The Crow Review: a horror story that cannot be fully understood

The 2024 remake of The Crow, directed by Rupert Sanders, fails to capture the essence that made the original film a beloved piece of cinema. This new version lacks the gritty style and atmosphere that defined the 1994 original, instead opting for a more generic and polished look.

The Crow introduces Eric Draven (Bill Skarsgård) as a recovering addict who falls in love with Shelly (FKA Twigs) in rehab. However, the plot quickly complicates as Shelly possesses a secret video of a billionaire supervillain, Roeg (Danny Huston). This setup is convoluted and lacking clarity, making it difficult for audiences to follow the story's progression and motivations. The logic behind a supernatural villain being threatened by a video taken by a drug addict is implausible and undermines the narrative's stakes.

The timeline of events is poorly defined, leading to confusion about how long the characters are on the run and the urgency of their situation. This disjointed pacing detracts from the emotional weight of the story, leaving viewers puzzled about the characters' motivations and the plot's progression

##The main problem

The movie is unfathomably awful, highlighting its lack of coherence and emotional depth. The film is a catastrophe with a nonsensical plot and shoddy execution, making it one of the worst remakes in recent memory. The Crow is destined to become the worst remake due to its lack of engaging storytelling and character development.

##Character Portrayal

Bill Skarsgård plays Eric Draven, this character is stripped of any defining traits, rendering him a one-dimensional figure. FKA twigs, who portrays Shelly, fails to evoke the necessary emotional response and feelings from the audience. The chemistry between the leads is poor, which diminishes the impact of their tragic love story.

##Plot and Themes

The Crow(2024) deviates significantly from the original's premise, transforming a tale of love and revenge into a muddled narrative that lacks realism and depth. The shift from a gritty crime story to a "silly monster-of-the-week fantasy" has been particularly criticized, as it dilutes the original's themes of pain and loss. The film's attempts at dark edginess come off as superficial, failing to create a compelling atmosphere or mood.

##Visual and Stylistic Choice

While the original film was noted for its stylish direction and immersive world, this remake has confusing setting and lack of visual coherence. The film's aesthetic is unsightly, lacking the gothic flair that defined the original. The action sequences, including a climactic opera house scene, are seen as uninspired and fail to generate excitement, coming too late in the film to redeem it.

##Legacy and Expectations

The shadow of Brandon Lee's tragic death during the production of the original film looms large over this remake. The Crow fails to honor the legacy of the original, instead presenting a diluted and forgettable iteration of a beloved story

##Final toughts

The Crow (2024) is a disappointing attempt to revive a classic, failing to resonate with both fans of the original and new audiences. This movie manifests weak character development, convoluted plot, and lack of emotional engagement as key factors in its failure. The movie is a generic vengeful-vigilante pastiche, and has no the unique qualities that made the original a cult classic.

The film fails to establish clear rules regarding the supernatural elements, resulting in a plot that feels arbitrary and ungrounded. When a story's emotional core is sacrificed for plot complexity, it risks becoming nonsensical, which is exactly what happens here. The film's mythology appears convoluted and has no the straightforward emotional drive that characterized the original

As such, it appears that this new version may not find the same enduring legacy as the original movie.