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The Crow (2024) has had a tough row to hoe, as its lead, Bill Skarsgård (Boy Kills World, John Wick Chapter 4), has been at pains to point out that this film is NOT a remake of the 1994 original movie, but a second adaptation of the comic book series.
While Shelly (FKA twigs – Honey Boy) lives in a friend’s massive apartment, her friend, Zadie (Isabella Wei – Netflix’s 1899) is also out and about, attracting undesireables, and is tracked down by Vincent Roeg (Danny Huston – Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1), which doesn’t quite work out for her and, because reasons, he’ll be after Shelly, next.
Since I haven’t read the books, and generally just rely on a film to get any plot across to me, I learned afterwards that Roeg is a centuries-old crimelord, who made a pact with the devil to send the souls of innocents to Hell, in return for eternal life. However, I just figured it was Danny Huston playing the usual slimy bad guy, but being a bit weird about it, which worked for me.
It was more of a stretch to accept the fact that when both Eric and Shelly end up in prison – which is where they meet, how come this prison has mixed-sex areas?
However, in amongst a first act which rather drags, the pair escape together, seemingly without worrying about any parole officer recalling them to prison, and cue some rumpy pumpy, yet while the film has a ton of violence, the it’s still not graphic enough to show a woman’s bare nipples.
As per the story, both are eventually murdered, but death isn’t the career setback it used to be, since thanks to weird old man Kronos (Sami Bouajila), Eric comes back to life, and if he’s stabbed or shot, he simply heals, the CGI for that being pretty cool; and he’s instructed to kill the people who killed him and his missus, and once down, they can both come back to life.
For a dead man, the fight scenes are surprisingly realistic, such as one that takes place in the lobby of a theatre while a loud opera goes on in the auditorium. The way this particular section carried out was like the Paris “Showstopper” scene happening in the Hitman games, as shotguns fire and his long sword delivers justice. Basically, like a Hitman ‘Kill Everyone’ Challenge.
Yes, don’t baulk at my reference to an element of the film being “realistic”.
But despite my thinking I’d lose patience with The Crow (2024), given its slow start, once the revenge aspect of the story kicked in, I enjoyed it a lot more, and unlike most films, this one actually improved the longer it went on. Hence, ignore the supposed ‘expert critics’, who are just told to write something nasty about this film, and go see it for yourself. I recommend it on the big screen.
There’s also a ton of great tunes, such as the following:
- Enya – Boadicea
Joy Division – Disorder
Gary Numan – M.E.
The Bug/Inga Copeland – Fall (known to UK views as the theme from Anna Friel’s drama, Marcella)
The Crow (2024) is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 111 minutes
Release date: August 23rd 2024
Studio: Lionsgate
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (XHawk class-X Anamorphics)
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 7.5/10
Director: Rupert Sanders
Producers: Victor Hadida, Molly Hassell, John Jencks, Edward R Pressman
Comic Book: James O’Barr
Screenplay: Zach Baylin, William Josef Schneider
Music: Volker Bertelmann
Cast:
Eric: Bill Skarsgård
Shelly: FKA twigs
Vincent Roeg: Danny Huston
Sophia: Josette Simon
Marion: Laura Birn
Kronos: Sami Bouajila
Roman: Karel Dobrý
Chance: Jordan Bolger
Dorm: Sebastian Orozco
Wickham: David Bowles
Lex: Tundy Smith
Jay: Samba Goldin
Zadie: Isabella Wei
Adam: Jordan Haj
Detective Milch: Dukagjin Podrimaj
Gray: Darija Pavlovicová
Young Eric: Solo Uniacke
Simon Elbe / Therapist: Brian Caspe
Kelly (Guard): Peter Parker Mensah
James: Gregory Gudgeon
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.