Older readers may recall a classic film noir called "D.O.A.," for "dead on arrival," the coroner's chilly toe-tagged verdict on this or that newly John Dead. That 1950 film, directed brilliantly by cameraman Rudolph Mate and starring the underrated Edmond O'Brien, was about a small-town businessman of no particular distinction who was told by his doctor he had been poisoned and had just 48 hours to live.

The death sentence actually galvanizes his life, and in his last two days, he becomes a driven hero, solving his own murder and punishing those responsible. Great movie. Well, the guys who wrote and directed "Crank" have obviously seen it about a dozen times: "Crank" is "D.O.A" on methamphetamines.

The man who wakes up to learn he's doomed is a hit man named Chev Chelios (I am not making this up), played by that bald dynamo Jason Statham. He actually knows who his killer is, because the killer helpfully cellphones him. Actually Chev doesn't have two days to live but only an hour; the movie stretches it to 83 minutes. It's a very eventful 83 minutes.

The wrinkle: The mysterious "Chinese poison" that is shutting down Chev's heart can be blocked by adrenaline; thus Chev, endeavoring to elongate his allotted time so that he may kill all those responsible, has to keep the rush going. It's like "Speed," I suppose, with his ticker as the bus.

--Stephen Hunter (Sep. 2, 2006)

Contains sexual innuendo, profanity and violence.