The Crow is my all-time favorite revenge thriller. So much so that I refused to watch the 2024 remake or any of the ill-fated sequels out of respect for the 1994 Brandon Lee masterpiece. When a close friend (read: antagonist) pushed me to watch 2005’s Wicked Prayer, I decided to one-up him and watch every single post-1994 film in The Crow film series back to back.
I usually enjoy objectively bad films if they’re executed with sincerity, but I found myself in disbelief after barreling through City of Angels, Salvation, Wicked Prayer, and finally the 2024 remake. Each was worse than the last, bearing little resemblance to the film that started it all, and none managed to replicate the original’s charm in any way.
City of Angels (1996)
The first sequel in The Crow film series is essentially a beat-for-beat recreation of the original, but with an entirely new cast. Released just two years later, the story shifts to Los Angeles, where an adult Sarah from the first film guides Ashe Corven through his resurrection and revenge arc because she knows what happened to Eric Draven and Shelley.
Vincent Pérez takes on the role but lacks every ounce of charisma Brandon Lee had in spades. Donning familiar makeup and avenging himself and his son Danny, Ashe leaves crow insignias as a calling card to make sure the brand stays intact in City of Angels. The problem is he looks like he’s wearing a Forever 21 spooky section costume two sizes too small, and his interpretation never makes sense.
Ashe wasn’t a goth like Eric Draven, so why does he dress the part? Worse, there’s no catharsis in this film. It all feels phoned in.
Salvation (2000)
By far my favorite entry outside of the original, Salvation takes a crime procedural approach that actually had potential. While still tied to the same cinematic universe, it ignores the events of the first two films and tries to do its own thing, which won my respect.
Eric Mabius plays Alex Frederick Corvis, wrongfully executed for murdering his girlfriend Lauren (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe). Determined to clear his name and take revenge on the corrupt cops who set him up, Alex teams with Lauren’s sister, Erin (Kirsten Dunst), who’s unwittingly caught up in the conspiracy that doomed him.
Salvation starts as a strong entry in The Crow film series, but loses steam by drowning in too many side characters, conspiracies, and unnecessary lore. It tries to juggle everything at once and ends up delivering little payoff.
Wicked Prayer (2005)
2005’s Wicked Prayer, the last entry before the remake, doesn’t deserve a proper analysis, just ridicule for existing.
Edward Furlong cosplays as Harry Potter cosplaying Robert Smith, Dennis Hopper portrays a jive-talking satanic preacher, Tara Reid proves the “mean girl” look aged like milk, and Danny Trejo dies on cue as expected.
The moment that broke me came when Furlong’s Jimmy Cuervo laments that the Crow turned him into a monster. Eric Draven thrived on being an active and willing participant in his revenge arc; Jimmy mopes through his as if he’d rather be anywhere else. Released two weeks before Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, Wicked Prayer sent The Crow film series out with a whimper.
The Crow (2024)
I had high hopes for the remake because Bill Skarsgård has been a reliable horror star. After watching the sequels in The Crow film series, anything would feel like an improvement.
The film does handle the lore well, but its pacing is a mess. Eric Draven’s death doesn’t happen until nearly 40 minutes in, weighed down by far too much backstory. While the kills are comically violent and clever and the cinematography finally recaptures the gritty, gothic aesthetic missing for decades, the film runs out of steam before its big third act climax.
In my mind, there’s potential in re-editing what’s there: start with Draven’s death, use flashbacks for the buildup, and keep the backstory tight. That version would be far more watchable. But this cut isn’t it.
No More Resurrections
I can’t think of another film series that collapsed so hard chasing what the original accomplished so effortlessly. Brandon Lee simply knew the assignment and poured charisma into every frame. The Crow was lean, relentless, and had zero fat on its bones. Nearly 30 years later, it still holds up because it was executed to perfection.
The sequels, on the other hand, only belong to The Crow film series by name. They missed the point entirely.
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