The Crow - 5 stars out of 10

The Crow - 5 stars out of 10

While "The Crow" enjoyed critical and box office success, I just wasn't impressed.  The film is legendary as the final performance of Brandon Lee, who was accidentally killed during the production of the film.  Perhaps every frame would appear more haunting (like footage of Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight") if I had been aware of what was occurring when the film came out, but it was just another film to me.  The concept is interesting as a murdered man has the opportunity to avenge his own death.  While the concept is obviously science fiction, too much mysticism (invincibility through the crow, transferring pain) takes any realism out of the film and kept me from emotionally committing to it.  The violence is graphic in an awesome way and, from a special effects standpoint, "The Crow" really pushed the boundaries of realism and was very innovative for its time.  While I didn't love it, the critics validate this film's quality and its audience appeal makes it worth seeing at least once.