[8]

A murdered man comes back from the dead to exact revenge on the people who killed him and his fiancee. The Crow is a dark visual delight featuring a charismatic performance from the late Brandon Lee as the title character. (Lee died in an on-set accident before the film was completed.) Stories of revenge always risk a boring second act where we’re forced to watch our hero slay a series of bad guys, but The Crow does a pretty good job overcoming this obstacle with some interesting characters and decent performances. Michael Wincott is super-cool as the main villain — I’m still not sure why this guy hasn’t had a bigger film career. Ernie Hudson is good as a sympathetic cop, and young Rochelle Davis gives a passable child performance in the critical role of Sarah, the young girl through whom we experience most of the story. The film’s gritty violence is counterbalanced by its gothic romance, which under the direction of Alex Proyas achieves operatic proportions. The movie’s soundtrack is a winning combination of Graeme Revell’s ethereal score, and a collection of tunes from the likes of The Cure, Stone Temple Pilots, and Nine Inch Nails.