The Crow (2024): 4K UHD Review
Now available on 4K UHD is Rupert Sanders remake of 1994’s The Crow. Remakes and reboots are a common thing in the movie business. Most of the time, audiences don’t want their favorite films recreated and The Crow was no exception. Not only did star Brandon Lee lose his life on the set of that film, but filmmaker Alex Proyas’ vision of the comic book character is an incredible piece of cinematic art, that holds up to this day. Sure, there were sequels, but each of them followed a different character, which allowed Eric Draven to rest in peace. I am of course not including the short-lived 1998 television series.
The new version of The Crow was a flop at the box office, which didn’t seem to surprise anyone. While I was personally curious, I just never got around to watch it until now. Is the film as bad as everyone has been saying? Well, not really. To its’ credit writers Zach Baylin and William Josef Schneider do attempt to do something a bit different here. The romance between Eric (Bill Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA Twigs) is a bit more fleshed out this time around. We get to see how they meet and connect. However, the love affair does seem to be a bit rushed. While I did appreciate that part of the story being expanded on, it unfortunately can be a bit of a slog for those who want to jump right into the vengeful action.
While Skarsgård is a capable actor, his version of Eric Draven is just not that interesting. Twigs on the other hand brings a strong-but-sweet presence to Shelly and it’s easy to see why Eric has fallen for her so quickly. Danny Huston seems to be going through the motions as the film’s villain, Vincent Roeg. It isn’t his first time playing a comic book villain. Just look at 30 Days of Night and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I wish he tried to have some fun with the role.
Rupert Sanders has had some experience alienating audiences with his adaptations of popular IP’s. Remember 2017’s Ghost in the Shell? The Crow does have a few decent action sequences. The best being Eric’s attack at the opera house. There are clearly some John Wick influences thrown in, just not nearly as effective. While this latest version of the comic book character isn’t all bad, I can’t really recommend it either.
The 2160p presentation with Dolby Vision is really strong. With The Crow being set mostly at night, the deep blacks are taken full advantage of, giving Eric a beautifully dark world to inflict his vengeance. The details are sharp, which you can notice in locations like the opera house lobby and stairs, as-well-as the city streets and buildings. We also get a Dolby Atmos track, which also doesn’t disappoint. The score by Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front) helps bring the action to life and the Atmos track pumps up the gunfire. Chances are if you are a fan of the original film, you are not going to find much to like about this version, but if you are curious about a slightly different version of the character, it might be worth a look.
BONUS FEATURES:
- True Love Never Dies: Making The Crow (6 Chapters):
- Chapter One – The Emotional Engine: Origins
- Chapter Two – Body & Soul: The Cast
- Chapter Three – Modern Gothic: Character/Costume/Production Design
- Chapter Four – Between Two Worlds: On Location
- Chapter Five – Vengeance Incarnate: Action & Stunts
- Chapter Six – Sacrifice: Final Thoughts
- Dark Romance: The Score
- Reborn Through Revenge: Main Title Sequence
- Every Film Is a Miracle: A Tribute to Edward R. Pressman
- Deleted Scenes
- Theatrical Trailer
By: Marc Ferman
