The Crow (1994) - A Review

 

The Crow lives up to the hype, but is also underrated nowadays.

The Crow is superhero action thriller movie released in America in 1994, and is based on the graphic novel/comic by James O'Barr. It stars Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Rochelle Davis, Michael Wincott, Bai Ling, Tony Todd, Michael Massee, and Jon Polito. The Crow was directed by Alex Proyas, with fight choreography by Jeff Imada and Brandon Lee.

The avenging angel. Brandon Lee rules in this.

In The Crow, Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven, a musician who gets ruthlessly murdered on Devil's Night after walking in on his fiance Shelly getting raped and beaten by a gang. Police Sergeant Albrecht (played by Ernie Hudson) is on the scene of the crime when a little girl, Sarah (played by Rochelle Davis) tells him that Eric Draven and his fiance were her friends and took care of her. Albrecht has to tell her that Eric Draven is dead and Shelly is in really bad shape...

One year later Eric Draven rises from the grave, and goes back to his apartment (where his murder took place). He gets flashbacks of his murder and the torture of his fiance, and vows to seek revenge on the gang that did this to her. Guided by a crow, he discovers that any wounds he sustains heals immediately. He can also see what the crow that is guiding him sees, so he is able to find every gang member involved and kills them in the way that they hurt his fiance.

Sarah and Albrecht are the only ones who Eric Draven trusts. Ernie Hudson is awesome in this, by the way.

The police begin investigating the murders of these gang members, and Albrecht (who got demoted) gets the heat for not immediately finding the culprit. Eric Draven makes himself known to Sarah and later Albrecht, who he explains what's going on with him to. The gang leader, Top Dollar wants this year's Devil's Night to be the biggest one ever, but is also intrigued by the presence of Eric Draven. As things unfold, Eric Draven must finish his quest for revenge and face off with Top Dollar...

First off, The Crow is amazing! I had no expectations, really, about this movie but man, this movie rules. The story, mood, the music, the cinematography, the editing, the acting, and especially the performance of Brandon Lee make this movie a classic. The movie is dark and brooding, yet psychedelic in some scenes. The music is classic early 90s grunge rock (which I am a fan of) and fits the movie; it doesn't feel out of place or inappropriate. The look of the city in this movie, in particular, the architecture, is amazingly gothic. So many cool shots of the buildings in this city. It really is a visual treat. This is definitely a 90s movie, yet it is timeless at the same time.  

Top Dollar and Myca are one brother/sister duo you do not want to mess with.

Brandon Lee is just amazing in this. He plays Eric Draven as a poetic avenger; he shows no mercy to the criminals who killed his fiance, but shows he still cares about Sarah and certain others. He is dark and brooding, yet he has an angelic quality about him. Brandon Lee is charismatic as heck in this. Every time he is on screen, you cannot look away. He is graceful, whether he is walking the rainy, crime ridden streets or mowing down gangsters with powerful weaponry. Lee does get to show off some of his fighting skills, but it was shot in the 90s Hollywood way, so you don't get the full picture of what he can do. Brandon Lee is the man in The Crow, and is the main reason you should watch it. Excellent performance from him.

I first heard of The Crow when I saw the news reports of Brandon Lee's death on set. I was shocked and depressed that this could have happened to Bruce Lee's son. After that, I wanted to see the movie, but I was hesitant about it as well. Turns out, I never would be able to watch it back then. It never came on the TV channels I had, I never seemed to find it at the video rental stores or in retail stores. I couldn't see it in theaters because it was rated R. Finally, in May of 2022, I found it on a streaming site (Pluto TV), and I finally watched it. I loved it. I think I would have loved it back then, too. It is good to know that so many people love this movie, and love Brandon Lee's performance in it.

So yes, you should watch The Crow. It may not be the best movie ever made, but Brandon Lee's performance makes it a must see. The Crow may not be comic accurate, but it is still a good adaptation. It is also a very influential movie, with pro wrestler Sting and even The Punisher, and The Dark Knight Rises taking inspiration from it. Watch The Crow, you won't be disappointed. You will wonder why a rising star had to be taken so soon, though.

The man.

Reviewed by David Williams