A Lifeless Remake Starring Bill Skarsgård

It takes a long, long time just to get the basic premise of “The Crow” (it took me multiple paragraphs), and even then, the rules don’t make a lot of sense. Don’t even bother asking me about how the Roeg character has a connection to Shelly’s mom, or how his evil corporation is supposed to work. None of that is explained. 

Once Eric’s mission has been laid out, however, the film picks up a little energy. Indeed, one can see director Sanders breathing a sigh of relief as he finally gets to film scenes of violence and mayhem. Eric, now immortal, is mashed and crushed as often as Deadpool in his quest for revenge. In one scene, Eric uses a sword to dispatch at least 50 security guards, and Sanders finally becomes energized and clever, using blades, bullets, and Skarsgård’s lanky body to great, violent effect. It’s the one sequence where “The Crow” is any fun. 

But as it stands, the film is dull, lifeless, hazy, and unmoving. Viewers will have nothing invested in Eric’s journey, and nothing will seem to have been gained from his violence. Like many remakes, “The Crow” feels perfunctory and thoughtless. 

Alex Proyas 1994 version of “The Crow” is a relic of its time, a film that encapsulated the pained, Gothic angst and leathery MTV style of Baudelaire-reading Gen-X teens. It’s a feature length music video, hailing from a time when music videos and angsty rock were more culturally dominant art forms. It was also tinged by the tragic accidental shooting of its star, Brandon Lee, making it a legit elegy for actual loss. 

Sanders’ “The Crow” has nothing on its mind, and forgets why we should be sad and frustrated at the death and meaningless violence in the world. 

/Film rating: 3.5 out of 10

“The Crow” opens in theaters on August 23, 2024.