Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

My brain is kind of fuzzy. I sat up late watching all three Crow movies, and plan to review each for comparison. My wife wondered about the black and white face paint I wore during this movie blitz. She doesn't understand that when I get into a movie, I get into a movie.

First and easily the best in the series, which also includes The Crow: City of Angels and The Crow: Salvation, The Crow was originally created as a comic series and strip by James O'Barr and is set in Detroit and stars the late Brandon Lee as rock musician Eric Draven, who has become engaged to his girlfriend Shelley (Sofia Shinas)on "Devil's Night", the night before Halloween, when their blissful evening is interrupted by a gang of thugs who burst into their apartment and brutally beat him and toss him to his death through a window and rape and murder Shelley.

This decidedly antisocial behavior is led by "T-Bird" (David Patrick Kelley), 1st lieutenant of sorts for Detroit Crime Lord "Top Dollar" (Michael Wincott)who holds Detroit in a firey grip every Devil's Night by torching area business all over the city. The aftermath of this violent intrusion is witnessed by young girl Sarah (Rochelle Davis)close friend of both Eric and Shelley, and Sergeant Albrecht(Ernie Hudson)who spends thirty hours in the hospital with Shelley, hoping that she will recover.

Yet, as narrated by Sarah, there is a belief that the dead can come back; that a crow can guide back the souls of those who have unfinished business; and, precisely a year later, Eric returns, digging himself out of his grave remarkably well-preserved after a year.

Eric returns to his abandoned home, and in a series of surreal flashbacks, relives the brutal murders of himself and Shelley, and realizes what he has returned to do; wreak vengeance on the one ones who have stolen their lives. Clad in black with black and white greasepaint transforming his face into a Goth-style harlequin's mask, he begins his mission of vengeance.

This he does in spectacular style; one of the thugs is a knife expert called only "Tin-Tin",(where did they get these names?) who ends up dispatched by his own knives.
A pawnshop owned by a man who fenced the gang's loot goes up in a cataclysmic explosion, Eric tells Gideon, the owner, to tell the gang that "Death is coming for them tonight".

Next to go is "Funboy"; (gee, that sounds like a terrifying name)Eric attacks him in his home while Funboy is bumping uglies with Darla, the girl Sarah's mother while they are strung out on drugs. Eric forces the drugs from Darla's system and sends her home to her daughter, and kills Funboy by impaling him with several syringes full of morphine. "T-bird" is sent off of a dock in his car, which detonates into a fiery explosion before plunging into Lake Erie.

Very quickly, with cold rage and dark humor, Eric is working his way through the gang, leading up to "Top Dollar" himself. Along the way her encounters Sergeant Albrecht, who, although understandably unnerved at first, ends up becoming confidante and support to Eric on his quest, and saves Sarah from being run down in traffic, leading to a reunion and connection between them.

All leads up, of course, to a confrontation with Top Dollar himself, who holds his reign on the city through a combination of violence, fire, and mysticism. His top aide is his half-sister Myca (Ling Bai, then known as Bai Ling)with whom he shares a very close relationship, if you get my drift, who is a "seeress" of sorts; able to divine Eric's weakness. Top Dollar captures Sarah and sets a trap to draw Eric to him for the final conflict.

This obviously, is a grim movie, with heavy Goth tones and many scenes of the steamy underbelly of Detroit's drug, punk and rave culture. Eric Draven, the Crow, is a man who is wild with grief and cold rage, yet possesses a dark humor and grim irony. He vents his rage on his prey with cold brutal violence laced with dark humor yet is gentle with Sarah and kind and respectful with Albrecht. He is driven only to complete his mission; beyond that he has nothing and is very much aware of that, and aware of how much he has lost.

Most of the movie takes place at night,with frequent heavy rain and colors muted so heavily they seem almost black and white at times. The music is hard rock without being too heavy, and helps set the dark violent tone very well.

I do have a little trouble with the names of the gang members; T-Bird, Tin-Tin, Funboy, Skank, Top Dollar...these are people who terrorize Detroit? Actually, Eric has the same problem; at one point sarcastically referring to them as "jolly prates with jolly pirate names".

Brandon Lee without a doubt was the Crow. He created in the character a superb mix of rage, grief, sadness, and dark humor very much like James O'Barr's original concept, and his stunt work is absolutely superb. Regrettably, he fell victim to a faulty stunt bullet in a prop gun during the filming of the movie, which fired a metal projectile into his body; he died hours later. The remainder of the movie was filmed with stunt doubles and some digital imagery. Victor Perez took up the role for the second movie, in part due to his resemblance to Lee, and Eric Mabius assumed the role in the third, and although both brought out vital parts of the Crow's character, neither was able to surpass nor even equal Brandon Lee's original performance.

Ernie Hudson does very well as Sergeant Albrecht. This is a world-weary beat cop who was once a detective demoted due to insubordination is is supposed. He is unnerved by Eric's first post-grave appearance, yet quickly becomes both friend and backup to his quest, and has also taken up a friendship with Sarah. Basically, like Eric, he wants to see justice done. Ernie Hudson fits this role seamlessly.

Rochelle Davis serves up a fine Sarah, the streetwise kid who was friend of both Eric and Shelley, and who narrates the beginning and end of the movie. Sarah is tough, tender, cynical and innocent, and Rochelle Davis pulls it off without a hitch.

Michael Wincott epitomizes the evil crime lord type in his characterization of Top Dollar. This is a man who cares for nothing but his own wealth and pleasures, and loves to instill terror into the heart of the city. He is very "hate-able" which is a tribute to Wincott's fine work.

The rest if the gang are very two-dimensional, without much real depth. T-Bird is a weasley and loquacious pyromaniac, typecasting for David Patrick Kelley, I think; Tin-Tin is arrogant and cold, and sort of a waste of Laurence Mason's talents; the man has done better. Funboy is a squeaky wuss, and Skank a babbling drunk...well, it works for them, I suppose.

This film was released in 1994, and over the years although it shows a little dating,it holds up very well, and still holds attention ten years after it was made. The essential message of "love outlasts anything" ain't bad either.

yours until I start seeing black birds tapping on my bedroom windows

Hugh U. Kidden












Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age