Lionsgate waited as long as possible before releasing the The Crow‘s review embargo. Since it is at 21% on Rotten Tomatoes and a Critics Consensus calls it “bleak and poorly paced”, it’s not hard to understand why.
But now regular moviegoers are also speaking out and… well, they seem to be no better.
The Crow was awarded a B- CinemaScore, putting it on a par with Dark Phoenix, Hellboy, Sin City: A lady you would kill for, HulkTThe League of Extraordinary GentlemenAnd Punisher: Warzone.
In some respects, it seems as if the odds are slim The Crow from the beginning. The reaction to the news of a reboot was overwhelmingly negative and the trailer received a surprising amount of scorn, especially because of Bill Skarsgard’s performance as Eric.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, director Rupert Sanders responded to some of the backlash. “I think a lot of people are very active online, but not so active in their private lives.” he explained. “Go out and do something and waste less time throwing stones.”
The filmmaker added: “I think it would be great if people knew that it was a reinterpretation that was very different from the original, and that the original was still there. I didn’t copy over anyone’s VHS. You can still watch the movie, and I hope that this movie resonates with people who loved this movie as teenagers. This is my version of that text. It was my adaptation of James’ graphic novel, which I loved.”
Telling angry fans to go out on the field doesn’t seem like the smartest way to win them over, although Sanders is right that this view The Crow is very different from its 1994 predecessor (now considered a cult classic).
How do you rate The Crow if you saw it?
#TheCrow gets a B-!! Did you see the movie in theaters tonight? Let us know what you think in the comments below. #CinemaScore pic.twitter.com/MUzMXsD3I3
— CinemaScore (@CinemaScore) 24 August 2024
Bill Skarsgård takes on the iconic role of THE CROW in this modern reimagining of the original graphic novel by James O’Barr. Soulmates Eric (Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of their dark past catch up with them. When Eric is given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, he sets out to exact merciless vengeance on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to right the wrongs.
The Crow Rupert Sanders directs from a screenplay by Zach Baylin and Will Schneider. Producers include Edward R. Pressman, Samuel Hadida, Victor Hadida, John Jencks and Molly Hassell.
Bill Skarsgård plays Eric and FKA Twigs plays Shelly, his star-crossed love interest. The supporting cast includes Danny Huston, Isabella Wei, Laura Birn and Sami Bouajila.
The Crow is now in cinemas.
