The Crow

Rating:
Summary: dark and sweet and good
Review: Although this movie has a few moments where I always close my eyes because of the senseless mayhem and violence, I still rate this one with five stars. Why? O'Barr's brutal and romantic story has been put to life with lots of respect and imagination. The characters are as real as they can be in a comic-to-film.

Rating:
Summary: James O Barr's tale told by MTV
Review: This was a movie that I was hoping for a lot from, and it delivered. The problem is that it didn't deliver in the right places and didn't do the story any justice.

The story is one of revenge. The main character, eric draven, was going to be married to his sweetheart. When a bunch of degenerates break in and kill him and his girlfriend in a brutal manner. All seems to be forgotten until the one year after the event, then Eric is raised from the dead and returns for vengence.

The original comic book was gritty, violent, and filled with dark poetry and philosophy. The movie had the feeling of something that MTV would produce, more of a collecion of music videos than a cohesive movie. The editing is poor, the directing was worse, the characters were two dimensional and often annoying, the dialogue weak, and turned an interesting story into a shallow action flick on par with Johhny Mneumonic or Demolition Man.

In the original, there was no point to the original murders. They were just on the highway and were unlucky enough to run into a pack of degenerates. Funboy had a much bigger role and assisted in the death of T bird. Top dollar wasn't into black magic, he was a crack dealer that was one of the first to go. One of the biggest differences is that Eric Draven in the comic was like an angel of death, he knew what he was about and why he was there. In the movie he was a confused metalhead that stumbles through the movie. Plus the whole idea of Eric being a musician that was going to get married on Halloween was just cheesy, trying way too hard to package him for the metal/goth crowd.

I give this a two stars for the fact that it was a pretty movie, and it had some good action sequences.


Rating:
Summary: Still A Stunning Film
Review: This is one of my all time favorite films. The story is simple, but the presentation, style and raw emotion make it a film that will not be forgotten. The almost black and white look of the film, contrasted with moments of light shining through is breathtaking. The story takes place in a dark Detroit/Seattle type of hybrid where it is always night and always raining. Lots of miniatures are used for long shots and shots of the crows perspective as he flies through the city. I am a fan of the graphic novel, and this movie captures it perfectly. For one thing, Brandon Lee's physique is dead on for the character, he truly looks like the Eric Draven in the novel. I've already mentioned the black and white look of the film. And the camera shots look like comic book panels. The 90's grunge soundtrack and more importantly the beautiful musical score goes a long way in giving the film emotion. The acting is great all around, especially Brandon Lee who would have been a star after this role. The fact that he died making the film gives it an eerie and melancholy feel. I just think the look and sound, music, work to create a almost poetic film that is both viceral and absolutely beautiful. Definitly a film worth repeated viewing, making it a must buy.

Rating:
Summary: Dark and Disturbingly Powerful
Review: The irony of The Crow is that part of its mystique comes from the tragic death of Brandon Lee during filming. There's no way of knowing if the movie would have been the cult hit that it is if he had gone on to make other movies. What is undisputed is that this movie has an eerie power all its own in spite of the much talked about tragedy.

Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven, a young musician killed with his fiancee on Devil's Night by a band of ruthless thugs. None of the killers are brought to justice and exactly a year later, Draven returns as The Crow, an immortal being bent on claiming justice for his dead fiancee by doing away with their murderers. Donning white makeup and a black outfit held together with electrical tape, The Crow goes about destroying those who hurt his loved ones.

It's hard to separate the movie from actual events during filming, but one thing is for certain, Brandon Lee was at his finest in this film. He effectively plays a heartbroken lover, merciless vigilante, and caring father figure to the young girl he and his fiancee took care of, all at once. Draven is ruthless, but very likable and sympathetic. Injected with a dry sense of humor, Draven is trying to tie up loose ends, be they of the justice type or the emotional as he tries to keep Sarah safe. Lee made a character that could have been just a plain vigilante into something you care about. This is his movie, and while it's hard to say whether he would have become a star because of it, he definately deserved to become one from the performance. The movie itself is a nightmare of urban decay and crime. Everything is dark and ominous and Draven fits right into the scenery. The movie is at its heart a love story between Draven and his fiancee. Everything he does, all the pain he goes through and puts other people through, is for her. Draven is a kind, loving man turned into a weapon of justice by death, yet it's still all for his fiancee, which he makes plain.

This movie about death and love has taken on a life of its own with events, yet it possibly is the greatest tribute to Brandon Lee as an actor that he could have.