MIRAMAX / DIMENSION FILMS

The Crow: Salvation

Crow Rating: 3 1/2 Crows

Released: Theatrical release in France, June 2000 U.S. straight to DVD; March 20th, 2001

Director/Screenplay: Bharat Nalluri / Chip Johannessen

Score: Marco Beltrami

Starring: Eric Mabius as Alex Corvis, Kirsten Dunst as Erin Randall, Jodi Lynn O'Keefe as Lauren Randall, William Atherton as Nathan Randall and Fred Ward as the police commissioner

Film Premise
Salvation follows the plight of Alex Corvis. He has returned from the dead after being tried, convicted and put to death, for a crime he did not commit, which was the murder of his girlfriend, Lauren Randall. Alex returns to seek revenge on those who killed Lauren and also to clear his name. To do this, Alex must first find out who set him up and who actually committed the murder. Erin Randall, who is the younger sister of Lauren, assists Alex. During the search for justice and the real murderers, Alex and Erin unlock a sinister conspiracy that goes all the way up to the chief of police. To realize his quest for justice and revenge, Alex must take on those who are sworn to uphold justice.

Personal Thoughts
We first see Alex in his cell, playing chess with his lawyer and awaiting the walk to the execution chamber. Eric Mabius does a great job conveying the emotions of his impending doom and his frustration in not apprehending the real killer of his girlfriend. His focus is more on this failure than his impending execution. This establishes his love for Erin Randall and shows us his motivation for coming back while creating a connection with the audience before his death. This is a new twist for "The Crow" movies. Previously, we were not introduced to the title character before his death. Eric Mabius neither looks nor acts like his predecessors. There is much irony and wry glee in what Eric's character is doing. Mabius' intense eyes add to the unsettling image of his Irony scared face smiling at his enemies (Alex's face is burned by the helmet he wears during his execution, giving him the famous "clown from hell" look). I found Kirsten Dunst believable and genuine. Fred Ward is his usual feisty self. One observation I had was that the characters in this film are more realistic than the cartoon figures of previous Crow movies. The characters in "Salvation" are more identifiable with people with which we have everyday contact. Even the title character is not decked out in the "gothic" attire of the past. All of the soundtrack songs are appropriately placed in the movie. A prime example of this is the song "Antihistamine" by Tricky. It perfectly enhances the tone of the scene it is in. The ending is a vast improvement over that of COA's and is very satisfying. The new director, Baharat Nalluri, brings some innovative visual elements to Salvation, such as a new Crow-vision style, as well as other personal touches. All of these changes, as well as the previously discussed story elements, helped to make Salvation a very enjoyable viewing experience for me.

Where to find this movie
You can purchase "The Crow: Salvation" on VHS and DVD on March 20th, 2001. It will be part of a special reissue DVD boxed set of all three Crow movies (you can purchase the Salvation DVD separately). If you do your shopping by the net, you can find them at Amazon.Com (click on logo below). You can check eBay online auction at www.ebay.com , for new and used copies.