My quick rating - 4.5/10. This was one movie I had prayed they would just leave alone and not remake but here it is. I was fine with sequels and reimagines for this but didn't want a remake so I watched apprehensively. I have been holding off on watching this until Devil's Night for my tradition. Here is my review of The Crow from 1994 for reference and I hope this one does it some justice. This remake takes the beloved tale of Eric Draven's vengeance and love and reimagines it with a darker, more mystic twist—but, unfortunately, it misses the mark on what made the original so compelling. This version opens with a longer buildup of Eric and Shelly’s (FKA Twigs) relationship, yet ironically fails to develop the romance as powerfully as the original’s fleeting flashbacks. The added screen time barely gives depth to their love, making the eventual tragedy feel less impactful, even mechanical. Once Eric crosses into the afterlife, he awakens in an eerie limbo, where he’s introduced to Kronos, played by Sami Bouajila. Here, the iconic crow’s role is explained with a heavy dose of black magic shit—a new, forced addition to the story. Rather than embarking on a passionate quest for Shelly’s memory, Eric turns into more of a supernatural detective hunting down his killers. This change sidesteps the raw emotional pull of vengeance for love, focusing instead on grim mysticism that feels disconnected from the heart of the story. I don't know if James O'Barr had anything to do with this story or if other graphic novels he penned were anything like this but I doubt it and don't believe he would be a fan of this. Bill Skarsgård as Draven brings the brutal violence expected in the action scenes, but instead of feeling like an unstoppable force of retribution, his character seems more like a target in a shooting gallery. The visceral fight scenes are well done, adding brutal touches, but they lack emotional payoff when the story itself doesn’t anchor them in anything memorable or meaningful. Visually, Rupert Sanders delivers some beautiful scenes, and the cinematography deserves credit, offering moments of style and atmospheric richness. But that can only go so far when the story’s foundation is flawed. The guitar-playing artist that defined Draven in the 1994 version is notably absent here, making the character feel almost entirely new but not in a way that serves the story. It’s almost as if Eric and Shelly could have been removed without changing much at all. In the end, this version suffers from a story that misses the essence of its own legacy. This retelling feels more like a miss than a tribute, making it hard to understand why they even called it The Crow if they weren’t going to honor the spirit of Eric and Shelly’s tragic, passionate bond. As my initial worry pointed out, I just wish they left this one alone and I am not going to be "that guy" and give this a 1 out of 10 just because I am so disappointed in what they did with this film. RIP Brandon Lee.
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