WFG RATING: C-

Lionsgate presents a Hassell Free/The Electric Shadows Company production in association with Media Capital Technologies and FilmNation Entertainment. Directed by Rupert Sanders. Produced by Edward R. Pressman, Samuel Hadida, Victor Hadida, and John Jencks. Written by Zach Baylin and William Josef Schneider; based on the comic book created by James O’Barr. Cinematography by Steve Annis. Edited by Chris Dickens and Neil Smith.

Stars Bill Skarsgard, FKA Twigs, Danny Huston, Josette Simon, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, Karel Dobry, Jordan Bolger, and Sebastian Orozco.

What could have been the long awaited reboot of the year has turned into one of the biggest disappointments of the year, despite a few key scenes. 

Eric Draven is a young man who is in a drug rehabilitation facility when he locks eyes with Shelly Webster. The two instantly fall in love and eventually, they escape and start a new life. Things begin to go well for the two. That is, until Shelly’s past catches up to her. Before her time in rehab, she saved a video that incriminates respected aristocrat Vincent Roeg, who made the deal with the devil for eternal life. After getting caught by Roeg’s men, both Shelly and Eric are murdered.

However, Eric ends up in purgatory, where he meets the enigmatic Kronos. Kronos offers Eric a chance to be resurrected for the sole purpose of avenging both himself and Shelly in the name of love. With the powers of the Crow, Eric has healing powers despite feeling the pain of afflictions. When he discovers Shelly’s secret, he nearly loses his powers only to make a deal himself with Kronos that will change the course of everything and everyone around him. Returning to life, Eric is ready for an onslaught of vengeance. 

Oh dear…where to begin with this film. Having been in developmental hell for over fifteen years, this had the potential to bring in a new generation of future fans who could have turned on the iconic 1994 film that would be Brandon Lee’s grand finale. However, the new generation will want to see the original film to see how much of a 180 and more excellent film that is because this one is not only one fans wanted but fans were ultimately disgusted. 

The casting of Bill Skarsgard isn’t exactly the problem. As a matter of fact, he is one of the few positive aspects of the film. The problem is how his character of Eric Draven is a far cry from the musician of the original. Instead, it is as if we’re in an alternate universe and Eric here is a recovering drug addict who looks like a wannabe Suicide Squad version of Joker for most of the film. 

Even with the face paint eventually coming on, he looks like the Joker had a love child with the JoJo Siwa “Karma” look. What were the screenwriters thinking in giving him this look. However, it doesn’t hinder the performance as there is a funny bit post-action and a great action set up in an opera, which are the only good parts of the film.

FKA Twigs doesn’t really bring much to the role of Shelly, as she constantly becomes a somewhat damsel-in-distress type. Her chemistry with Skarsgard seems somewhat meh and not even close to resembling that of Brandon Lee and Sofia Shinas in the original film. Even Eric Mabius and Jodi Lyn O’Keefe’s chemistry in the flashbacks of The Crow: Salvation fares better by comparison. Danny Huston’s Vincent Roeg is a new villain who uses supernatural bidding to force his victims into suicide. He is the only other positive in terms of performance. 

If you’re going to brave this film, the action scenes are pretty graphic which in this case is the final of the positive aspects. To bring a sense of realism with Eric feeling pain before healing, he is disemboweled in his first action scene after resurrection and yes, we do see the guts. However, the highlight in terms of action is set in an opera house where armed with a sword, Eric slices his way through a group of Roeg’s goons only to lead to a grand finale of the scene that is quite shocking to see. 

So in conclusion, The Crow reboot is a disappointing mess that is only saved by the performances of Bill Skarsgard (despite his Joker-Jojo look) and Danny Huston along with the opera fight scene. If you like fast forwarding, do it for this scene alone. Other than that, this is one bird that needs to be put down.