Rupert Sanders didn't have an easy job. Honestly, nobody who touched a remake of The Crow was ever going to have a smooth ride. When the 2024 film finally hit theaters after a decade of development hell, the internet basically exploded. It wasn't just about the movie itself; it was about the ghost of Brandon Lee and a 1994 cult classic that many people feel should have been left in the vault forever.
The new Crow movie isn't exactly a shot-for-shot remake. Not even close. If you went into the theater expecting the gothic, rainy, industrial-metal vibe of Alex Proyas’s original, you probably walked out feeling pretty confused. Bill Skarsgård plays Eric Draven this time around, and he looks more like a SoundCloud rapper than a gothic avenger. It’s a choice. A bold one. Whether it works depends entirely on how much you’re willing to let go of the past.
A Brutal Reimagining of Eric and Shelly
Most of the runtime in the original film was spent on the revenge. The "love story" was mostly told through grainy, tragic flashbacks. Sanders flips that. The 2024 version spends a massive chunk of the first act just showing Eric and Shelly (played by FKA Twigs) falling in love in a rehab facility. They’re broken people. They’re messy. They escape together and live this sort of neon-soaked, drug-fueled dream life until the bill comes due.
Then comes the violence.
It's mean. The action in the new Crow movie is significantly more "John Wick" than "Batman." While the '94 version felt like a dark fairy tale, this feels like a gritty, R-rated slog through the mud. When Eric starts taking people out in the third act—specifically during a centerpiece opera house sequence—the gore is relentless. Heads roll. Swords go through jaws. It’s a technical marvel of stunt coordination, but it lacks the poetic gloom that made the first film a cornerstone of 90s alternative culture.
✨ Don't miss: Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett: Why Fans Are Still Divided Over the Daimyo of Tatooine
The Problem With Modernizing a Cult Classic
You can't talk about this movie without talking about the "look." Skarsgård is a phenomenal actor—we saw what he did with Pennywise—but his Eric Draven is covered in mumble-rap tattoos and has a mullet. It’s a specific aesthetic that screams "2024," which is exactly why it might not age as well as the timeless, leather-clad look of Brandon Lee.
Critics were harsh. The film debuted with a dismal Rotten Tomatoes score, often hovering in the low 20s. People called it "soulless" and "unnecessary." But if you look at the audience scores, there’s a weird divide. A younger generation of viewers, many of whom haven't even seen the 1994 version, seem to dig the nihilism. They like the visceral nature of the fight scenes.
Is it a masterpiece? No. But it's also not the total disaster the headlines suggested. It’s a movie caught between two worlds: trying to honor James O’Barr’s original comic book source material while trying to be a modern action franchise.
Behind the Scenes: A Decade of Disasters
The journey to get the new Crow movie onto the big screen was a nightmare. Seriously. At various points, we had Bradley Cooper, Jason Momoa, Jack Huston, and Luke Evans all attached to play Eric Draven. Directors came and went like they were through a revolving door.
🔗 Read more: Why Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Actors Still Define the Modern Spy Thriller
- 2011: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was set to direct with Bradley Cooper.
- 2014: Luke Evans drops out due to scheduling conflicts.
- 2017: Jason Momoa signs on, looking like a total powerhouse, only to leave a year later over "creative and financial differences."
By the time Rupert Sanders (the guy behind Ghost in the Shell) took over, the expectations were underground. Lionsgate eventually picked up the distribution rights, but the marketing was met with immediate pushback. Alex Proyas, the director of the 1994 film, even spoke out against it. He argued that the original film is Brandon Lee’s legacy and that it shouldn't be touched. That’s a heavy weight for any production to carry.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2024 Version
There’s a common misconception that this movie tried to replace Brandon Lee. If you actually watch the film, it’s clear they were trying to do something closer to the spirit of the graphic novel’s grief, rather than the '94 film's style.
The villains are different, too. Instead of Top Dollar and his gang of arsonists, we get Danny Huston as Vincent Roeg, a sort of demonic aristocrat who trades souls for eternal life. It adds a supernatural layer that wasn't really there before. In the original, the "supernatural" was just the Crow itself. Here, the world feels infested with a deeper, more ancient evil.
Is it better? Probably not. It feels a bit generic at times. But it does explain why Eric is allowed to come back in a way that feels more structured. In the new Crow movie, there’s a literal purgatory—a train yard between worlds—where Eric meets a guide named Kronos. It’s very "video game logic," which will either help you understand the stakes or pull you right out of the movie.
💡 You might also like: The Entire History of You: What Most People Get Wrong About the Grain
Why the Soundtrack Matters So Much
The 1994 soundtrack was legendary. Nine Inch Nails, The Cure, Pantera, Rage Against the Machine. It defined an era.
The 2024 soundtrack goes in a different direction. It’s heavy on Joy Division (a nod to the comic) and Enya (surprisingly), along with some dark techno and modern alternative tracks. It’s moody, but it doesn't have that "lightning in a bottle" feeling. The music in the new Crow movie tries to bridge the gap between classic post-punk and modern industrial, but it rarely hits the highs of the original’s brooding atmosphere.
How to Approach Watching It
If you’re a die-hard fan of the original, you’re probably going to hate this. You just are. And that’s okay. The 1994 film is a sacred cow for a reason. But if you’re looking for a dark, ultra-violent revenge flick with some interesting visual choices and a committed performance by Skarsgård, there’s stuff to appreciate here.
The movie focuses heavily on the idea that "true love never dies," but it explores that through a much more cynical lens. Eric isn't just a hero; he’s a guy who’s scared and out of his depth for half the movie. He fails. He gets hurt. He has to learn how to be the Crow. That’s a character arc we didn't really get with Brandon Lee, who arrived back from the dead as an almost unstoppable force of nature.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Fans
If you're still on the fence about whether to give the new Crow movie a shot, here’s how to handle it:
- Watch the 1994 version first: If you haven't seen it, you need the context. It’s the gold standard for gothic cinema.
- Check out the 1989 graphic novel: James O’Barr wrote the comic after losing his fiancée to a drunk driver. It’s incredibly raw and helps you understand why the 2024 movie leans so hard into the misery.
- Separate the actor from the role: Bill Skarsgård isn't trying to be Brandon Lee. He’s doing his own thing. If you can accept that, the movie becomes a lot more watchable.
- Don't expect a superhero movie: This isn't Marvel. It’s a grim, depressing story about two people who get chewed up by a cruel world.
The legacy of The Crow is complicated. It’s a story born from real-life tragedy, and every time it’s adapted, that weight is felt. Whether this new version becomes a cult classic in its own right or fades into obscurity remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a movie that demands an opinion.