Who doesn’t love an undead vigilante seeking to avenge the tragic demise of his true love? Well…

In 1994 the world was introduced to director Alex Proyas’s adaptation of The Crow. A cult classic, based on the comic book series by James O’Barr, it seemed to be a tall order when a new origin story of the vengeful hero was announced.  

James O’Barr’s creation came from a place of grief following the death of his fiancée. The gothic romance and world built in the 1994 film captured the despair in a dark, desolate place where such loss occurs.

I would be remiss to gloss over the tragic passing of the late Brandon Lee (rest in power) while filming on set for the 1994 film. The heartbreak felt by many has further cemented this film’s impact on fans everywhere.

Several sequel films have been released over the years, but none have garnered the same response as the original.

Now, in 2024, I went into director Rupert Sanders’s The Crow trying to keep an open mind, and not draw too much comparison. Though let’s be honest, that’s easier said than done.

Props to this take on the brooding vigilante for not trying to emulate its predecessor. However, my main takeaway—this movie is a missed opportunity.  

Bill Skarsgård, of It fame, and Robert Eggers’s upcoming Nosferatu, plays Eric Draven/the Crow, with FKA twigs as his Shelly. They meet in some type of rehabilitation center. He’s quiet and broody, she likes that he seems quirky, and the rest is history.

The crux of this story: after Eric and Shelly are murdered, Eric comes back to avenge the crime. He is fueled, theoretically, by love.  

Unfortunately, this movie is no great love story. It feels more like romanticizing an infatuation between two people who come from damaged backgrounds they have not healed from. Their relationship consists of sex, drugs, and an attempt at sharing some of Shelly’s trauma (and she does come from a devastating background). My 12-year-old self would’ve known better than to romanticize this couple.

Eric Draven spends a decent portion of this movie back from the dead, but not fully sold on embracing the Crow. In fact, at one point, he is not entirely sure he knew Shelly at all or can trust his love for her. They’ve alluded to Eric coming from a loveless childhood, so it makes sense. The problem is this movie doesn’t bother to really do anything with that.

It could’ve been an interesting take to watch the Crow start off seeming incapable of a healthy love, but grow and evolve by the time he is ready to take up the mantle. When Eric returns after being murdered, minimal effort is made to flesh out who he is. He mopes around like an overgrown emo kid. Machine Gun Kelly goes vigilante.

When he does choose to make love the mission, he goes for it. I got revved up. It was exciting to see the transformation. When he finally applies the Crow makeup, it is a clever nod to his relationship with Shelly.

And his takedown of the bad guys? He’s brutal, he’s ruthless. It’s a solid third act. Wealthy elites sit inside a theater watching the ballet while the violence takes place out in the lobby. The visuals are powerful, but it’s too little too late.

Skarsgård does his best with what he is given to work with. This movie has far more exposition dumping and telling rather than showing—and yet it still doesn’t tell all that much. There are moments early on where Eric feels like an endearing, troubled figure. When Eric embraces his Crow, I am truly rooting for him.

Yet, with the lack of character development and practically no touching love story, this feels like more of a generic action movie—without much action.

The Crow
2024
dir. Rupert Sanders
111 min.

Now playing in theaters everywhere