THE CROW Review

“True love never dies.” A concept that has been synonymous with The Crow since its comic book creation, being solidified in the 1994 classic. Lionsgate looks to bring this tale of love and vengeance to a modern audience, delivering a brand new look to the character. The fact that we've reached this point alone is somewhat miraculous, with the project having been in developmental hell for well over a decade, with the likes of Jason Momoa, Bradley Cooper and Luke Evans all attached to the titular role at one point or another.

A tale of tragedy, the film follows Eric Draven (Bill Skarsgård), a musician with an addiction problem who finds his soulmate, Shelly Webster (FKA twigs), whilst in a rehabilitation facility. The lovers' time together comes to an untimely end, with the demons of Shelly's past resulting in them being inauspiciously murdered. Unable to move on from this tragic fate, Draven is given the opportunity to right these wrongs, seeking bloody revenge against those that killed him.

Rupert Sanders is behind the camera for this remake, with the Snow White and the Huntsman director working off a script written by Zach Baylin and William Schneider. Now this alone should have set alarm bells ringing, with both of the director's prior projects having unfortunately fallen into mediocrity. What we get in The Crow is a new spin on a classic, with the director, for the most part, doing a solid job of modernising its faithful concept. Where this all falters is in the film's pacing, with overambitious script feeling bloated and drawn out.

This is most noticeable in the film's first act, with Sanders spending a lot of time fleshing out Draven's past. Now on the surface this isn't a bad thing, as it allows the romance between Eric and Shelly to manifest, whilst subtly transitioning into the consequences of her chequered past. Unfortunately it goes on a lot longer than necessary, proving detrimental in the long run. As for the romance between our ill fated couple, it too proves a little questionable at times with the edgy direction making this feel more like a relationship built from lust rather than love.

Having been immortalised by Brandon Lee in the 1994 classic, Bill Skarsgård found himself with big shoes to fill as Eric Draven. What we get in this film is a more contemporary look to the character, being covered in tattoos and having a carefree attitude. This change in direction not only allows Lee's performance to stand on its own, but also afford Skarsgård the opportunity to make the character his own. Giving a level of intensity that we've grown accustomed to in prior roles, the actor does an amazing job of evoking emotion. Whether it's the chemistry he shares alongside FKA twigs or the character's transition into the supernatural Crow, the actor more than fluffs his feathers.

One area in which the film excels from start to finish is in its visuals, with cinematographer Steve Annis capturing the dark and dingy tone of this world. Whether it's an early scene in which our protagonist witnesses a gruesome injury to a horse or his time in limbo, the film delivers a colour palette that proves eye catching to say the least. The way this effortlessly blends betweens scenes also makes for a consistent visual experience, with the lighting always feeling flawlessly cast. This is all taken into a higher gear whenever the film enters its more intense action sequences, with the tone complimenting the tension perfectly. 

Danny Huston takes on the role of antagonists in  flick, playing the demonic crime lord, Vincent Roeg. Being a natural fit as a villain, the actor proves to be a sinister foe for our protagonist, capturing Roeg's lack of remorse or empathy perfectly. Unfortunately the character's overall presence in the narrative proves to be extremely lacklustre, utilising an army of goons to enforce his will. Now as much as I'm usually an advocate of less is more, this is an occasion where the sentiment doesn't fit, with the character feeling more like a means to an end.

Where the film truly comes into its own is during its final act, with Eric embracing both his destiny and the supernatural powers of the Crow. What we get from this is an epic conclusion to proceedings, with the violence being both bloody and intense. The way Skarsgård portrays our protagonist during this also entices, soaking in all the pain and torture and using it to inflict vengeance on those that have wronged him. As much as all this left me wanting to love every moment of this remake, it unfortunately proved to be too little, too late, feeling like a necessity rather than the gripping climax that it should have been. 

Verdict 

The Crow is a contemporary take on a classic that for the most part fails to deliver. Having a somewhat convoluted plot and a drawn out run time, the film takes what made the original so memorable and stretches it beyond its limitations. What makes all this worse is that when the credits rolled I wanted to love this movie, with the final act being truly epic. Unfortunately the build up to this point and the questionable take on “true love never dies” detracted too much to make it a must see movie.

6/10