On Halloween night, the vicious Top Dollar (Wincott) gang, which holds Detroit in its grip, breaks into the apartment of Eric Draven and his girlfriend Shelley. The girl is beaten and raped, while Eric is thrown out the window, dying instantly. The young woman, after a long agony, also dies in the hospital. A year later, a raven, alights on Eric's grave and something surprising happens: the boy returned from the dead, full of resentment and hatred, executes his revenge, slaughtering the members of the ruthless group one by one.
Although the plot is simple and the ending almost predictable, the film, with set design by David J. Schow, John Shirley and cinematography by Dariusz Wolski, is sublimely beautiful. This is also a demonstration of how simple things sometimes succeed better than overly complicated ones.
The Raven, based on the comic book by James O.Barr, is a film that perfectly represents the dark genre. It was filmed at night in an eerie city, to say the least.
The pace is perfectly calibrated in this film; not too slow, but not too fast either. Throughout the film, tension is kept high...
The film was in the spotlight at the time of its theatrical release because of the mysterious death of Brandon Lee that occurred on the very set. In fact, the last shots were all shot with the help of digital and computer graphics. It seems that a curse revolves around the Lee family, as his father, the famous Bruce Lee, also disappeared under similar circumstances.
Memorable phrases in the film; some, truly unforgettable: "it can't rain forever" (Eric); "houses burn people die but true love is forever" (Sarah).
The Raven, has received several awards, being honored in 1995 at MTV Movie Awards, for best song on the soundtrack, and for best performance by the lead actor. In conclusion, a cult must-see at least once.
Unmissable!
Review by Vampira
