The Raven (2012)

I saw "The Raven" starring John Cusack at the movies yesterday. I wish I could say that with more enthusiasm...

Unlike many movie watchers I liked the almost super-hero reinterpretation of the recent Sherlock Holmes movies and I thought to a certain point the Edgar Allen Poe character would be developed somewhat similar. I also thought the premise of a serial killer murdering and leaving clues in accord with Poe's stories had fascinating possibility. I had visions of dark and ominous murders and crime scenes the likes of which we haven't seen since the movie Se7en ...

What I got was neither.

It's not that Cusack did a poor job on the part of Poe, but with his script and the manner in which the character was developed it was hard to ever really give a damn what happened to him in the movie. Detective Fields played by Luke Evans was actually more engaging than the hero Poe or Poe's girlfriend, the damsel in distress, played by Alice Eve.

 I have to say this one falls directly on the shoulders of director James McTeigue. Where was the heck was the suspense? Oh, the music score tried to build some with a movie that traveled at a pretty brisk pace, but it was lost. Also, How can you take grisly tales by Edgar Allen Poe and not have suspenseful or shocking scenes of death? The pendulum scene came close, but if your worried about a movie that's too bloody or violent close your eyes for this thirty seconds and your safe. Every other scene is just dead bodies?

Ok. It's not the worst movie I have ever seen, and I'm not a critic, but I'd wait for pay per view and save the movie money for some Halloween props.

Don't say I didn't warn you!