The Crow

This movie is fantastic. plain and simple. Brandon Lee delivers his lines to the point they were instantly memorable after seeing the film only once. The casting of both Michael Wincott and Tony Todd was inspired as these two guys have two of the most instantly recognisable voices in the movie industry. If i could ever be a movie or a lead in a film this would be it. I was initially put off the idea of the movie as i am a big fan of the graphic novel and there was an awful lot of hype around this film on its release. this proved to be my loss as i have only seen the film on the small screen. however i now have the 2 disc special edition DVD and watched it 3 times in succession the day i bought it and must have watched it at least 100 times since. my own personal opinion is that a movie should suspend disbelief, capture the imagination which this does in spades. it is truly a film that you can lose a couple of hours watching and at the end feel like you have spent a worthwhile couple of hours. would recommend this to anybody.

Nearly 25 years ago the only son of Bruce Lees final film came out and became a sensation and changed the way comic book movies were aimed at mature audiences. The alt rock soundtrack along with an epic score by Graham revell that has been used for trailers for movies such as pearl harbor makes this movie a must own.

THE CROW, like 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY separates those who see from those who do not! (who CANNOT). Alex Proyas will never achieve anything close to this masterpiece again and if Brandon Lee HAD to die, then there could never have been a better time and place (do not misinterpret my words or meaning here). Personally, I shall for ever be indebted to him for what he has left...a performance in a film that challenges, implores, conjures, paints. A surreal landscape of good and evil in almost equal proportions.

I am no Goth, have never read the original comic strip, nor do I wish to. I simply regret watching the unspeakably pathetic and inappropriate sequels...do not make the same mistake!

For all its grotesque violence, seediness and Gothic degeneracy, THE CROW is a pure love story, so pure, that even immersed within the blackest of adult fairy-tales its power cannot be dampened or lessened. Eric Draven's spiritual pursuit of those who murdered his beautiful girlfriend is less of a revenge story and more a reminder that karma balances out in the end.

Perhaps the best performance, other than that of the crow itself, is from Michael Wincott, a very underrated actor, as the incarnately evil gang leader. It is the role of a lifetime for him.

If I were in a position that I could see only two films again for the rest of my life, they would be 2001 and THE CROW. At no stage would I ever subsequently be able to say that I had seen EVERYTHING that either had to offer.

What can I say. Each day I find myself quoting The Crow at least a dozen times. Usually people just give me strange looks. Sometimes (like when I say, "I got stabbed! I shot the sonnovabitch! I watched the bullet hole close by itself. And then my business gets blown up real good. Other than that, my day sucked!") people call security on me.

This movie is a one-of-a-kind. It's grunge, it's goth, it's dark, it's funny, it's touching and it's inspiring... even if it merely inspires you to slap mime makeup on your face and walk the streets at night yelling, "I guess it's not a good day to be a bad guy, huh SKANK?!!"

Seriously, as Roger Ebert said, it's an experience. Even though the plot is pretty straightforward (rockstar gets killed & comes back from the grave to seek revenge), it's done in a way that keeps you riveted every minute. The same way "Peewee's Big Adventure" is just about a guy looking for his bike, The Crow takes the same approach of using a minimalist plot and coating it in heaps of style, music and surreal visuals. Except The Crow has a few dozen more murders than Peewee.

What makes this film a visual feast is the way it stylistically mirrors the comic book that inspired it. Like the comic, it's very monochrome... almost black & white, but with some icy tints to it. It has a very wet look to it, making it seem glossy and muted at the same time. Like another favourite film of mine "City of Lost Children", it achieves a certain vivid appearance even though the colour palette is very limited.

As far as action flicks go, this is quite a literary extravaganza. Quotes from Poe's "The Raven", Milton's "Paradise Lost", Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" and who knows what else, lend an air of classiness and antiquity to the film. And of course the movie generates its own memorable quotes. Like "Greed is for amateurs. Disorder, chaos, anarchy... now that's fun!"

Paired with an entertaining script full of great zingers, the acting is first rate all around. Each & every character, no matter how large or minor, delivers a memorable performance. Of course Brandon Lee is the standout, playing the cold-hearted, vengeful killer but with a gentleness that makes you want to take him home to meet your folks. Conversely, the bad guys are brutal but so comic you can't help but love them.

A word about Brandon's death... yes, it's true that he was killed by a malfunctioning prop gun during the apartment scene. But that reel of film was reportedly destroyed by the director. The movie still had several scenes that needed to be filmed, and the director compensated by recycling other scenes with some very interesting effects. For example, when Brandon punches the mirror, it's actually a double punching the mirror with Brandon's "reflection" (from another scene) digitally imposed on the glass. Tricks like that are not obvious, and they add a certain otherworldly feel to the movie. It also makes the film feel more fragmented and incomplete (in a good way), leaving more to the imagination. If you're like me and you hate movies that over-explain everything, the minimalistic presentation of The Crow will be right up your alley.

Lastly, the music. If you were alive & remotely cool in the 90s you'll love the soundtrack. The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Violent Femmes, Stone Temple Pilots, Henry Rollins, the list goes on...

If you're familiar with the director Alex Proyas, you'll recognize this as possibly his greatest work (alongside "Dark City", "Garage Days" and some great, surreal music videos like Sting "All This Time"). The feel of The Crow is also reminiscent of director Frank Miller's work ("The Spirit", "Sin City"). And although I haven't seen it, I've heard the Batman film "Dark Knight" pays tribute to this film, particularly Heath Ledger's Joker who is hauntingly close to Brandon Lee's character. If you like artsy movies, this fits right in, reminding me of Jean Pierre Jeunet ("City of Lost Children", "Delicatessen") and the darker side of Tim Burton ("Sweeny Todd"). Maybe there's even a bit of "Blade Runner" thrown in.

If you get a chance, see The Crow on a rainy night with all the lights off. Lose yourself in the mood, the music and the memory of Brandon, the greatest star who never was. Halloween is coming up, so get your favourite Crow costume ready. If you live in a sheltered town like mine, chances are nobody will recognize who you're supposed to be. Although quite a few people think I'm Edward Scissorhands who is also pretty cool, so whatever...

Based on the comic book created by James O'Barr. The Crow stars Brandon Lee as rock star Eric Draven, who, precisely one year after his murder, returns from the grave to take revenge on the vicious criminals responsible for the rape and death of his fiancée and his own untimely demise.

The basic plot for this supernatural thriller is rather simplistic, holding very few surprises and delivering little in the way of genuine suspense, but a poetic screenplay charged with dark romanticism, a terrific cast (Michael Wincott is particularly memorable as head villain Top Dollar) and extremely stylish direction from Alex Proyas ensure that the film is far from forgettable. Proyas, a prolific music video director, nails the comic book aesthetic, delivering a stream of impressive visuals, with grandiose, sweeping cinematography, stunning lighting, and incredible set design, all steeped in Gothic neo-noir atmosphere and set to a cool alt-rock soundtrack.

Brandon, son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, gives a charismatic central performance, and would most likely have become a major star in his own right had his life not been tragically cut short by an accidental shooting on the set of this movie, a fact that only goes to make the finished article an even more tragic and haunting experience.