The Crow
A modern day gothic love story.

Brandon Lee as Eric Draven.

In the universe of The Crow, the night before Halloween has evolved into Devil's Night, where those who normally prowl only the dark underbelly of the city run wild through the streets and set fires upon an already scorched earth. It is on this night that Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and Shelly Webster (Sofia Shinas), a pair of lovers on the eve of their wedding, are murdered by a gang of such thugs.

The violence inflicted upon his beloved so haunts Eric that his spirit cannot find rest. And so he returns to Earth to right the wrong done against Shelly. One by one he finds the mongrels responsible for their deaths and sends them on to the next world. Painfully. As his signature, he leaves a large outline of a crow.

It is only when the man who set this pack upon Shelly hunts him down that he falters. The crow who has brought him back from the dead is wounded and the supernatural powers which allowed him to be instantly healed of any injury disappear. Luckily Eric has made a friend (Ernie Hudson) who comes to his aid in this final battle. They emerge a lot worse for wear, but victorious.

Draven returns to the city, seeking vengeance.

Released in 1994, The Crow has lost none of it's grace, beauty, or impact. The symbolism, the gothic sets, the weather, the lighting, the whole visual package is stunning. As I'm not a comics person, I can't determine whether or not the movie was faithful to its inspiration, but as a film it works.

I can think of only two scenes which appear to occur in daylight, but even then the sun is weak and cannot seem to penetrate the gloom which has fallen over the city. A big part of the film's mood is set by the use of light, not as illumination, but rather as an instrument of the shadows. Even the choice to use a vinyl album versus a shiny CD seems part and parcel of the attempt to add further layers of darkness to the story. But perhaps one of the most awe inspiring visuals occurs early on in the movie as Eric's crow flies through the night, its wings creating artful whorls amid the smoke.

The city that we see is not just dark and gloomy a lá Batman's Gotham City, but run down and ramshackle, as if civilization itself was eroding and crumbling. The decay is spread throughout all of the exteriors and most of the interiors as well, further pressing the point that many of the characters themselves are as corrupted as their surroundings.

Simply put, Brandon Lee is amazing. He lends Eric his beauty and grace, and imparts upon the character a soul crushing grief that propels this story forward. His acts of vengeance are not carried out with some sadistic glee, but instead seem to be a set of tasks he must carry out to cleanse his soul before he can be reunited with his beloved Shelly. While Eric is dead, he is not at peace.

It is important to remember that this film is not about death. It is not even about grief. It is about the invincible nature of love.

DROOL FACTOR: Brandon Lee was a talented and beautiful man.

GROSS-OUT FACTOR: There is nothing too overt. The worst, Shelly's rape and murder, is saved for quick flashes to the past and references.

STRONG CHICK FACTOR: Shelly isn't onscreen enough and little Sarah, although plucky, is still to young to do any ass kicking.

-- Linda M. Najera

The Crow is currently available on video.

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