Plot: What’s it about?
A few decades ago, three to be exact, we got a long-awaited version of The Crow, based on the best-selling comic book by James O’Barr. I used to read it and I was genuinely excited when I learned of the adaptation coming to the screen. It starred a then up-and-coming actor by the name of Brandon Lee, son of legendary Hollywood martial artist – Bruce. Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock all this time, you’ll know that tragedy struck and Lee was killed while filming the movie. It was still released, but there was a black cloud over it. Flash forward a few decades and…are we ready for remake or should they have left this one alone?
Aside from the names, this one is pretty distant from its predecessor. We meet Shelly (FKA Twigs, yes I guess that’s really her name) before she meets Eric (Bill Skarsgård). Shelly’s on a mission to find her friend who’s been taken in by “suspicious people.” She finds herself arrested and lands in rehab. Once there, she meets Eric thought there’s an undeniable chemistry between them. They eventually bond over their love of music and poetry, but Shelly’s past catches up with her. The duo manage to escape the rehab center and let their inhibitions run wild. Anyone who’s familiar with the comic book (or has seen the first movie) will know what happens next to Eric and Shelly and it sets the tone for a rather unique villaiin (Danny Huston). It’s only then that we see the “The Crow” we were expecting, but not everything is as it seems…
The film was universally bashed and has been called one of the worst of the year. Personally I think that’s a little harsh. Is it great? No, not really, but I’ve seen far worse. I was entertained, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that I was longing for the 1994 Brandon Lee version. In a lot of my reviews I tend to bash Hollywood for their countless remakes, reboots, sequels and so forth. The way I see it, if you’re going to go through the trouble of doing something, again, then give it something to stand on. The film had 31, count ’em, 31 producers. You’d figure with that many cooks in the kitchen, there’d be a new/fresh angle. You’d be mistaken. Director Rupert Sanders is probably best-know for his work on Snow White and the Huntsman, a film I thoroughly enjoyed. I get that this one isn’t that, but hey – give it a shot.
Video: How’s it look?
Much like its predecessor, this version of The Crow is, too, all about the darkness. We’ve come a long way with the way films are presented and back in the dawn of the DVD format things like compression issues, artifacting and “movement” in the backgrounds – particularly in darker scenes – were always a trouble spot for movies. I’m not saying some of those issues don’t still exist, but by and large we’re at a point where most any new film will look flat out amazing. And this is no exception. The black levels are strong and constant, detail is impressive and let’s hope you’re in a dimly-lit room to bring out the best of what this has to offer. It’s flat out gorgeous.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Equally impressive is the Dolby Atmos soundtrack that packs a punch (quite literally in a few scenes). There’s a dark, somewhat brooding quality to this film with some atmospheric elements at play here, again being literal – rain and lots of it. When I have to turn my head around to check and see that it’s not raining in my living room, I’d say the track has served its purpose. Of course vocals are strong and crisp with a front-heavy soundstage that equally balances out the mix quite nicely.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- True Love Never Dies: Making The Crow – Running just over an hour, this six-part “documentary” (I’ve referred to it as a series of featurettes, but if Lionsgate wants to call it a documentary – so be it) that runs the gamut on the film, its production, the inspiration, the “need” for a remake and more. It’s quite engrossing and should please hard-core fans of the film.
- Chapter One – The Emotional Engine: Origins
- Chapter Two – Body & Soul: The Cast
- Chapter Three – Modern Gothic: Character/Costume/Production Design
- Chapter Four – Between Two Worlds: On Location
- Chapter Five – Vengeance Incarnate: Action & Stunts
- Chapter Six – Sacrifice: Final Thoughts
- Dark Romance: The Score – Volker Betelmann’s score is given a pretty brief analysis, though I enjoyed this one.
- Reborn Through Revenge: Main Title Sequence – The title essentially says it all. This gives us a look at the film’s opening credits. Admittedly, they are quite nice.
- Every Film Is a Miracle: A Tribute to Edward R. Pressman – The legendary film producer is given his due in this somewhat moving tribute to the late producer.
- Deleted Scenes – Six minutes of deleted scenes and they don’t add much to the film, likely why they were cut.
- Theatrical Trailer
The Bottom Line
I have to admit that I enjoyed this version of The Crow more than the 1994 original. I felt it was remembered for Brandon Lee’s tragic death than the source material it paid homage to. With reference-quality visuals and a very immersive Dolby Atmos soundtrack, this one is worth a look.
