The Crow (1994)
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A rock musician is resurrected from the dead to seek vengeance against the gang that murdered him and his fiancée.
The story
On Devil's Night in crime-ravaged Detroit, a young woman named Shelly Webster is mortally wounded while her rock musician fiancé, Eric Draven, is shot and thrown to his death. One year later, a mysterious crow resurrects Eric's spirit. Disoriented but possessing the ability to heal from any injury, Eric returns to their ruined loft. Guided by the crow, he dons black-and-white face paint and begins a quest to hunt down the gang of men—Tin Tin, Funboy, T-Bird, and Skank—who attacked the couple because they were protesting forced evictions. Eric must navigate a dangerous city to find justice for Shelly and confront the ruthless crime boss, Top Dollar.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
On Devil's Night in Detroit, Shelly Webster and her fiancé Eric Draven are murdered by a gang led by the crime boss Top Dollar. A year later, a crow resurrects Eric, granting him immortality. Guided by the bird, Eric dons face paint and begins a violent quest to eliminate the gang members: Tin Tin, Funboy, T-Bird, and Skank. Along the way, he encounters a young girl named Sarah, whom he protects. He confronts the police officer, Sergeant Albrecht, who reveals the truth of the tragedy. After defeating the gang members, Eric faces Top Dollar and his associates. In a final confrontation at a church, Eric faces Top Dollar and his henchmen. After a brutal fight where Top Dollar is ultimately killed by the weight of the pain Eric transfers to him, Eric returns to his grave. He leaves Shelly's ring for Sarah, and his spirit finds peace while the crow gives the ring to the girl.
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 102
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Alex Proyas
- Writers
- David J. Schow · screenplay; John Shirley · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Brandon Lee · Eric Draven; Ernie Hudson · Sergeant Albrecht; Michael Wincott · Top Dollar; David Patrick Kelly · T-Bird; Angel David · Skank; Rochelle Davis · Sarah Mohr; Bai Ling · Myca; Laurence Mason · Tin-Tin; Michael Massee · Funboy; Bill Raymond · Mickey; Marco Rodríguez · Detective Torres; Sofia Shinas · Shelly Webster
- Genres
- gothic; supernatural; superhero; action; thriller
- Themes
- vengeance; resurrection; sacrifice; gothic aesthetic
- Tone and mood
- dark; moody; noir; stylized
- Premise and plot tags
- supernatural; vengeance; undead; comic book adaptation
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1989 comic book series by James O'Barr
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews for its stylized noir aesthetic, emotional resonance and Lee's performance. It has gained a cult following.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 71 · scale: 100 · review count: 14
- Awards and nominations
- Sandi Davis · The Oklahoman · 7th · win
- Production trivia
- Brandon Lee was fatally wounded by a prop gun during filming.; The film was originally intended to be a musical with Michael Jackson as the lead.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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