THE CROW: SALVATION
US, 2000, 102 minutes, Colour.
Kirsten Dunst, Eric Mabius, Fred Ward, Jodi Lyn O' Keefe, William Atherton, Dale Midkiff, Grant Shaud, Walton Goggins.
Directed by Bharat Nalluri.
Film versions of the comic and graphic novels, The Crow, came into prominence in the 1990s with the film by Alex Proyas, starring Brandon Lee – and the impact of his death on the set. The Crow films are rather dark, in their conception of a hero, Alex Corvis, who is able to come back from the dead, impervious to harm, and solve mysteries.
Eric Mabius plays Corvis in this sequel, condemned to death for a murder, innocent, seen being executed by electrocution. However, there is lightning in the sky at the same time, having an effect on the execution process and Corvis finding that he is alive – with the symbolic Crow accompanying him.
The drama of the film is his discovering who were the witnesses at his trial, tracking them down, finding a worker who was given a job to testify against him, corrupt police and their dealings, connection with the police head, and his connection with the father of the girl who was murdered. She had found out too much, was set upon by the police, murdered and her father allowing Corvis to be executed.
Kirsten Dunst, in an early role, has top billing. She is the surviving sister, bitter against Alex but encountering him, listening to him, becoming disillusioned with her father, in danger from the head of the police who has threatened her father who has killed himself.
One of Alex’s abilities is to touch objects which give him a connection to the past and his ability to see what happened in the past.
This is a revenge story, Corvis tracking down the police and brutally killing them.
Many commentators have considered this a worthy successor to the original film.
1. The popularity of The Crow comics and novels? The various film versions? The standard set by Brandon Lee?
2. The premise of the story, Alex Corvis accused of a crime, prison, executed, the lightning, his coming to life, unable to be injured, his quest?
3. The American settings, dark settings, the police and corruption, the clubs and the laundering of money, sexual exploitation, murder in alleyways? The contrast with the mansion? Prison, execution by electrocution? The special effects, especially the colour and style of Alex and his experiencing the past? The musical score?
4. The basic situation, Alex in prison, the friendly policeman, the birthday cake and the mockery, going to his execution, Erin and her father, vengeful, in the gallery, the people
watching? The waiting media and their questions? Alex and his being calm, the minister praying The Lord is my Shepherd, the moment of execution, the lightning, his throes, death, in the morgue, recovering his life? His innocence, memories of the clash with Lauren, her death, the arm with the marks, the planting of the knife?
5. The crowd, the journalists, questioning Erin and her father, her bitterness, towards Alex?
6. Alex, discovering his new life, altering his face, the marks around his eyes, people not recognising him at first? His going to the grave, the encounter with Erin, trying to explain, her calling her father?
7. Ransacking the filing cabinet, getting the names of the witnesses, going to see Tommy Leonard, confronting him, Leonard saying that he was persuaded to testify by the police, getting a job? The police later going to Leonard, threatening him, interrogating, killing him?
8. The police on the list, Alex going after them, the confrontations, the challenges, the truth, the knife, stabbing the policeman, interrogating the next one, the car crash and the inferno?
9. The chief, the woman accompanying him, sinister, calling in his subordinates, going to see Erin’s father? The doubledealing, the cover for laundering money, Randall and his knowing what happened, allowing Alex to go to his death, Erin and her disillusionment, her return and finding her father dead, the police chief explaining that he had killed himself?
10. Roberts, his desperation, interrogating Leonard and then killing him, the buildup to the confrontation with Alex? Alex, the gun, the range of police, unable to kill him, his shooting them down, Roberts and his being pierced through?
11. The friendly policeman, with Erin, the information about the club, his research? The chief killing him?
12. The flashbacks, the explanation of what happened, Lauren and her suspicions, with the police, wounding one, their killing her? Her father’s reaction?
13. Erin, the greater bonding with Alex, coming to understand him, the truth, the death of her father, her disillusionment, her collaborating with Alex, the confrontation with the
chief, his attempt to kill her?
14. Alex getting weaker, his being bound, the effort, his rising up, his vindication, the Chief with the marks on his arm?
15. The symbolism of Alex’s name, the Crow, and the actual Crow as a symbol, continually accompanying him?
