The Crow Reviews Turn The Title Character Into A Punching Bag

As a long-time fan of The Crow, I must say that the 1994 adaptation will always hold a special place in my heart. It was a dark, intense, and faithful adaptation of James O’Barr’s comic book, with Brandon Lee delivering an iconic performance as Eric Draven.


Thirty years ago, the initial film adaptation of James O’Barr’s comic book “The Crow” was released. However, the franchise is primarily recognized for the unfortunate incident that claimed Brandon Lee’s life rather than its artistic merits. Despite this, the 1994 movie version has garnered a dedicated fanbase and generally stayed faithful to the original material. In contrast, the recent adaptation of The Crow, starring Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven, has received little praise from Lionsgate. They delayed releasing reviews as long as they could, but it appears that strategy didn’t boost the film’s prospects. Critics, one after another, have been quick to criticize it.

Currently, The Crow is rated with an 19% score on Rotten Tomatoes (from 54 critics’ reviews) and a 31/100 score on Metacritic (based on 22 reviews). While not all critics panned it, most had little positive to say about the movie.

The Crow

  • Directed by: Rupert Sanders
  • Written by: Zach Baylin and William Schneider
  • Starring: Bill Skarsgård, FKA Twigs, Danny Huston
  • Premiere Date: August 23
  • Rating: R
  • Runtime: 1 hour, 51 minutes

Vulture — No Score

“[Skarsgård] surprisingly lacks dynamism, given his career primarily revolves around characters balancing between being unsettlingly eerie and captivatingly attractive.”]

Screen Daily — No Score

Alexander Skarsgård deliberately portrays his antihero as a persistent, brooding figure. This acting style mirrors the film’s dedication to unyielding seriousness, eliminating any traces of camp or dark humor… Unfortunately, this lackluster remake not only fails to uphold [Brandon Lee’s] legacy; it also fails to establish its own value and reason for existence. [Summary of review]

Mashable — No Score

Regardless of how little you anticipate Rupert Sanders’ The Crow, this rough and unrefined reboot is unlikely to surpass those modest expectations… This isn’t the Eric Draven that fans of The Crow recognize. Instead, we get a subpar imitation that falls short of the eerie allure Lee brought to the character. Unfortunately for Skarsgård, his portrayal seems more like a posed figure than a compelling protagonist. [Full review] – Kristy Puchko

Variety — No Score

The performances are subtly impactful despite the limited character development, avoiding excessive dramatic flourishes… Despite the graphic violence that is rated ‘R’, it lacks the sensation of indulgent exploitation. It’s fulfilling in its own way, but tends to feel slightly detached.

The Wrap — No Score

“Rupert Sanders’ reinterpretation is unexpectedly lacking in emotional impact. Instead of streamlining the simplest tale, this modern adaptation twists and complicates both the plot and the mythology to such an extent that it becomes utterly confusing… Despite capturing the essence of the original story, this remake misses the mark on what truly made it work.” — [Paraphrased Review]

Inverse — No Score

“It’s almost surprising how deeply emotional a narrative can be undermined by its lack of substance… In the film, Eric and Shelly seem so real, it’s hard to imagine they could ever face such trials. Unfortunately, Skarsgård’s performance doesn’t quite shine in this role; Twigs has potential, but her talent isn’t fully utilized due to limited chances… Initially intriguing as a love story, the plot eventually gets overshadowed by excessive violence and vengeance.” – Paraphrased by AI [Full review]

Rolling Stone — No Score

“The latest adaptation of the Crow doesn’t offer anything fresh or innovative regarding O’Barr’s concept of a vengeful angel. It doesn’t matter if it transforms into a Death Wish character with pancake makeup, it still feels like a struggling effort to revive a beloved comic/movie character in today’s superhero-dominated entertainment world. It quickly becomes clear that this project, intended to launch a franchise, is just as dead as the hero itself.” – Paraphrased by Assistant AI

The Crow is now playing in theaters.

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2024-08-23 21:39