock was ticking: once the external battery pack ran out, the internal power source would kick in, granting him a mere hour before the artificial heart stopped functioning altogether. Undeterred, Chev commandeered a nearby vehicle, only to crash it mid-conversation with the driver - an act that sent his external battery pack up in smoke.

In a desperate bid to keep his vital signs online, Chev coaxed the driver into using jumper cables on himself, and then made a break for the Cypress Social Club, driven by a fierce determination to confront Johnny Vang and unravel the mystery surrounding his newfound artificial heart.

As Chev arrives on the scene, he finds himself entangled in a web of intrigue when he rescues Ria (Bai Ling), a stunning prostitute, from the clutches of an abusive and repugnant customer. In a bold move, Ria exacts her revenge by dispatching the offending party, and subsequently becomes enamored with Chev, likening him to Kevin Costner serenading Whitney Houston in the iconic film “The Bodyguard”. With his conscience clear, Vang (still clutching the enigmatic red cooler) slips away unnoticed, while Chev is left reeling from the revelation that three months have elapsed since their last encounter.

Seeking solace and a way to connect with Ria, Chev follows her lead to Strip Please, where he is shocked to discover his former flame Eve Lydon (Amy Smart), transformed by the provocative experience of public sex in “Crank” into an uninhibited sexual adventurer. Eve’s assumption that Chev had met his demise only adds to the emotional complexity of their rekindled relationship.

Meanwhile, Vang finds himself cornered by a ruthless group of Mexican gangsters, led by the menacing Chico, who proves his deadly intentions by severing a man’s elbow with calculated brutality. In a tense standoff, Vang agrees to hand over Chev in exchange for his own freedom, and seemingly escapes unscathed.

As Chev confronts the Mexicans, a hail of gunfire erupts, claiming the lives of everyone except Chico, who makes a daring escape through a rear exit. The wounded Chev then extracts information from a captured gangster, learning that El Huron is hell-bent on his destruction, but lacks a motive.

In the aftermath, Eve and Chev depart together, leaving behind the chaos and carnage. Outside, they’re met by a phalanx of cops, who unleash their fury upon Chev, weakening him significantly before one of them inadvertently stuns him with a taser. Chev commandeers a police car, joined by Eve and another stripper, who shares a vital clue: look to the Hollywood horse racetrack for Johnny Vang.

Just as the authorities are closing in, Chev is plucked from the jaws of capture by Venus (Efren Ramirez), Kaylo’s brother, who reveals himself to be afflicted with Full Body Tourette’s Syndrome. Initially, Chev assures Venus that every individual responsible for his brother’s demise has met their maker, prompting a hasty departure from the motorcycle-riding stranger. However, when Chev imparts the news that El Huron was involved but managed to escape, Venus remains steadfast in his determination to help the grieving sibling, setting the stage for an unpredictable and action-packed adventure.

As Chev (Vin Diesel) arrives at the horse tracks, a palpable sense of fatigue settles over him. Desperate for a solution, he reaches out to Doc Miles, who enlightens him about an unconventional method: charging the heart through skin-based friction. With his newfound knowledge, Chev attempts to revitalize himself by rubbing against various patrons, including Chester Bennington (in a cameo appearance) and an elderly woman. However, it is Eve (Nia Long) who ultimately provides the necessary stimulus, sparking a passionate encounter that reinvigorates Chev’s energy. As the crowd cheers, Chev spots Vang (John Malkovich) once more and, much to the audience’s dismay, abandons Eve to pursue Vang through the parking garage. Though Vang manages to evade capture, Chev is nearly subdued by security before being rescued by Don Kim (Kim Coates), a Chinese gangster who had saved his life in the previous film.

Don Kim reveals that Poon Dong, the ruthless leader of the Triads, has ordered Chev’s heart due to its unique ability to withstand the Chinese adrenaline poison. As Chev grapples with this revelation, Don Kim’s words are cut short when Chev takes matters into his own hands and kills him. Meanwhile, Eve finds herself under arrest, prompting Venus (Monet Mazur) to enlist Orlando’s (Reno Wilson) assistance in tracking down El Huron.

As Chev navigates the streets, he is suddenly cutoff by an ambulance. Boarding the vehicle, he discovers EMTs tending to Don Kim’s lifeless body. In a bold move, Chev demands a new battery pack for his artificial heart and, when refused, takes matters into his own hands, forcing the EMT to cease work while he installs the replacement. With this crisis averted, Chev exits the ambulance and is confronted with the unexpected sight of Johnny Vang standing on the street outside.

