Reboots, legacy sequels, and reimaginings are inevitable. No matter the concept or conceit, if an intellectual property is even remotely familiar with general audiences and/or even mildly successful financially, you can bet that someday it’s going to be dragged out of its grave to be paraded around with a “new take on a beloved story”. This is not to say that this is always a bad thing, there are plenty of great remakes that can confidently stand next to their predecessor, unfortunately, Rupert Sanders’ 2024 adaptation of The Crow is a dull modern interpretation of a cult classic.
Based on the 1994 cult action film and the 1989 Calbur Press comic by James O’Barr, The Crow (2024) follows the story of Eric (Bill Skarsgard), a depressed, emotionally distant artist who is resurrected to avenge the love of his life Shelly (FKA Twigs) after the two of them are murdered by enforcers hired by an immortal crime lord Vincent Roeg (Danny Huston). Shortly after being killed, Eric is given supernatural abilities by a mysterious stranger (Sami Bouajila) in the afterlife that he must use to hunt down Roeg to save both his and Shelly’s souls from eternal damnation.
The story… is a mess. Lots of things are thrown at the audience with certain things being horribly underexplained while other things are overexplained. It’s jarring how we know so much and so little when it comes to vital parts of the story. If you’re looking for a gripping narrative, this is not the place it. The Crow, even in it’s previous renditions, has always been a vibes movie. There’s a great video by Patrick Willems that explains the concept of vibes movies, and this remake fits this bill. Go into this film to experience the dark tone and atmosphere, not to learn the deep lore of Eric Draven.
As stated earlier, this is a modern retelling of the 1994 action film starring Brandon Lee, the son of Bruce Lee who tragically died during the production of the film. Instead of pulling from the 90s goth aesthetic, the 2024 Crow goes for a modern “outsider” style, with face tattoos and bad haircuts. Gone are the drug-fueled punks, now the supernatural hero must face off against corporate bodyguards. This modern style and aesthetic might be revered in 10 years as a great portrayal of the culture of the 2020s, but in 2024 it falls completely flat. I fear that this film portrays a sub-culture that will not age elegantly, but there are bound to have been people who were saying that about Goth and Punk culture back in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Speaking of changes, let’s talk about Bill Skarsgard. While probably best known for his work as a character actor, notably Pennywise in the IT films, Skarsgard has taken a pivot in his career to focus on becoming an action star. His last film Boy Kills World also features him as a badass fighter trying to get revenge after someone he loves is killed. Unfortunately, his portrayal of Eric Draven has much more in common with Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock than Brandon Lee. His character is emotional and awkward with a very strange “New York?” accent. He’s kind of unintentionally silly in this movie with lots of fumbling around, goofy screams, and weird one-liners. I don’t want to say Skarsgard is bad in this role, but it’s a different approach with the script doing him no favors.
FKA Twigs’ performance as Shelly is solid, but unfortunately, the script also has her saying some very awkward and corny lines. “If you find it hard to love me, just love me harder” feels like a post that you would find on Tumblr a la 2014. Her chemistry with Skarsgard is present but gives off a sort of CW YA (young adult) romance that is more about, “look at these hot, edgy people makeout” than anything else.
On the note of bad TV, Danny Huston is here as the main villain Vincent Roeg, who has the bizarre ability to whisper demon words into your ear that make you go insane? I don’t know, but Huston never fails to portray a sinister villain, whether it be for campy TV or major motion pictures. Roeg is a very nothing character, who is just as threatening as he is interesting. Which is to say not at all.
The cinematography of this version of The Crow is quite appealing in contrast to the styling of the characters. There are plenty of visual motifs and scenes that I found to be really interesting and helped the film stand out from its contemporaries. I’m not sure they completely save the film, but I believe that it might be the primary appeal of the film. The action is mostly bland, with boring settings, lackluster choreography, and no real threats. Since Eric is technically immortal and one person he loved is dead, there really isn’t any tension when it comes to fight scenes. Unfortunately, this whole movie lacks any real creative sauce or vision, EXCEPT for the Opera scene.
So The Crow 2024 would be a complete write-off if not for the climatic Opera fight, which is the only saving grace for the whole film, and retroactively makes the film worth seeing. All of my complaints disappeared when watching this, and I realized that this was the vision of what could have been. The action is exhilarating, with creative applications for Eric’s invulnerability through fight choreography while also being set to an opera track that low-key really slapped. Additionally, the awkward and clumsy Skarsgard performance completely melts away and evolves into a brooding, sinister menace hellbent on revenge. While watching this scene, it became clear this is why the film was made. Unfortunately, that scene lasts about 20 minutes, then you are unceremoniously brought back to reality and the film slowly limps to the finish line.
While not the worst movie of the year (again that Opera scene is worth the price of admission), The Crow 2024 is unfortunately a really dull and lackluster adaptation of a cult classic that feels more like a rip-off of Venom than a homage to it’s own source material. Aside from a stellar climax, the rest of the film is a boring Euphoria-esq CW YA drama that will probably age like milk. Who knows, maybe in 10-15 years, this film will acquire a similar legacy to the 1994 film where it is revered as a beloved flawed vibes film that portrays a unique subculture of a bygone era. Only time will tell.
2/5
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