The Crow: City of Angels is the sequel to the amazing 1994 film "The Crow." While in some ways it tries too hard to be like the first, the film also succeeds in other areas, such as emotion and style. While not as good as it could have been, it is still pretty enjoyable.
Story: The film begins in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, with a grown up Sarah, who as you may recall, is the little girl from the original. She has visions of another man rising up. In comes Ashe, a single father raising a son, Danny. Ashe and Danny accidentally witness a gang attack, and therefore, are attacked and killed themselves. Guess what happens? Ashe returns from the grave to seek vengeance. One by one, Ashe hunts down those responsible for his murder, which eventually leads him to Judah, a drug kingpin and crime lord of the city. The story really focuses on Ashe's pain of losing his sun, and there are some really powerful and emotional moments in the film.
Directing: Tim Pope is an acclaimed music video director, and his knack for music videos really shines in this film. While he sets and certain mood and doesn't let it up, the movie really jumbles around in terms of style. It's like watching one huge rock video, and at time, it can be a little hard on the eyes. Most scenes were staged quite well, and other than the style, Pope did an adequate job.
Acting: Vincent Perez(Ashe) did an excellent job with his part. He had a lot to contend with, such as filling Brandon Lee's shoes. Regardless, he shined, and in his scenes of pain and grief, I really felt for him. Bravo. Mia Kirshner(Sarah) did great with what she had. I felt that the character was wasted in the film, but she did fine. Richard Brooks(Judah) played the sadistic drug-lord quite effectively, although I never really had an opinion of the character either way. That could be the fault of Brooks, the director, or the writer. I'm not sure which. Iggy Pop(Curve) overacted beyond belief, and I was quite amused.
Score: Once again Graeme Revelle proved himself an excellent composer. His music helps the mood incredibly. I only wish more of his music was in the film, and less of the hard rock.
Violence: While it is felt and implied everywhere, there really isn't tons of on screen violence, and when it was there, it wasn't overly bloody, though it had quite a brutal feel to it. The violence was in your face, and not overly entertaining or exciting like in the first film.
Profanity/Sexual Themes: Strong language throughout. The f-bomb is used all through the film. There is also a lot of S&M in the film, as well as female nudity.
Substance Abuse: The film is about a drug-lord, so, there is quite a bit of drug use in the film. Almost all the villain characters snort the coke-like drug, Trinity.
Overall: The Crow: City of Angels was a decent sequel, and really excelled in some ares, although it failed in others. If you're a fan of the first, it's worth a look. I really dug the fact that the movie was mostly about the pain of losing a loved one. It's a pretty stylish adventure. 7/10
Story: The film begins in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, with a grown up Sarah, who as you may recall, is the little girl from the original. She has visions of another man rising up. In comes Ashe, a single father raising a son, Danny. Ashe and Danny accidentally witness a gang attack, and therefore, are attacked and killed themselves. Guess what happens? Ashe returns from the grave to seek vengeance. One by one, Ashe hunts down those responsible for his murder, which eventually leads him to Judah, a drug kingpin and crime lord of the city. The story really focuses on Ashe's pain of losing his sun, and there are some really powerful and emotional moments in the film.
Directing: Tim Pope is an acclaimed music video director, and his knack for music videos really shines in this film. While he sets and certain mood and doesn't let it up, the movie really jumbles around in terms of style. It's like watching one huge rock video, and at time, it can be a little hard on the eyes. Most scenes were staged quite well, and other than the style, Pope did an adequate job.
Acting: Vincent Perez(Ashe) did an excellent job with his part. He had a lot to contend with, such as filling Brandon Lee's shoes. Regardless, he shined, and in his scenes of pain and grief, I really felt for him. Bravo. Mia Kirshner(Sarah) did great with what she had. I felt that the character was wasted in the film, but she did fine. Richard Brooks(Judah) played the sadistic drug-lord quite effectively, although I never really had an opinion of the character either way. That could be the fault of Brooks, the director, or the writer. I'm not sure which. Iggy Pop(Curve) overacted beyond belief, and I was quite amused.
Score: Once again Graeme Revelle proved himself an excellent composer. His music helps the mood incredibly. I only wish more of his music was in the film, and less of the hard rock.
Violence: While it is felt and implied everywhere, there really isn't tons of on screen violence, and when it was there, it wasn't overly bloody, though it had quite a brutal feel to it. The violence was in your face, and not overly entertaining or exciting like in the first film.
Profanity/Sexual Themes: Strong language throughout. The f-bomb is used all through the film. There is also a lot of S&M in the film, as well as female nudity.
Substance Abuse: The film is about a drug-lord, so, there is quite a bit of drug use in the film. Almost all the villain characters snort the coke-like drug, Trinity.
Overall: The Crow: City of Angels was a decent sequel, and really excelled in some ares, although it failed in others. If you're a fan of the first, it's worth a look. I really dug the fact that the movie was mostly about the pain of losing a loved one. It's a pretty stylish adventure. 7/10