The Raven trailer (2012)

...

I read a review from someone who caught an advance screening of the movie recently, claiming it was just mediocre. I really hope they're wrong and that it actually turns out to be better than that.
Besides, ever since I watched The Black Cat a few years back and saw the brilliant Jeffrey Combs playing Poe, I haven't been able to picture anyone else in the role; the man absolutely crushed it.

Laura James36 said:I read a review from someone who caught an advance screening of the movie recently, claiming it was just mediocre. I really hope they're wrong and that it actually turns out to be better than that.
Besides, ever since I watched The Black Cat a few years back and saw the brilliant Jeffrey Combs playing Poe, I haven't been able to picture anyone else in the role; the man absolutely crushed it.

Oh, it really was a phenomenal performance! And that’s not even all! He actually played none other than the master himself, H. P. Lovecraft, in the anthology film Necronomicon (1993)! 🙂

Hm, interesting premise (at least that's how it looks at first glance) + John Cusack. I might actually give this a watch...

It follows the poet Edgar Allan Poe as he attempts to apprehend a killer who draws inspiration from his own literary works.

🙂

William Lee34 said:It follows the poet Edgar Allan Poe as he attempts to apprehend a killer who draws inspiration from his own literary works.

🙂

whatever 🤣🤦
does Sherlock show up too or what?

Here is the trailer

'The Raven' Trailer

And a bit more about the plot

Quote : in this gritty thriller, Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) joins forces with a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) to hunt down a mad serial killer who's using Poe's own works as the basis in a string of brutal murders. Directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta), the film also stars Alicia Vikander (Sex and the City 2), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Faster).

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.

To be honest, everything about this looked a little uninspiring at first glance, and I won't even lie—Cusack isn't exactly at the top of my list of favorite actors, but then I actually sat down and watched the trailer. It totally reminded me of that gritty vibe you get from the Hughes brothers' From Hell, mixed with a bit of that eerie Sleepy Hollow Tim Burton energy. I think I'm definitely going to give this movie a watch; even if nothing else, it just looks absolutely stunning visually!

I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Cusack, though honestly... I can't even remember the last time I actually sat down to watch one of his movies.

Well, if we aren't counting that awful cartoon Igor, the last thing I actually sat down to watch with him was 1408 from back in 2007.

The movie was great! I think even our friend Sergey had a few lines in a British accent. How exciting—someone from our circle who isn't Russian 😍

This movie is great. Solid directing, strong acting, and most importantly, the plot actually makes sense without any glaring holes. It’s a really well-constructed story.

Visually stunning, too—you can tell they didn't cut corners when it came to recreating mid-19th century Baltimore. I'd give it an 8/10.

Wait, when did this come out? I haven't seen anything about it playing in theaters anywhere

Great movie.

John Peterson3 said:Great movie.

It totally eats Sherlock for breakfast... Now THAT is how you do it!!!

I wonder if there are actually a ton of those birds in the movie... 😁 🤷

Yeah, it’s got some major vibes from Richie’s Sherlock Holmes. Pretty sure the movie took a page out of his book, except The Black Crow takes itself way too seriously. To me, Sherlock felt a bit more playful and fun, you know?

Looks like it didn't really land with critics or the audience, which is a bummer. It’s actually a pretty solid watch—the atmosphere and style are definitely top-tier.
man, I’m right there with you. For me, the movie is just okay, maybe slightly above average, mostly because the ending was such a letdown. I thought they were building toward something clever, but it felt like they just pulled a random killer out of thin air at the last second. Total waste.

Jeffrey Martinez2 said:It totally eats Sherlock for breakfast... Now THAT is how you do it!!!

I disagree. If Holmes had been made in the style of The Black Crow, he would have just been another generic Sherlock Holmes movie. Ritchie gave him his own unique flavor, which is why it’s actually fun to watch.

What worked for me about The Black Crow was how the film plays with the mysteries surrounding E. A. Poe's death and his final days. The investigation and the "Sherlock" elements are interesting enough on their own, but blending them together is why the movie clicked for me.

Another thing is that I saw the trailer when it first dropped and then almost completely forgot about it until it popped back up. That's the downside of YouTube—you get spoiled by too much info before you even sit down to watch.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Yeah, it’s got some major vibes from Richie’s Sherlock Holmes. Pretty sure the movie took a page out of his book, except The Black Crow takes itself way too seriously. To me, Sherlock felt a bit more playful and fun, you know?

Looks like it didn't really land with critics or the audience, which is a bummer. It’s actually a pretty solid watch—the atmosphere and style are definitely top-tier.
man, I’m right there with you. For me, the movie is just okay, maybe slightly above average, mostly because the ending was such a letdown. I thought they were building toward something clever, but it felt like they just pulled a random killer out of thin air at the last second. Total waste.

They share a similar time period, a certain atmosphere, and they both center on detailed investigations. Those are the only real similarities. To me, SH and The Black Crow are separate entities—two different films that are both enjoyable in their own ways.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Yeah, it’s got some major vibes from Richie’s Sherlock Holmes. Pretty sure the movie took a page out of his book, except The Black Crow takes itself way too seriously. To me, Sherlock felt a bit more playful and fun, you know?

