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Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Raven (2012) Review



Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: Edgar Allan Poe becomes wrapped up in the game of a serial killer who is using Poe's own stories as inspiration for each kill.

Review: From what I can tell, this movie bombed pretty bad, and although I don't think it was that bad, it was only barely above mediocre. It's strong points are that it has a Sherlock Holmes vibe to the overall mystery, the kills and setups come from a rich source, and the identity of the killer does leave you guessing. As for the bad: it is mostly forgettable, the acting is bad, the killer is over the top with the planning, a lame, fake love story, and the ending is both stupid and anticlimatic. The thing that annoyed me most was that idiotic love story being, virtually, the center of the film which is a glaring failure since Poe had no such love interest in real life; there are so many cheesy scenes where Poe is flirting, trying to win over the girl's dad, and just flat out lameness. The revelation of the identity of the killer is also disappointing since it is, in essence, just a big fan; was this seriously the best route to go with for the motive of the killer? As for that atrocious ending...I have no idea why they thought it would be a good way to close the film; it is some screaming slow motion nonsense! If it weren't for the Sherlock Holmes-esque approach to the story, I would have rated this movie significantly lower, but they pulled it off effectively enough keeping you engaged. Eh, if you can get over or even appreciate the idiotic love story, you might like the film better than I. A fan of Poe should definitely give this one a go since it is interesting to note all the homages to his work despite the ridiculousness of any real-life interpretation. For the rest of us out there, this is forgettable crap just barely worth a rental, if that.

Notable Moment: The opening murder as it feels like something out of a classic mystery novel.

Final Rating: 5.5/10

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