There is a trend not only in literature
but also in Hollywood to take classic works of fiction and put a
modern spin on them. Audiences have enjoyed reading “Pride,
Prejudice and Zombies” and Abe Lincoln: Vampire Killer will
be released in theaters this year. The Raven follows this
trend by incorporating some of Poe’s classic work into an
entertaining thriller with the man himself as the protagonist.
The premise of the film involves a
series of murders in Victorian-era Baltimore played out like the
scenes from published Edgar Allen Poe stories. Poe is called upon to
help investigate these murders and when his lady love is kidnapped by
the killer, Poe must write a series of murder stories to try to get
her back.
The film opens strong with death shoved
in our faces. Edgar Allen Poe sits dying on a park bench while a
cannibalistic image of ravens feasting on one of their own cuts to
police investigating a gruesome double homicide. We are immediately
plunged into a haunting world in which no one is safe from his own
kind.
Hannah Shakespeare and Ben Livingston
have written a unique script with an inspired storyline. They have
clearly done their research of Edgar Allen Poe’s literary portfolio
as they weave various elements and symbolism from his stories
throughout the plot, providing clues to the murderer as well as winks
to Poe literates. The script structure is parallel to how the villain
enacts his devious plan – echoing the stories and providing clues
to further the action. There is a nice moment in which a scene
involving an editor lecturing Poe to write more gore instead of
reviews that to a gory scene involving the death of a critic. The screenwriters almost dare the
audience to critique the film by having characters make quips about
literary criticism.
Unfortunately, the execution of the
film is flawed. The tone is disjointed and the anachronistic dialogue
distracts from the historical look of the period film. While the
screenplay does a worthy job of alluding to famous Poe imagery, the
film is not resolved as to whether it wants to be a macabre suspense
thriller or a dark comedy that happens to have thrills and gore. Once
the movie ends, the end credits begin with blaring modern music and
angular graphics that are more reminiscent of "True Blood" than a
Victorian-era thriller.
John Cusack is entertaining as Edgar
Allen Poe but his wacky characterization veers more toward raving
buffoon than brooding intellectual. The beautiful Alice Eve neither
excites nor inspires empathy as the love interest, Emily, and their
chemistry fizzles. Brendan Gleeson is solid as Emily’s father and
Luke Evans gives a noteworthy performance as Detective Fields.
One blaring flaw in the film is a fault in editing - we never actually see Emily kidnapped. When the villain arrives at the party and wreaks havoc, we jump from her and Poe holding hands in the crowd to a scene where the characters discuss her disappearance. How is the audience supposed to feel a rush of panic with Poe if we never actually see the moment that drives the rest of the film's action?
Regardless of any inconsistencies, the
movie is entertaining and suspenseful. The relationship between Poe
and the villain could have been compelling due to the parallel between the man/bird relationship in Poe's famous poem: Poe is tormented with
self-torture as he searches for his beloved while an unreasonable
creature torments him with constant refrains of murder and
hopelessness. If you’re a fan of Poe, gore or if you’re a fan of
historical dramas, you will be sure to find elements in this film to
satisfy your tastes.
The Raven is directed by James McTeigue
and stars John Cusack, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson and Luke Evans. Run time is a reasonable 1 hour 50
minutes.
*Unpublished movie review from a few months ago
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