First things first, this is probably the most unbiased review you’d read for this film because neither have I read the comic book series nor have I watched the classic 1994 movie adaptation by Alex Proyas starring Brandon Lee. So, all the thoughts are only based on my viewing of Rupert Sanders’ version of this story.
Every version or sequel that came after Alex Proyas’ film has failed critically as well as commercially so when Rupert Sanders dared to touch this story again, eyes were rolled, and justifiably so because he doesn’t have a great resume with two critically panned movies: Ghost in the Shell live-action movie and Snow White and The Huntsman. This is his third directorial venture, again an adaptation of an already existing classic. It must be a coincidence only, right?
The tagline for this movie reads “True Love Never Dies” but this supposed love story is only on the screen for 20 minutes. The rest of the film is only about Bill Skarsgård going around from here to there in goth makeup. Not that it’s bad but it makes the movie very straightforward. I could only think how much better this story would have felt had the screenplay been non-linear, the bad guys more despicable and the love story more developed.
Unlike the other Lionsgate release this month, this one does have merit though. The direction is inspired. The dark color palette reminded me of the Batman movies and I liked how it was used here. The editing is a bit inconsistent because in some places, the transitions felt very forced and jarring but in many places, the transitions were very slick and seamless. The standout is the sound design for me. Background music and silence are brilliantly used to build tension and intrigue. The soundtrack is also surprisingly good as every song is appropriately placed and the lyrics and music complement the things happening in the foreground.
My favorite thing about this movie though has to be a very interesting 15-minute-long action sequence interspersed with an opera performance. It’s the kind of action you see in movies like John Wick or Deadpool where they have gone full throttle on gore and violence and it’s nothing less than a bloodbath. Bill Skarsgård was also menacing in this sequence and it’s the only portion where you actually cheer for this character.
This brings me to what pulls this movie down: the writing. The screenplay is lazily written with a half-baked love story so you don’t really care about the central character avenging his lover’s death. The supporting characters are all forgettable and the villain is such a poorly written character that you don’t really feel any kind of dread. There is an attempt at building suspense where our protagonist tries to find who killed his lover and why but he is followed around by a CG crow and he finds everything without hardly searching for them. Convenient storytelling at its finest.
He is also given some random flashback montages from his childhood in the name of backstory. So, we never really know what makes him broken and gravitate towards the woman that he is fighting for. He also uses the F word a lot which doesn’t help the case either.
The only good and memorable piece of writing is a dialogue that goes like “Hate is not the enemy of love. Doubt is.”
The Crow warrants a theatrical watch though for its slick action choreography and dark cinematography if you don’t mind a middling story because it’s a perfect R-rated action movie that asks “How far will you go for the love that you found two days ago at a rehab?”
Mihir, now a practicing doctor, gracefully navigates the delicate balance between the demands of medicine and the enchantment of cinema. Amidst patient consultations and hospital rounds, he finds sanctuary and inspiration in the magical world of film. For Mihir, movies are not merely an escape but a reservoir of renewed energy, where each frame whispers tales that reignite his spirit. His dual identity as a healer and a cinephile weaves a unique tapestry, lending Review Tales a voice that is both profound and poetic.
excellent review!