FILM REVIEWS

The tragic death of Brandon Lee, on the set of “The Crow,” will inevitably cast a sad shadow on the Miramax’ film.  Skeptics in the industry didn’t believe the movie could be completed without him, but, alas, here it is.  It’s doubly sad, as “The Crow” happens to be extremely accomplished work, marked by technical brilliance.

Tall, dark haired, and handsome, the 28-year-old Lee, who didn’t have a spectacular career up to this film, could have become a star had he lived. 

The film is based on James O’Barr’s comic strip, which has become a cult item since he began drawing it in the 1980s.

The Crow centers on a dark angel, Eric Draven (Lee) who rises from the dead to avenge a gang of criminals who had murdered him and his fiancée, Sarah (Rochelle Davis) on the evening of their wedding.  But the movie is much more than a routine vengeance tale; it’s imbued with a bleak but romantic ambience that should appeal to younger, sophisticated viewers. 

Australian Alex Proyas belongs to a new generation of directors who come from commercials and MTV and thus imbued their films with strong and moody visual style.

The rain-soaked city, with its dark ambiance of claustrophobia, bears resemblance to that which defined Ridley Scott’s cult noir sci-fi, Blade Runner.