RETRO MOVIE REVIEW: The Crow

For a long time, I always held The Crow as one of the standards of what a superhero film should be like. It was one of the films in the 90“s that paved the way for modern superhero movies. The Crow was based on the cult graphic novel by James O“Barr, and the film version would pave the way for other leather-clad action hero films like Blade and The Matrix. It was a movie that made the point that respect for the original source material could lead to successful superhero films. However, it“s a film that“s been somewhat lost in the many films that have been released since, and it“s worthy of being reexamined in a more modern context.

The Crow is also a movie that“s been marred by loss and tragedy, both on and off the screen. I still recall the moment when it was announced that Brandon Lee, who played Eric Draven, had passed away during the making of this movie. In addition to the shock of losing a young and promising young actor, and the fact that his father Bruce Lee had also died relatively young, it also meant that this movie had nearly never been made. It took Paramount selling the film to another company entirely, and the best CG technology available in the early 90“s, that ensured The Crow could even exist at all. Much like Eric Draven, this process allowed Brandon Lee to come back one last time, so that unfinished business could be resolved. This is a movie about death and resurrection, a theme that haunted this film during its entire run.

As a final performance, it was a worthy one, and Brandon Lee proved to be an excellent Crow. Though even James O“Barr had his doubts coming in, Lee“s performance and the way he inhabited the costume was fully convincing in the role. The dialogue is extremely lyrical and complex, drawing influence from classical authors and songwriters. Lee not only nailed these aspects of the Eric Draven character, he also delivered on the action hero side as well. At times frightening and creepy, at other times warm and philosophical, Lee“s Draven is a vengeance hero with the heart of a poet. There is kindness and mercy beneath the righteous anger that sets Draven apart from other 90“s anti-heroes or action heroes. He acts thoughtfully, his vengeance taken methodically and with a sense of style rarely taken by heroes of this archetype. He isn“t consumed by his need for vengeance, and even takes the time to help the friends he had in life. Moreover, Lee“s Draven has a macabre sense of humor, and there are moments of fun to the character when he isn“t brooding over his pain and loss. The scriptwriting for most of the film is philosophical and truly clever, and Lee takes the sharp dialogue and makes it even more powerful in its delivery. One of the great tragedies of Brandon Lee“s passing is that we will never see how much more he might have grown as an actor, how much better he might have gotten if he were still here today. Though this is all we got from him, it“s still an outstanding final sendoff, even if some scenes had to be completed with CGI and body doubles.

The supporting cast is surprisingly good for a small experimental film based on a cult graphic novel, which is to the movie“s credit. Ernie Hudson needs no introduction, being well known to Ghostbusters fans, and he is a strong anchor that lends weight to the cast. Hudson has always been a charismatic actor, and he lends a warmth and a friendliness that makes police sergeant Albrecht sympathetic despite his failures. Rochelle Davis is solid as Eric“s young friend Sarah, though there are moments where the defensive sarcasm in her character comes across a little too strong. However, the movie is blessed with a wealth of talent on the villainous side, including Michael Winicott, David Patrick Kelly, and Bai Ling, all of whom are excellent in this film. Even when some are given relatively little to work with in the script, the performances are enjoyable to watch. David Patrick Kelly excels at playing minor villains, and he delivers as the murderous arsonist T-Bird. Winicott especially brings a powerful presence to the film as crime boss Top Dollar, and his villainous speech in the boardroom scene is stylishly delivered.

Mostly, the script is extremely sharp, and director Alex Proyas generally makes good decisions about how much of the comic to retain and how much to alter. The main thing that Proyas understands is who Eric Draven is, and everything flows from that single point. The structure of the movie is that of the classic revenge flick, with the revenge hero hunting down the villains one by one. However, the visual style is extremely Gothic, reflecting both the comic book influences and the Gothic horror elements that define the Crow comic. The action sequences reflect the gun-fu style that was prevalent at the time, with big scenes that allow The Crow to stretch himself as an action hero. Brandon Lee was a superb action star as well, much as his father was, and the fight choreography brought out his potential in that regard. Where the movie keeps to the spirit of James O“Barr“s story, this movie is amazing, and Proyas shines in bringing O“Barr“s world to life.

This is not to say that the film is flawless, and some issues do reveal themselves with the passage of time. The most notable problem is that the last act of the film breaks from the graphic novel, perhaps to force-fit the action hero structure onto the story. For instance, there is no real reason for Winicott“s character to bother with Draven at all; Top Dollar could easily get rid of The Crow by just handing over his killers and calling it a day. The script tries to address this by establishing that T-Bird and his men were sent to cleanse Draven“s apartment, but it feels tacked on to have a big reveal moment at the end. Moreover, the villains conveniently hit on revelations about Draven“s weaknesses that they have no logical reason to know, but just happen to be correct. Establishing the bird as Draven“s weakness is a good idea and it makes sense for the film, but it“s never explained just why Bai Ling“s character knows this. Top Dollar also recognizes that Sarah is wearing the ring given to her by Eric, but it“s never explained why he“d know that either. This leads to a shootout in a church and a climactic final battle on the church rooftop, but while these action scenes are effective, the story logic doesn“t hold together so well. These are relatively minor problems in the scheme of things, though, and easily forgivable by how good everything else is.

While The Crow has been lost somewhat to the passage of time, it“s still a worthwhile comic book adaptation. There“s enough of James O“Barr“s classic story to breathe life into this film, and Brandon Lee embodies Eric Draven with heart, passion, and style. It“s a movie that set the stage for the superhero movies that we know today, and for that, it“s a movie that deserves more respect than it all too often gets. It’s also a film that ages quite well, and even though it struck the zeitgeist of the 90’s, the emotional themes still resonate well and there aren’t any elements that date the movie too obviously. If you“re looking for something interesting to watch during lockdown, The Crow may be worth a couple of hours to revisit.

Score: 4.5/5

Director: Alex Proyas
Starring: Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Michael Winicott, Rochelle Davis, David Patrick Kelly, Bai Ling, Sofia Shinas, Angel David, Tony Todd

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Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).