By Jason Haskins
"You're the guy that murdered Tin-Tin?"
"He was already dead. He died a year ago the moment he touched her. They're all dead. They just don't know it yet."
A man cruelly murdered along with his bride-to-be returns to exact revenge on the people responsible a year later: Devil's Night--Halloween Eve--in Detroit. Sure, this may sound like something you might've heard before but nothing comes close to The Crow.
Eric Draven is haunted by his witnessing of the brutal rape and murder of his fiancé and is hell-bent on seeking justice to a slew of gangsters who ruined both their lives. He's come back from beyond the grave via the help of a magical crow (who he's taken his moniker from) not as a superhero, but a harbinger of retribution in a malicious city. With the help of a detective who worked his case and a neighbor, his soul will not rest until the score is settled.
1994's The Crow is based on the comics by James O'Barr, but I wouldn't consider this a comic book film like Batman or the Punisher. This is one that's quite different from the rest, coming from before comic book films were considered viable. I remembered loving this movie as a kid because of the action and the cool hero that Brandon Lee plays, but it took me until adulthood to really understand the story and understand it's emotional significance. What I love about this movie is that, sure, it's got a lot of action, but it's not necessarily an action movie. It forces you to ask yourself: what would YOU do if someone took the love of your life away in the most brutal of fashions? This is the ultimate cathartic experience and not only does it hold up after all this time, but I consider it, honestly, one of my all-time favorite movies (my top 10--no joke).
Alex Proyas directed this and if you're not familiar with his work you should be. This was my first taste of him (back in the day), but he's since gone on to do some pretty exciting (albeit more mainstream) projects like I, Robot and most recently Knowing. He'll forever go down in history as the guy responsible for this film and another cult classic, Dark City, which I enjoy as well. This, however, is his best film by far. The choreography of the action scenes is right on and he captures the depth of characters remarkably well. He doesn't skimp on placing style over substance, but amping both up to give an amazing experience.
Everything about his direction is exciting and wonderful, but the cinematography takes the cake. There are a lot of special effects in the film of the city (much in the same light as Tim Burton's Gotham from the first two Batman movies) and other things, but they don't overshadow the movie as a whole. They look superb as a dark hole; gothic in tone and brooding in the atmospheric complexities. I truly feel immersed in the city every time I watch this and I love the constant rain/constant night that blacks over Detroit.
If the story doesn't move or entertain you, then I'm sure the imagery will stay with you because it's unforgettable. You know when the first two songs of the movie are The Cure and Nine Inch Nails that you're in for a gothic treat. The atmosphere of the film is truly exceptional and if it wasn't helped by the makeup effects and art direction, it was due to the wonderful score by Graeme Revell. This guy did an amazing job giving an emotional subtext to cling onto even without any actors onscreen.
Speaking of acting, Brandon Lee is the star of The Crow. He was the son of martial arts legend, Bruce Lee, and like his father he died a tragic death. More than halfway through filming, a freak accident caused him to be shot with a real bullet--hitting him in the abdomen and killing him. Some parts of the movie have a double for him, but you'd be hard-pressed to notice the actual scenes he's not in the movie. It's definitely tragic because this was the movie that showed the most promise as far as his acting skills. He plays a tormented individual perfectly and while he's soft-spoken at times and humorous at others, the rage behind his eyes and the rawness in his soul is clearly seen without being heady or unreasonable.
He makes this movie for me and I don't think it would've been as strong without him or without his death. There are so many times his character is shot onscreen and it's a haunting reminder of his demise. His character is one of the coolest ones in any action movie- he reminds me a bit of Heath Ledger's Joker from The Dark Knight since he has on clownish makeup and he has a dark demeanor that forces you to pay attention. At the same time, he's the ultimate badass. There is countless times where he brings justice to the most wicked of people and I guarantee you that each scene is phenomenally executed.
Ernie Hudson is also here in a supporting role as Sergeant Albrecht and not only is Hudson one of my favorite actors, but he shines in all the right ways here. He's just such a nice guy--especially as he takes care of the neighborhood girl, Sarah, whose mother is a junkie. One of my favorite lines from the film has Draven saying to her mother: "Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of all children. Do you understand? Morphine is bad for you. Your daughter is out there on the streets waiting for you." Lee's delivery is so on-point and solid that, hopefully, you'll get shivers like I do. If that wasn't enough the higher-up bad guy is played by none other than the king of bad guys, Mr. Michael Wincott. This guy is so cold and complacent that you'll be chilled to the bone from his performance. I loved him in Strange Days, but this is his ultimate performance.
The Crow's various themes of redemption and love are extraordinary and hit me at the core every time. The cinematography is unique and you'll unmistakable know what movie it is no matter what scene. This is what cinema is all about--you have a really solid story that shakes the ground under you, as well as an action-packed ride that thrills you along the way. While there have been some bad sequels in the franchise, none have tarnished the greatness of the original picture. Everything is perfect here--I could watch this over and over again without getting tired as you grow to love the characters and Lee's unflinching charisma so quickly. The ending stands as one of my favorites of any film and it brings your experience to a climactic and epic close that will undoubtedly leave you feeling something long after the credits have rolled. They don't make action movies like this anymore and they certainly wouldn't again. If you've never seen this then you owe it to yourself to check it out.
5 out of 5 Stars
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