‘The Crow’ Remake Needs Improvement Before Taking Off

What do you remember most about the 1994 movie The Crow? Is it the soundtrack, a mix of industrial-music legends, next-gen alt-rock, and goth royalty? The depiction of Detroit as a dystopian landscape? Or maybe the tragic fate of the movie’s leading man, Brandon Lee, which loomed over the blockbuster?

This adaptation of James O’Barr’s comics, about a man who comes back from the dead to avenge his murdered girlfriend, was one of the early attempts at darker superhero cinema. The film was set to launch Brandon Lee as a new action star. Sadly, his accidental death on set added a somber layer to the movie. Yet, Lee’s performance remains the most captivating part of the film, turning what could have been exploitation into a homage to his talent.

The new The Crow (2024) finds itself in a tricky spot. Publicists have insisted that director Rupert Sanders’ version is not a remake but a “reimagining” of the original graphic novel. However, it’s evident that people mainly associate this IP with the 1994 film. It’s a challenge to have someone step into a role that is synonymous with a specific actor and his tragic backstory. Remember how much you loved the first movie? Cool! Now forget everything about it, but not so much that you won’t buy a ticket for the new one!

Enter Bill Skarsgård, a smart choice to fill the boots of the vengeful hero. Known for his ability to portray both action heroes and nightmare-inducing characters, Skarsgård is the ideal actor for this role. He has an offbeat charm and the talent to carry a movie. The tall, pale Swede can effortlessly embody a doomed romantic who would traverse hell and back for his love. Give him smeared mascara, a long black trench coat, and a razor-cut shag, and you’ve got the perfect new face of The Crow.

However, there’s not much of a movie to carry. True to the marketing team’s word, The Crow 2.0 is not a remake of the original film. It deviates significantly from the source material. The basics are there — a deep bond between Eric Draven, played by Skarsgård, and Shelly, played by FKA Twigs; Eric’s death and his return to life thanks to a crow; and his Bauhaus-inspired fashion sense. But beyond these basics, the new film takes various detours that don’t necessarily add to or improve upon O’Barr’s original concept of an avenging angel.

There’s a touch of Eric’s past trauma, leading him to a recovery center where he meets Shelly. Their romance takes precedence in the first half of the film, with stylishly filmed intimate scenes set to Joy Division’s “Disorder.” This approach aims to make the audience invest in the characters before the inevitable tragedy strikes. However, the execution falters, turning the focus on their relationship into a sluggish, faux-erotic perfume commercial.

Meanwhile, Danny Huston’s character has struck a deal that involves sending others’ souls to hell to avoid going himself. His minions are after Shelly for a video she possesses, adding layers of confusion regarding their true nature and motivations.

Eventually, the bad guys catch up to Eric and Shelly, resulting in their deaths. Eric wakes up in a limbo filled with steel girders and birds. After negotiating with a mysterious character, he agrees to exchange his soul for Shelly’s, but only if he kills everyone responsible for their deaths. With the help of crows, he returns to the world of the living, becoming an immortal, pain-feeling avenger.

Upon his return, Eric roams the grimy streets, evoking director Rupert Sanders’ penchant for dark-revisionism chic. The film’s climax, a violent spree in an opera house, tries to cram a full movie’s worth of horror kills and gore into a short span. However, this final rush can’t save the film from feeling like a failed reintroduction of a cult character into today’s superhero-saturated entertainment landscape.

Unlike its hero, this attempt at franchise revival seems permanently doomed.

Source: Multiple