The Crow (2024) directed by Rupert Sanders starring Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs is a reboot of the film under the same name by Alex Proyas in 1994. It is an adaptation of the 1989 comic book series by James O’Barr.
When I decided to watch it, I had high hopes, although I knew it was not going to be a remake. So, I allowed myself to have an open mind towards the new story and plot with the characters of the comic book series. However, it disappointed me. I love the film from 1994, it is one of my favorite movies of all time. This reboot had no respect for the characters and the story was an awful “darker” adaptation.
The first film (1994) starring Brandon Lee was a perfect goth adaptation of the series. The thriller had astonishing action sequences. Some say the film looked like a fantastic rock music video from the 90s. Moreover, the main character, Eric Draven, was beautifully portrayed. He was a kind and loving man who became the crow when he could not rest in peace due to the atrocious murder of his fiancé and himself by some gangsters. In his search for revenge, while roving between life and death, he made sure to hurt no one but the responsible for their deaths. Eric as “The Crow” even helped his little neighbor from getting run over by a car.
On the other hand, in the reboot (2024) the character of Eric Draven seems to be caring only toward her lover Shelley, and even then, not all the time. His revenge is disdainful, and selfish. He allows other innocent people to get hurt just to get closer to his objective. This Eric has no mercy and does not respect the rules, he even debates at some point his love for Shelley. Meanwhile, in the version of 1994, Eric tried his best to save his fiancé Sarah, their love for one another was unique and noble. That is the reason he was allowed to go back to life, to balance things out. But in the reboot, it does not make sense at all.
Further, it is known that all the versions of The Crow after 1994 failed to display the complexities of the character of Eric and his devotion to make things fair. It is melancholic to think about how Brandon Lee never got to see how appreciated and acclaimed the film was. If you did not know, he actually died filming it; there was a firearm malfunction, and he died from the gunshot. It is a very nostalgic film for me to watch because I loved it since I was a kid. The version from 1994 truly portrays the supernatural superhero that Eric was as The Crow. And I think the reboot from 2024 is more an antihero story, and not well executed. I recommend you to watch the version by Alex Proyas (1994). It will not disappoint!
