The Crow (1994) review.
On the 30th anniversary of its release, The Crow is no longer overshadowed by its star’s tragic passing. It’s immortalized by his performance.
Classic movie reviews will contain spoilers.
The Crow
Directed by Alex Proyas
Screenplay by David J. Schow and John Shirley
Starring Brandon Lee, Rochelle Davis, Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott, Bai Ling, David Patrick Kelly and Tony Todd
The Crow Review
Drive-ins were still in fashion in the spring of 1994. At least…more so than they are now. The Crow made unfortunate headlines over a year before its release in May of 94. Star Brandon Lee, son of the legendary Bruce Lee, had tragically died in an accidental shooting in March of 1993. The event made headlines the world over and the status of his mostly finished final project was of great interest. The Crow the world saw on May 13, 1994, was steeped in grief and off-screen tragedy. I first saw it on a rainy night at the drive-in. The film is far too dark to be properly viewed outdoors. It was hard to make out a lot of the details. Still, one thing popped off the screen: Brandon Lee’s performance. His death was a thing of legend before his final work was ever seen.
Thirty years later…that final performance has immortalized him.
The thirty-year mark is an interesting time to discuss The Crow. While there have been sequels in the last three decades…none were so bold as to resurrect Lee’s iconic version of the character Eric Draven. Until now. There was a single season of a Canadian TV series that used the character in the late 90s…but the big screen belonged to Lee. The director of the original version, Alex Proyas, has spoken out against the 2024 movie of the same name’s choice of using the character. He’d have a more intimate understanding of the importance of his film’s (and Lee’s) legacy. He had to finish making the thing after the tragedy. He did so as a tribute to the fallen rising star.
You can debate the usage of the character in the upcoming film. On the one hand, everything gets recycled at some point. On the other…The Crow isn’t just another movie. Anyone around in the 14 months between Brandon Lee’s death and the film’s release knows that. Lee is always going to be connected to Eric Draven and that version of the Crow. For many years it was due to the tragedy. Revisiting the film now, however, there is something that outlasts it. The same thing that popped off the screen on a rainy May night at the drive-in. Brandon Lee’s performance is perfect. Lee’s Crow isn’t iconic because the man who played him passed away. At least not solely and, I’d argue, not primarily. It’s his work that will be what lasts. It’s his performance that casts a shadow over the upcoming remake.
That’s not to say that Proyas and company don’t have something to say about it too. The visual aesthetics and 90s soundtrack of the original have long been lauded by fans. Rightfully so. The soundtrack was incredibly popular and places the story in a specific moment in time. The visual style gives it an older feel. As if total chaos inhabited Tim Burton’s Gotham City. Throw in a timeless performance from its star and The Crow becomes something else entirely. Its success as a picture can be somewhat attributed to timing. They had the right actor at the right moment. The orchestral score and powerful soundtrack clash in an audible chaos that matches the wild Devil’s Night escapades against the dark canvas of a gothic take on Detroit. It’s difficult to imagine the remake’s Jared Leto era Joker look in a John Wick-like style capturing the same imaginations.
If the city is purposely drab…its rogue’s gallery provides more than enough color. A gang of psychopaths led by a measured, uncompromising boss provide near endless fodder for Draven’s (mostly) unhurtable Crow. Tin-Tin (Laurence Mason) and his knives. T-Bird (David Patrick Kelly) and his car. Skank (Angel David) and his wild commentary. The great Tony Todd as the intelligent, focused Grange. Myca (Bai Ling) and her obsession with eyes. The late Michael Massee (who fired the unfortunate shot) as Funboy and his messy sheets. Top Dollar (Michael Wincott) as the memorable final boss. It’s a movie full of wild, fun performances. Draven has a beleaguered cop played by Ernie Hudson on his side…which proves to be enough.
The Crow, however, belongs to Brandon Lee. His anti-hero is fully formed. Full of anger, grief, love, and purpose. There’s pathos aplenty…and action in spades. People often said that this role would have made him a star. Watching now, it’s impossible to think otherwise. Not just because he’s so good at the part. Because in thirty years…we’ve yet to see anyone better. With his face paint and indestructibility, Lee’s Draven exacts vengeance on everyone who wronged him. As he memorably says about Tin-Tin when questioned about his part in his death, “He was already dead. He died a year ago. The moment he touched her. They’re all dead. They just don’t know it yet.” The Crow is full of great lines. Lee makes each one count.
Scare Value
For a movie about unstoppable vengeance…The Crow has always been a movie about love. A tragic romance fittingly finished with love for its star. The ending narration of The Crow tells us that true love is forever. Regardless of remakes and recasting…so too is Brandon Lee’s Crow. People often said that this role would have made him a star. It did.
4.5/5
The Crow Links
Streaming on Prime Video and Paramount Plus
Rent/Buy on VOD from VUDU
Buy on Blu-Ray from Amazon
The Crow Trailer
For some other classic movie reviews…check out Bloody Birthday, Dawn of the Dead (2004), Malum, and Howl
