Rupert Sanders’s The Crow (2024) is an admirable attempt at reinventing the graphic novel, though one that struggles to find its own voice.
Director: Rupert Sanders
Genre: Fantasy, Superhero, Action, Romance, adaptation
Run Time: 111′
Release Date: August 23, 2024
Where to watch: globally in theaters
Alex Proyas’ 1994 adaptation of James O’Barr’s “The Crow” is widely regarded as the definitive onscreen iteration of the comic book character. It’s a cult classic that holds a lot of sentimental value by fans, as it’s the project that Brandon Lee tragically lost his life filming. Naturally, when Hollywood tried to reboot it in the late 2000s, after poorly received sequels, people were skeptical.
The reboot proved to be harder to get off the ground with creative teams coming and leaving. Mark Wahlberg, Bradley Cooper, and Jason Momoa were at separate points offered the lead role, but the project spent approximately 15 years in development hell. The Crow is finally seeing the light of day with Rupert Sanders behind the camera, and starring Bill Skarsgård (It) as Eric. So, was it worth the wait?
After discovering what real love is like, soulmates Eric (Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA twigs, Honey Boy) are brutally murdered by people from Shelly’s dark past. When given the chance to save his true love in the afterlife, Eric sacrifices himself and sets out to seek revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.
For me, Proyas’ The Crow is one of those special occasions where the right film was made by the right people at the right time. A grubby, melancholic, oddly romantic tale of the fine line between hatred and love. The gothic aesthetic gives the movie a timeless visual style, oozing personality and scale to this deeply personal story. The violence and journey of hatred and revenge are prominent, though they’re not the point of Eric’s arc, love is. Lee’s performance is one that is imposing as it is warm and heartfelt. An exceptional film all around.
Rupert Sanders’ take on The Crow is one that I wasn’t necessarily looking forward to. The marketing campaign made the film seem like a lazy cash grab that was being released a decade too late, and I immediately lost any interest I could’ve had for the project. After seeing the actual finished product, this team’s attempt at reinventing the comic book series does have a few tricks up its sleeve. It doesn’t have the grit or style the 1994 film has, often coming across as generic action movies, but as far as action flicks go, this one is entertaining enough.
Skarsgård and FKA twigs’ dynamic is easily the best in the film. Their dialogue is a bit sappy and the entire first act feels needlessly stretched out, as if the movie was trying too hard to get us to care for their relationship. That said, their chemistry is believable. Skarsgård and FKA twigs do their best to charm us with what they’re given, and allowing us to see what their relationship is like before their tragic fates – unlike the original film, where we’re thrown in the middle of their murders – adds weight to Eric’s revenge path.
Part of The Crow’s issues come from how it portrays its villains. Something Proyas did quite well with his version is give everyone unique personalities that make characters stand out. Eric is walking the line between insanity and heartbreaking grief, while our antagonists are loud and animated with how expressive they are. In a sense, they reflect the punk rock movement of the era, resulting in a film with a stylistic language. But with the 2024 reimagining, you can easily mix which evil henchman is which. It doesn’t help that their motivations are rather bland, especially Danny Huston’s (Succession). He’s just another bad guy that wants ultimate control, and it isn’t very interesting considering none of his actions or character traits are remotely compelling.
Sanders’ approach to The Crow is grounded in reality, but it doesn’t always work in its favor. At times, I felt like I was watching John Wick, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it just makes this iteration of The Crow feel like another action movie of the week. Besides our two leads, Steve Annis’ cinematography is the highlight of this production. From the first couple frames, Annis establishes dream-like visuals that juxtapose this tale’s dilemma of life and death. The camerawork shines during the action set pieces, which are far better choreographed than I imagined. They’re quite obviously inspired by the Wick franchise, but it works for the most part.
I respect Sanders’ approach. Cinematography-wise, it looks quite good, though it doesn’t feel like it has an identity of its own. By borrowing elements from arguably better movies, The Crow can feel uninspired, even if it is competently made. I’ll be watching a well put together set piece, but in the middle of it I will be thinking back to better revenge films and wishing I was watching one of them instead. It’s certainly an odd criticism to have, but these issues kept distracting me from what I was being presented on screen rather than engaging me.
Would I recommend The Crow? If you’re somebody who is willing to give anything a fair shot like myself, and money isn’t an issue, I’d say go for it. But if you’re selective of what you’re able to support in theaters, then I’d think twice if I were you. Not because it is horribly made, but because chances are you might forget you even watched this a week later. As a supernatural action thriller you can shove popcorn in your mouth, Rupert Sanders’ The Crow does its job. If you’re looking for something with more depth and personality, you might just want to stay home and watch 1994’s The Crow.
The Crow will be released globally in theaters on August 23, 2024.
