The Crow (1994)

THE CROW
***1/2 (out of five stars)
A review by Jamey Hughton

Starring-Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott,
Rochelle Davis, David Patrick Kelly and Tony Todd
Director-Alex Proyas
Rated R
Released 1994
Reviewed 1999

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The Crow has a basic revenge-style premise that is enlivened by great production designs and cinematography. Director Alex Proyas plunges us into an ugly, grim society where criminals do as they please and the police are all but helpless to put an end to the massacre. The Crow paints a dark and moody picture, but it is also one of the more effective examples of it's kind in recent years.

As the movie opens, the police are investigating a double-homicide of a nice young couple who were about to get married. Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) was pushed out the window, while his fiancee was brutally raped by a band of thugs who had broken into their apartment. He died instantly, while she passed away after a long struggle at the hospital.

Flash forward a year to the startling awakening of Eric from his muddy grave. Led by a crow who will serve as his guide through the land of the living, he goes on a vengeful spree of wiping out those who were responsible for his untimely death. He wears makeup that would put the members of Kiss to shame, and leaves the outline of a crow at every crime scene, whether it be in blood or a carefully laid ring of gasoline to set fire to. I can't really elaborate on the film's plot, because there's really no more to tell - this is your basic revenge flick with a handful of unique qualities, just a new spin put on a familiar tale.

Just the same, the film's basic premise proves to be oddly moving. Proyas knows how to set up a scene so that it will be easily absorbed by the audience, and he's a master craftsman when it comes to the choreography of action sequences. There's one monster shoot-out in The Crow that will knock your socks off, as martial artist Lee proves to be more than sufficient in a demanding physical scene.

Draven's trail of bad guys leads him to an underworld gang led by a vicious crackhead (Michael Wincott), and his bizarre mistress (Bai Ling). With the help of a sympathetic cop (Ernie Hudson), who finds his motive to be more important than withholding the law, Draven finishes off the last of the punks who crossed him and his wife. There are flashbacks involving the couple's close relationship and home life, but in most cases they are too brief or miss the point entirely. The biggest thing The Crow has to brag about is it's spectacular set and production designs, which bring to life this perpetually bleak city and practically give it a life of it's own. Like in Proyas sophomore outing, the equally impressive but intellectually superior Dark City, the surroundings play just as big a part as many of the characters do. Another similarity of the two films is the use of lighting. In both, any bright light whatsoever is almost non-existent, and that only aides in the effectiveness of the overall tone. It's no question that The Crow will be remembered for the sudden death of star Brandon Lee, who was killed during a freak accident near the end of filming. This casts somewhat of a dark shadow over the proceedings, but considering this film is already so dark there's little notice of it.

The Crow is an impressive piece of gothic art, with a highly stylized visual appearance that adds to the enjoyment. But it's little more than that. The main character has but one goal, and after all the trouble is over with, the audience will have indulged in the ride he provided but never quite got entirely involved.

(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton

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