[Watch the 1-minute review above or read the slightly expanded review below.]

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A bit of context about my approach. The Crow (1994) wasn’t a pivotal film in my younger years. Perhaps I missed the zeitgeist, or maybe it just didn’t resonate with me at the time. I also never delved into James O’Barr’s original comic, which served as the source material. And so, I approached this version of The Crow without significant expectations, neither burdened by nostalgia nor coloured by prior love.

Unfortunately, the film’s biggest flaw is its dullness. The supernatural revenge narrative is bogged down by sluggish pacing, lacking the energy and momentum needed to drive engagement. Once Eric (Bill Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered and Eric is resurrected, the story lingers far too long on his transformation into a vengeful force. It quickly becomes clear that there’s a focus on setting up a franchise – costing the film dearly in the structural and pacing department. And judging by the film’s performance thus far, it seems unlikely that franchise will materialise.

There are moments of jolt-worthy brutality, injecting some much-needed life into the proceedings. However, these flashes of violence, while occasionally effective, are not enough to make us care deeply about the characters or their fates. The standout scene is undoubtedly the bloody action sequence at the opera. It’s a gory spectacle, with influences felt from the likes of John Wick and The Matrix, and for a brief moment, the film seems to find its stride. Watching this sequence, I couldn’t help but wish the filmmakers had abandoned the tepid character development in favour of more audacious, over-the-top action from the get-go.

At the heart of the film’s failure is the lacklustre romance between Eric and Shelly, which should have been the emotional core of the story. The characters are poorly developed, their relationship is unconvincing, and the performances fail to elevate the material. The chemistry between the two leads is also tepid, leaving the central love story flat and uninspiring.

The Crow is a missed opportunity, clearly falling short for fans of the ’94 original and failing to make a mark of its own.