Should the Next Crow Go For More Action?

2002 tWISTEd sPINe

The Crow is many things.  It is one of those concepts that envelopes all aspects of being human: Love, sorrow, rage, regret, loneliness, happiness, confusion…you name it, a good Crow story brings it all to the table.  While this is a dream come true for writers and film makers etc., it can become a major problem when you view it from a marketing perspective. 

When it comes to the NEXT Crow movie, what will be the best way to bring audiences to the theatre? Should the focus be on the love story with high levels of drama?  Perhaps it should be promoted as a thriller/murder mystery film?  Or, do they need to take the pure action flick road?  I feel strongly that if the next Crow film installment is to find success, it must be easily definable.  It will need to fit into a genre without any confusion.  

On a personal level, as a long time Crow Fan, I would love to see a film made in which the love story dominates.  Make the violence and revenge less of a focus.  Create a movie that touches people and truly portrays a pure love between the main characters.  Yes, there should be other elements…some tense scenes, some action segments, but overall, I would be thrilled if they made a more touching Crow film. We have seen the vengeance tale told three times already on the big screen…it would be nice to put The Crow in a different light, bring out its softer tones.  Delve further into the human relationships of the story, rather than offering only quick flashbacks. 

All that said, I will have to go against my personal wishes in the end.  For success at the box office with Crow 4, Pressman needs to make an all out Action movie. Get some big names, a good director with action film experience, and make it into something intense.  A more martial arts oriented Crow would make perfect sense, especially with current trends.  Promotion would be easy and effective for a movie like this. The Crow desperately needs an in your face, no confusion installment to get back on the map. It cannot be another love story/drama/murder mystery/action/thriller/MTV music video/with a gothic twist.  Pick a genre (action being the easiest to sell to the masses) and run with it.  Construct the movie for THAT genre from the ground up.  Select a creative team that can bring it to life in a way that nobody will mistake it for anything else but an action film.

Of course, the best action films have characters we can care about, and solid plot-lines to support them. I'm not saying neglect the other aspects of the film.  What I'm suggesting is, the next film needs to KNOW what it is, without question. When someone asks, “So, what kind of movie is it?” The response should be immediate and confident, “Action.”

Is this what most die-hard Crow Fans would want to see?  Well. Probably not.  Is it what the franchise needs to get back in the big game? I am afraid so.  One thing is for certain, The Crow film franchise cannot survive another flop like Salvation.