Looks like it didn't really land with critics or the audience, which is a bummer. It’s actually a pretty solid watch—the atmosphere and style are definitely top-tier.
man, I’m right there with you. For me, the movie is just okay, maybe slightly above average, mostly because the ending was such a letdown. I thought they were building toward something clever, but it felt like they just pulled a random killer out of thin air at the last second. Total waste.

SPILER
I had my eye on that young cop whom John took out with that sudden, over-the-top move. I suspected John for a few seconds, mainly because of his hands, but once he showed support for Poe, I ruled him out. At least, until that newspaper message arrived.
SPOILER END

Maybe the twist was a bit predictable, but honestly, hardly anyone saw him coming. Even if it was a major plot point, it didn't bother me much, largely because I find the whole fiction regarding Poe's final days so fascinating.

Spoilers ahead! If you haven't seen it, look away

I really wanted the killer to have some deeper tie to Poe. I was secretly hoping for that, but having it just be some obsessive superfan? Kinda felt underwhelming to me.

I didn't quite catch how the young detective figured out John was the guy. Something about spilled ink or whatever, but it totally flew over my head. Like, how?

Also, I feel like Cusack goes way too hard in those two scenes where he's just screaming and being super aggressive. It felt a bit forced and didn't really land for me.

And yeah, honestly, the vibe is more Sleepy Hollow than Sherlock Holmes...

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Spoilers ahead! If you haven't seen it, look away

I really wanted the killer to have some deeper tie to Poe. I was secretly hoping for that, but having it just be some obsessive superfan? Kinda felt underwhelming to me.

I didn't quite catch how the young detective figured out John was the guy. Something about spilled ink or whatever, but it totally flew over my head. Like, how?

Also, I feel like Cusack goes way too hard in those two scenes where he's just screaming and being super aggressive. It felt a bit forced and didn't really land for me.

And yeah, honestly, the vibe is more Sleepy Hollow than Sherlock Holmes...

I've got him under my spell. 😁

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Spoilers ahead! If you haven't seen it, look away

I really wanted the killer to have some deeper tie to Poe. I was secretly hoping for that, but having it just be some obsessive superfan? Kinda felt underwhelming to me.

I didn't quite catch how the young detective figured out John was the guy. Something about spilled ink or whatever, but it totally flew over my head. Like, how?

Also, I feel like Cusack goes way too hard in those two scenes where he's just screaming and being super aggressive. It felt a bit forced and didn't really land for me.

And yeah, honestly, the vibe is more Sleepy Hollow than Sherlock Holmes...

SPOILER
I honestly figured Poe was behind the killings himself—given how much trouble he had getting his work published. Those murders would have been the perfect publicity stunt for his old stories.

That theory pretty much fell apart the moment Alice was caught. I briefly entertained the idea that someone was feeding him info, but once he started chasing the killer through the theater and the sewers, I crossed him off my list.

I don't mind that it’s about a fan, because once the movie reaches its climax, you have to ask yourself why those clues were uncovered in the first place.spoiler end Quote

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Spoilers ahead! If you haven't seen it, look away

I really wanted the killer to have some deeper tie to Poe. I was secretly hoping for that, but having it just be some obsessive superfan? Kinda felt underwhelming to me.

I didn't quite catch how the young detective figured out John was the guy. Something about spilled ink or whatever, but it totally flew over my head. Like, how?

Also, I feel like Cusack goes way too hard in those two scenes where he's just screaming and being super aggressive. It felt a bit forced and didn't really land for me.

And yeah, honestly, the vibe is more Sleepy Hollow than Sherlock Holmes...

SPOILER
Ink contains iron, which makes it magnetic. Since Maddux's printing press is loaded with ink, that’s the key. Even though we don't see exactly which murder Fields finds the hair during, he doesn't immediately realize why the magnet is reacting to it. It’s only after he gets wounded and spills some ink near the magnet—watching it get pulled in—that he connects the dots: the hair was coated in ink. That's how he identifies the killer.

Is there anyone nearby with access to a printing press who knows Poe’s work inside out? After learning that Poe was delirious with the name Reynolds just before he passed, Fields makes the connection. It turns out John Reynolds works at the print shop—he's Poe's assistant and an expert on his writing.

Poe also connected the dots, though he had his doubts about Maddux until he walked into the print shop and found him dead.spoiler end Quote

Yikes. Asks:
I feel like Cusack has two scenes that are just way too over-the-top. He starts screaming and acting aggressive, which didn't really land for me—it felt a bit forced.

Cusack was a legend, and he remains one. He delivered his version of Poe perfectly, so I have zero complaints there. I wasn't expecting an autobiographical take on Poe in a murder mystery movie. It was basically just John Poe Cusack playing himself. I didn't mind it at all.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Spoilers ahead! If you haven't seen it, look away

I really wanted the killer to have some deeper tie to Poe. I was secretly hoping for that, but having it just be some obsessive superfan? Kinda felt underwhelming to me.

I didn't quite catch how the young detective figured out John was the guy. Something about spilled ink or whatever, but it totally flew over my head. Like, how?

Also, I feel like Cusack goes way too hard in those two scenes where he's just screaming and being super aggressive. It felt a bit forced and didn't really land for me.

And yeah, honestly, the vibe is more Sleepy Hollow than Sherlock Holmes...

Signed.