The Crow on DVD (1993)

JediSi , 29/08/2007

Although Brandon Lee did not have many films to his credit, this one turned him into a legend.

Shelly and Eric were very much in love. But no one gets married on Halloween, not in Detroit. Shelly is raped and beaten by city boss Top Dollar's thugs, only to die 30 hours later in a hospital. Eric is shot and pushed out a window. A year later death is no longer what it was as Eric Draven, accompanied by a Crow and gifted with new powers and a world of grief and pain, is brought back to life to avenge his love's death.

Director Alex Proyas claims he has never seen a sequel to his film on the basis that no one could do justice to the main character like Brandon Lee... I agree with him. Lee's performance as the vengeful soul is one of the greatest I have ever seen on film. He exhibits confidence, cunning and menace, while at the same time communicating just enough pain and depression to stay true to his character.

Made with passion, performed with intensity, designed with precision and influence, 'The Crow' is an unheralded masterpiece of the 20th Century.

Greed is for amateurs. Disorder, chaos, and anarchy: now that's fun!

Brandon Lee, rest in peace.

  23 out of 24 people found this review helpful

Read all reviews

Imran from London , 24/07/2004

I don't know why but this film has always appealed to me, maybe it's the savagely dark edge of watching a film about a man's return from death knowing the making of it killed it's star. While this is never going to going down as one of the greatest films of all time, these facts simply combine to produce a genuine sense of melancholy which has given this movie a certain aura which very few movies can hope (or really want to) emulate.

  15 out of 18 people found this review helpful

Read all reviews

A customer from Scotland , 23/03/2004

To be honest i came to watch this film thinking its only so popular because the lead star died in the making of it, but i was wrong.

it is both moving and thought provocing. The violence is not too graphic and you really are made to feel the pain of the main character.You begin to hope that he is successful in his plight to seek revenge on those that ruined his life.

The excellent performace by Brandon Lee saddened me to think that he will never again get to make such a great performance.

definatly one to see, and i plan to buy it now.

  11 out of 11 people found this review helpful

Read all reviews

Matthew Solomon from Bedfordshire,England , 11/07/2004

This film is awesome.

Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven a struggling rock musician in a dark violent city. One day himself and his wife are killed by a local gang. But its Halloween and one year later Eric returns with vengence on his mind.

Brandon Lee puts on a fantastic performance, his acting is flawless and you really start to feel the pain in his character. It is hard to watch his fight scenes without seeing the similarity to his father, the late Bruce Lee. Ignore all its sequels- this is THE film to watch. Brandon Lee simply is the Crow and no-one else can fill those shoes.

Unfortunately this film is famous not for its greatness but because of the fact it killed Brandon Lee.

Before filming a gun scene, a gun wasnt properly cleaned and a bullet fragment was left in the barrel. When the scene was shot this bullet piece hit Brandon in the stomach and he died a few days later in hospital.

Much of the film had to be completed by computer visual effects due to Brandons tragic death, but it is so well done you cannot tell.

This film shows that had he lived, Brandon Lee could easily have obtained the super-stardom that his father was robbed of by death.

  10 out of 12 people found this review helpful

Read all reviews

tunnelweb from Hamilton [Highly rated reviewer] , 14/08/2008

The perfect comic adaptation. And, that's something - as the comic is a wonderful piece of literature and not very film-friendly! This film is beautiful in every respect - cinematography, casting, acting, design, sound, soundtrack, score and, of course, directing. The story is incredibly touching, and very powerfully told. And, of course, Brandon Lee delivers a stunning performance. However, this film deserves to be fully regarded as a classic in its own right, without the tragic death of Brandon Lee attracting attention. This would be a critically acclaimed film without this real-life aspect, as would the more recent Dark Knight without Ledger's death. The Crow is one of the most powerful love stories ever told, and is still the best comic book adaptation to date.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

Read all highest rated reviews