I often discuss the matter of movies transcending genre. That is, would it be reasonable to expect an individual to enjoy a film in the absence of interest in its underlying themes? Could someone with zero interest (shame!) in superheroics enjoy a film based on a comic book property? It’s a useful test for determining how and if a film might appeal to individuals outside of its target market. The Crow crushes this test and in doing so sets a bar met or approached by few other films in or outside of the bloated comic book movie genre. The Crow is based on a James O’Barr graphic novel. I discovered this long after my first watch. It wouldn’t take long for the film to establish itself as must-see for an entire generation. It is well documented that O’Barr wrote the story of The Crow as a means of coping with a sudden loss in his own life. The Crow is now beautifully synonymous with sorrow and loss. Brandon Lee, his life tragically snuffed out during filming in a stunt gone wrong, becomes The Crow similarly to how Heath Ledger became the Joker in The Dark Knight. You don’t see Lee. You see his every movement and gesture emanating and pulsing with sadness and regret, the emotions that bring him back to mortal earth as the avenging angel. Both Lee and Ledger were taken from their loved ones before living a full life. I make no specific affirmations around understanding life beyond life but it is my hope that Lee and Ledger can take the smallest amount of solace in how we continue to and will always celebrate their willingness to sacrifice to captivate and entertain us. They deserved better.
The Quick Critic
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