Verdict
Summary
A reimagining of James O’Barr’s seminal graphic novel and a total reboot of the original 1994 film that spawned a slew of sequel / reboots (and a TV series) in itself, this take on The Crow is very much in the spirit of the comic book, as well as the entire franchise, which it emulates in concept and form, but it does its own thing with it, which is great. I very much enjoyed it for not necessarily being a copy, but still retaining the spirit of O’Barr’s intention, which is to give it a goth tone, with great songs on the soundtrack, a unique style, and a violent action vibe, which is really all it needs to be exactly what it intended.
Plot:
A murdered man comes back from the dead to avenge his death and the death of his lover.
Review:
A misfit named Eric (Bill Skarsgard) meets another misfit named Shelly (FKA twigs) in a rehab / holding facility, and it’s kismet: Despite their perpetual bad luck in life, they are kindred souls who bond through their brokenness. They have a brief season of bliss as they fall in love, but it doesn’t last long: The circle that Shelly fraternizes with has a poisoned element, and she becomes a target by an immortal man with supernatural power, a smooth guy named Vincent (Danny Huston) who is caught on camera using his powers to kill. Shelly has the proof on her phone, and when Vincent and his cult of goons come to collect, both Eric and Shelly are killed. But before Eric’s soul can fully cross over, he makes a deal with an entity in the afterlife to allow him to get revenge in exchange for his immortal soul. So, on the same night of his death, Eric returns to his body to hunt down his killers, and though he’s no expert in killing, he has the remarkable ability to heal from any wound, but still feel the pain of every wound inflicted upon him, giving him a newfound rage and focus to become a thing of horror, which the immortal Vincent has never before encountered, setting the stage for a very bloody night of vengeance.
A reimagining of James O’Barr’s seminal graphic novel and a total reboot of the original 1994 film that spawned a slew of sequel / reboots (and a TV series) in itself, this take on The Crow is very much in the spirit of the comic book, as well as the entire franchise, which it emulates in concept and form, but it does its own thing with it, which is great. I very much enjoyed it for not necessarily being a copy, but still retaining the spirit of O’Barr’s intention, which is to give it a goth tone, with great songs on the soundtrack, a unique style, and a violent action vibe, which is really all it needs to be exactly what it intended. Rupert Sanders did an admirable job giving the movie a really smooth and stylish texture, and even the character designs for Eric and Shelly are different than anything that has come before from this series. I suppose the film was destined to fail at the box office, but I do believe it will become a cult hit on the home video and streaming circuit because it’s a very worthy addition to the ethos of The Crow mythology. If the series dies here, that’s fine, but rest assured that there will always be a life for fans of the franchise here as well.
Lionsgate releases The Crow on several separate editions this week, including a Blu-ray / DVD / Digital combo pack, as well as a 4K Ultra HD disc / Blu-ray / Digital combo, and there are steelbook editions as well. Special features include a making-of feature, a feature on the music score, a tribute to the late producer, deleted scenes, and more.
