“$13.50?” I practically shouted at woman behind the ticket counter. “I thought this was a matinee showing!”
“It is Sir,” she responded somewhat timidly, “but this film is being shown in XD.”
“What the hell is that? It’s not 3D is it?”
“No Sir, XD means ‘Extreme Digital’. Also, this film is screening in our IMAX theater.”
“Fine!” I said slamming my cashola down on the counter.
Thankfully, my attitude did change when I got inside. The seats were huge, made from comfy leather, and reclined ever so slightly. Then, the coming attractions practically worked me into a froth; previews for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Chernobyl Diaries, and The House at the End of the Street all looked fantastic!
Oh yeah, and then I watched this movie called The Raven. Read my review after the jump…
Opening nationwide today, Intrepid Pictures’ The Raven, is a fictionalized account of the last days of Gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe (played by John Cusack). The Raven was written by Ben Livingston and Hanna Shakespeare, and directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta).
When a mother and daughter are found brutally murdered in 19th century Baltimore, Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) makes a startling discovery: the crime resembles a fictional murder described in gory detail in the local newspaper—part of a collection of stories penned by struggling writer and social pariah Edgar Allan Poe. But even as Poe is questioned by police, another grisly murder occurs, also inspired by a popular Poe story.
Realizing a serial killer is on the loose using Poe’s writings as the backdrop for his bloody rampage, Fields enlists the author’s help in stopping the attacks. But when it appears someone close to Poe may become the murderer’s next victim, the stakes become even higher and the inventor of the detective story calls on his own powers of deduction to try to solve the case before it’s too late.
The Raven never claims to be a biopic, but it still stung this die-hard Poe fan the way they played so fast and loose with the facts. In the film, Poe is portrayed as a swarthy, arrogant bombast. Upon entering a local pub, he expects his fame to equate to free drinks. “I’m a world famous poet!” he screams. True, today Poe is revered as one of America’s greatest writers and an expert of Gothic literature. During his lifetime, however, Poe was a meek loner, an outcast, and a manic depressive who died penniless and in relative obscurity.
Of course I realize that writers Ben Livingston and Hanna Shakespeare are trying to make Poe into something he never really was: A hero. And if I wasn’t such a Poe purist, I might have appreciated his portrayal as a literary avenger. If nothing else, I can hope that The Raven will inspire a new generation to reread his classics.
Mediocre writing isn’t The Raven’s only disservice to the real Edgar Allan Poe; while I usually enjoy John Cusack, I found him a lousy choice as America’s first literary bad-boy. He’s just too straight-laced—too much of a goodie-goodie. He seems unable to play someone with a truly dark, tormented soul. We see Cusack’s Poe drain half a bottle of brandy, then saunter off with nary a stagger or slur in his voice. In fact, Cusack’s Poe radiates health and focus. Nowhere were the real Poe’s sunken eyes, ashy skin, or bloody consumptive cough.
And one more thing, Cusack actually bears more than just a passing resemblance to the real Poe except for one glaring difference: Edgar Allan Poe is known for his mustache. So why the full goatee John? It bugged the hell out of me! I wanted to tackle you and give you a treatment with my Remington beard trimmer.
I know in my heart that a more multifaceted actor and a superior writing team could have created an awesome story based on Edgar Allan Poe. But this is a mainstream Hollywood production after all. Thrills and romance trump facts every time.
The Raven constantly teetered on the verge of being boring, but the great acting by Luke Evans and Alice Eve keeps things popping nicely. The costumes are great and the scenery (much of it filmed in Hungary and Serbia) is bleak and beautiful. But while The Raven presents itself as a mystery, it’s not the kind of puzzle an audience could figure out on our own. So while the conclusion feels appropriate (and certainly romantic) it also feels like we’ve been force-fed.
I’m sure part of the reason I’m being so harsh on The Raven is because I’m still basking in the afterglow of The Cabin in the Woods which came out earlier this month. Now THAT was a brilliant movie. The Raven, not so much. But it’s still plenty entertaining and, believe it or not, would probably be a great date movie. Oh yeah, and it’s also hella gory!
3 out of 5 skulls.
Saucy Josh writes a blog for intelligent Horror Movie aficionados called Blood and Guts for Grown Ups: https://bloodandgutsforgrownups.wordpress.com/