The Crow
Grade: B+
The dark ultraviolence, the black-metal costume design, the goth-rock soundtrack, not to mention the fact lead actor Brandon Lee was killed by a prop gun during filming, you’d expect The Crow to be the most depressing film ever made. Au contraire, it’s surprisingly earnest and hopeful: a straightforward revenge flick that stays true to its superhero roots.
In his directorial debut, talented action stylist Alex Proyas creates a smoggy cyberpunk dystopia that out-squalors both Blade Runner and Batman Returns. The Crow rises up as an ultimate force for good in a city filled with senseless violence, and we’ve no choice but to cheer as the undead avenger kills the living shit out of everyone who wronged him in his past life. That’s the extent of the storyline, basically, but Lee’s physical performance and Proyas’ grungy aesthetic more than make up for any shortcomings.
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