As a lifelong fan of the original “Crow” franchise, I must confess that my heart sank when I heard about this reboot. The plot twists and lore shifts in this new version left me more confused than a raven lost in a storm. It seems like they took a sledgehammer to the source material and tried to hammer something new together, but all they’ve managed to do is create a birdcage of chaos.
Contains spoilers for “The Crow“
The latest reboot of “The Crow” has spent over a decade rising from the pit of development purgatory, during which numerous creative personnel were attached and then replaced. At various points, Alexander Skarsgård and Jack Huston were mentioned for the lead role, but ultimately Bill Skarsgård and Danny Huston joined the cast instead. Throughout this lengthy process, there’s been consistent emphasis that the 2024 film is not a remake of the Brandon Lee cult classic. Instead, it’s often referred to as a fresh adaptation based on the original 1989 graphic novel. However, comic book fans who attend the movie expecting this may be left feeling quite disillusioned.
Admittedly, my knowledge about the Crow Expanded Universe isn’t extensive as it mainly stems from Alex Proyas’ 1994 film. Some argue that the franchise should be left untouched due to Lee’s tragic death on set caused by a prop gun accident. However, I found myself intrigued about how a fresh take on James O’Barr’s grim tale might unfold. In hindsight, I perhaps should have been more cautious.
In the latest film, we find characters named Eric and Shelly, accompanied by crows, murders (not the act of killing, but a group of crows), and some unique face paint. However, this movie deviates significantly from its original story or source material, with the enigmatic antagonist, Vincent Roeg, a freshly introduced demonic supervillain, being a key factor in these differences.
The Crow’s simplicity was essential to its appeal
In O’Barr’s initial “Crow” comics and the 1994 movie, Eric and Shelly suffer a senseless act of violence, falling victim to ruthless street gang members who were under the influence. The narrative’s supernatural aspects primarily manifest through Eric, who is brought back as an indestructible spirit by the eponymous, mystical crow, to seek retribution against the criminals responsible for his and his lover’s death. O’Barr created these comics as a means of coping with the loss of his own partner, who was taken by a drunk driver. Thus, “The Crow” serves as a critique of the harsh reality of senseless violence; it suggests that mere chance is what differentiates tragedy from a happy ending in a fairy tale.
Over time, “The Crow” has garnered greater fame for its striking visuals than its underlying theme – visuals that have significantly impacted an entire generation of goth and related subcultures. The world depicted in “The Crow” is characterized by numerous crosses and crucifixion-like imagery, where Hell is portrayed as a capitalized concept and evil is presented as a genuine, tangible entity that requires punishment. Given these aspects, altering the original narrative to incorporate a supernatural antagonist may not seem catastrophic. However, Vincent Roeg’s character is so unclear, half-developed, and poorly designed that the essence of the film essentially slips away from him.
Vincent Roeg is at the heart of what’s wrong with The Crow
In summary, the storyline for the latest “Crow” film follows these main points: Eric (played by Bill Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA Twigs) become allies after meeting in rehab, as Shelly is being pursued by minions of a demonic overlord named Vincent Roeg (portrayed by Danny Huston). Roeg had previously used his sinister mind-control abilities to manipulate Shelly into committing a murder at one of his parties. To prolong his life, he struck a deal with the devil, forfeiting the souls of innocents to Hell instead. Tragically, Eric and Shelly are slain by Roeg’s henchmen, but Eric is miraculously resurrected by an enigmatic entity called Kronos (Sami Bouajila), who vows to reanimate Shelly if Eric can vanquish the villain and restore cosmic balance.
As a long-time fan of this particular franchise, I find it perplexing that the latest adaptation strays so far from the original source material. With each new question it raises, it seems to open up even more unanswered mysteries. For instance, if Roeg has been murdering innocents for years without consequence, one would think Kronos would have sent one of his victims back to exact revenge. Furthermore, the placement of Shelly in Hell and Eric in a surreal CGI purgatory feels inconsistent with the established rules of this universe.
The issue with overloading a symbolic story with excessive background details is that it can muddle the metaphor and lead to confusion. For instance, ravens, crows, love, vengeance are not complex symbols or otherworldly topics. However, “The Crow” from 2024 often seems like an early-2000s comic book adaptation, with its distorted opening credits and the ambiguous, mystical antagonist who goes by a nonsensical name plastered on a skyscraper.
The Crow is confused about its own magic and morality
At the peak of the storyline, Roeg aims to turn Eric’s brutal retribution against him, questioning whether Shelly could still harbor affection for him after all the lives he’s taken. By transforming the antagonist from a common criminal into an embodiment of evil itself, it appears that the revised “Crow” character intends to convey a powerful message. However, Kronos posits that Roeg’s immortality disrupts the natural order, yet this concept is not further developed in the narrative.
In the mythology of “The Crow,” there seems to be some inconsistency regarding the rules of the afterlife and resurrections, which are key elements of the story. For instance, why does Shelly go straight to Hell upon being killed, while Eric doesn’t? It could be that Shelly is sent to Hell due to the murder she committed before her death. However, the case becomes more puzzling when we consider the flashbacks in the movie that imply Eric may have accidentally killed his neglectful mother in a fire as a child. If so, would a child killing under such circumstances be considered permissible, while an adult acting under satanic mind control is still punished with eternal damnation? These questions highlight some of the complexities and uncertainties within the mythology of “The Crow.”
Eric was supposedly returning with Shelly, but he changed his mind after witnessing the video of the murder she had committed. However, we never find out who the victim was or if Eric ended up in Hell as Kronos suggested. In the end, “The Crow” seems to disregard its own fabricated rules, so why should I bother trying to comprehend them myself? Although the acting is decent and it’s an improvement over that disliked “Crow” TV show, overall, it feels like a letdown.
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2024-08-23 15:00