On the eve of their wedding day, a woman is beaten and raped, while her guitarist fiance Eric Draven (Lee) is stabbed, shot and thrown out of a window to his death and Shelly herself later dies. One year later, a crow taps on Eric’s gravestone and he rises up through the earth, impervious to harm and invincible. He dresses himself in dark Gothic attire, with faux harlequin face paint and sets off to avenge both his and Shelly’s deaths.
The Crow is a simple revenge plot with little to no characterisation and the majority of the film is sold on the style and atmosphere. The plot, simplistic as it is, never stops for long enough for you to realise the problems with it and leaves you almost breathless with adrenaline. Proyas, now better known for Will Smith vehicle I, Robot, brings a moody and melancholy griminess to the city in the film which overpowers every scene. While this is a case of style over substance, the style is so sleek and engaging that you really don’t mind that it’s shallower than a puddle as you’re guided through the events in an almost dream-like state.
The Crow will forever be remembered for the death of its main star, but serves as an excellent epitaph to a career cut short by tragedy, and the theft of someone with real potential. Lee’s performance is excellent, although it might have something to do with the events surrounding the film. His presence permeates throughout and it’s tough not to wonder what kind of career he would’ve had, were it not for the accident on set.
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