In 1989, James O’Barr published a comic book series titled, “The Crow.” The Premise is about a guy named, Eric Draven and his fiancée, Shelley, are accidentally killed by a drunk driver. One Year Later, Eric comes back from the dead becoming an undead superhero. He uses his powers to avenge his slain lover. The comic book caught the attention of Paramount Pictures to produce a film adaptation in an attempt to replicate the critical and commercial success Tim Burton’s “Batman.” Alex Proyas (I, Robot, Dark City) signed on to direct with Brandon Lee (Bruce Lee’s son) as the titular character.
On March 31st, 1993, while filming a flashback scene, the prop department were in the middle of a tight schedule. So, they bought real bullets, instead of fake ones. Tragedy ensues when an actor named, Michael Masse fatally shot Brandon. After his untimely death, Paramount didn’t want to distribute the film. They felt guilty and transferred the rights to Miramax.
The independent movie studio had to rewrite the flashback scene. They asked Brandon’s fiancée, Eliza Hutton, permission to complete his scenes using a combination of body doubles and computer animation. She said, yes. Eliza petition movies studios to take gun safety regulations seriously to prevent another tragedy from happening again. Unfortunately, it did when Alec Baldwin accidentally shot a camerawoman named, Halyna Hutchins, on the set of “Rust.” I don’t blame him, I blame the prop department. Whoever’s in charge, should be fired and locked up in bars for manslaughter.
After a year of rewrites and completing Brandon’s unfinished scenes, The Crow was distributed worldwide. Released in 1994, (same year True Lies came out) it received positive reviews from critics and movie goers alike. In addition to praise, the film made enough money at the box office. The Crow gained a cult following. Three sequels “City or Angels,” “Salvation” & “Wicked Prayer” were critically panned.
An upcoming reboot of The Crow starring Bill Skarsgård, is in development. Anyway, it’s Halloween Month 2023. I’m reviewing several Horror films throughout October. Which one should I review next? Please leave a comment and I’ll reply back.
This review contains no SPOILERS. Feel free to read my non-spoiler article.
Powerful & Weak Aspects
Powerful: Brandon Lee did an excellent job for his performance as the titular character. Had the prop department took their jobs seriously, Brandon would’ve been an A-list star.
Ernie Hudson did a decent job for his performance.
Alex Proyas did a great job directing.
Action Sequences are great. Like his father, Brandon did all his stunts. Especially, that one fight scene in the briefing room.
Prosthetic Makeup transformed Brandon into The Crow.
Cinematography captures in-depth imagery of a crow guiding Eric to his destination.
Special Effects and Body Doubles completed Brandon’s scenes. Same thing happened to Paul Walker in “Furious 7” using a combination of the aforementioned techniques.
Set Pieces felt real. All it takes is camera trickery and miniatures. Taking cues from “Blade Runner.”
Pacing didn’t take forever going from Point A to Point B.
Soundtrack features songs by The Cure & Nine Inch Nails.
Fun Fact 1: The Crow’s iconic look inspired WWE wrestler, Sting & Heath Ledger’s Joker.
Fun Fact 2: The Crow’s the first film to use a flaming logo. Other films also payed homage to it.
- The Mask of Zorro
- Daredevil (2003)
- The Punisher (2004)
- V for Vendetta
- The Dark Knight Rises
Fun Fact 3: Before Brandon portrayed the main protagonist, other actors considered for the role were Johnny Depp, Christian Slater & River Phoenix.
The Crow’s plot is partially similar to “RoboCop.” After the main character gets killed by criminals, he’s resurrected uses his new abilities by seeking revenge on the baddies who took his life. I prefer The Crow over that dumb RoboCop remake.
The film takes place on October 30. A day before Halloween. Technically, it counts as a movie to watch during Halloween Month.
Tony Todd (Candyman) makes an appearance as a baddie. He also voiced Venom in Insomniac Games’ “Spider-Man 2” on PS5.
If you own a Blu-Ray copy, Alex provides audio commentary reflecting on working with Brandon.
The film dedicates the memory of Brandon.
Weak: The final scene ends with a Freeze Frame. I can’t take it seriously. Every time I see one, I pretend to be a narrator of a cheesy soap opera.
The Final Verdict: A-
Despite one nitpick, The Crow still holds up. I think it’s the best live-action Superhero film of the ‘90s. If you’re looking for something to watch on Halloween, give this one a try. The upcoming reboot is gonna be a tough act to follow.
Rest in Peace, Brandon Lee
Nickthemoviecritic.com 