As the tumultuous tale unfolds, Chev finds himself in a precarious predicament once more. Initially, he’s forced to lay low as Ria reappears on the scene, only to be struck by a speeding vehicle that inadvertently draws Chev’s attention. Vang attempts an escape, but his getaway car speeds off without him, prompting Chev to give chase - a pursuit that ultimately leads them to an electric plant, where the stage is set for a thrilling spectacle reminiscent of the mighty Godzilla. Donning exaggerated, cartoonish masks that parody their real-life counterparts, Chev and Vang engage in an electrifying battle on a diminutive power-plant stage, with Chev emerging victorious.

However, his triumph is short-lived, as he discovers that Vang’s enigmatic red cooler contains something far more sinister than the organ it initially seemed to house. Chev’s outrage is palpable, though the nature of this terrible secret remains shrouded in mystery. The protagonist’s subsequent phone call to Doc Miles yields a revelation: his transplanted heart now beats within Poon Dong. Chev vows to track down his new host, but his quest is suddenly hijacked by tragedy when Johnny Vang falls victim to Chico’s deadly aim. As Chev lies unconscious, the world around him descends into chaos.

Meanwhile, Eve finds herself under intense scrutiny from law enforcement, steadfastly refusing to betray Chev’s trust. Doc Miles, ever the cunning strategist, enlists the aid of his trusted assistant Chocolate to lure Poon Dong into a trap - one that ultimately culminates in the hapless recipient’s knockout blow.

Chev’s slumber is abruptly terminated by a barrage of electric shocks targeting his testicles, and he’s dragged, kicking and screaming, onto an island where El Huron awaits. This enigmatic figure reveals himself to be the long-lost Verona brother, consumed by rage over Chev’s role in Ricky’s (Jose Pablo Cantillo) and Alex Verona’s (Jay Xcala) demise. As El Huron prepares to exact his revenge, he strips Chev of his newly installed battery pack, leading him on a macabre tour of the island’s pool area. It is there that Chev discovers the unthinkable: Ricky’s disembodied head, kept alive in a tank by a team of scientists and speaking in a voice eerily reminiscent of Stephen Hawking’s electronic tone.

As El Huron delights in Chev’s suffering, whipping him mercilessly for his pleasure, it seems as though all hope is lost. However, just as the protagonist teeters on the brink of extinction, a trio of unexpected allies bursts onto the scene: Orlando, Venus, and Ria, each accompanied by their own retinue of gunfighters. The ensuing chaos is nothing short of pandemonium, with Venus attempting to take down El Huron using her trusty Nunchuks.

As chaos erupts in the desolate landscape, Chev unleashes a brutal display of fury against Verona’s behemoth tank. With a vicious kick, he sends its metallic skull crashing into a tranquil pond, as if demanding an end to its relentless pursuit of water. As the beast slows to a halt, Chev seizes an opportunity to harness the nearby electrical pylon, wrapping his arms around the wires in a desperate bid for reinvigoration. The sudden jolt, however, sends him flying off the structure, his body arcing through the air like a human projectile.

Meanwhile, the aerial battle between Venus and El Huron reaches its climax, with the former teetering on the brink of defeat. It is at this moment that Chev reappears, still smoldering from the electrical discharge that had set his very being ablaze. Undeterred by his precarious state, he unleashes a ferocious assault upon El Huron, striking the final blow with a fiery fury that sends the defeated warrior crashing into the same pond where Verona’s tank now lies motionless.

As Chev’s flames flicker and die down, his hallucinatory state becomes increasingly pronounced. He approaches Ria, mistakenly perceiving her as Eve, and attempts to envelop her in a burning embrace. The unintended consequences of this gesture are catastrophic, as Ria’s very skin begins to blister and char under the intense heat. She flees in terror, leaving Chev to continue his gruesome descent into madness.

The final moments of the film unfold with Chev, now a human torch, walking resolutely towards the camera, his melted face twisted into a defiant snarl as he extends a singed middle finger to the audience.

As the credits roll, Doc Miles tends to the ravaged form of Chev, painstakingly reimplanting his heart while Eve watches with an air of solemn concern. The bandages wrapping Chev’s charred remains seem futile in their attempts to conceal the full extent of his injuries. As the medical team departs, leaving the two alone, a flicker of hope appears when Chev’s eyes flicker open, and the rhythmic beating of his heart echoes through the silence.