The Raven

This may conjure up unpleasant memories of Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" movies, but Ritchie could learn a lot from director James McTeigue (V for Vendetta); this is multiplex fare to be sure, but McTeigue manages to popularize 19th-century literature without completely vulgarizing it.

A handsome-looking thing, with fairly grand period costumes and reasonably lavish sets. So much for production values: In every other way the picture is stiff and unyielding, hampered by a clumsy plot and diorama performances. The whole thing has the feel of a second-rate living-history exhibit.

For a good hour or so, The Raven is gruesome, ludicrous fun. Then it's just ludicrous.

When I heard that John Cusack had been cast for this film, it sounded like good news: I could imagine him as Poe, tortured and brilliant, lashing out at a cruel world. But that isn't the historical Poe the movie has in mind. It is a melodramatic Poe, calling for the gifts of Nicolas Cage.

Bibliophiles, librarians and graduate students may swoon at the sight of the author's signature grotesquerie.

While full of welcome gore and blood spatter, it's bankrupt of any creative spark.

This wannabe Sherlockian thriller is like a night spent at Madame Tussauds, watching mannequins strangle other mannequins.

A Really Good Movie! Very Good Script And Acting! This Movie Should Atleast Be A 7/10!

While this movie certainly has it's flaws, it is not without some enjoyment. The plot is only sloppy once, the rest is actually quite enjoyable. I recommend it, but watch it knowing what your walking into it.

Basically a whodunit where Poe and an inspector need to find a copycat killer who brings the Poe stories to life. It all sounds better on paper or in your imagination than what you eventually get on the screen. Cusack does a fine job as Poe and as always the movie is well made, good cinematography, nice sets and costumes and all this for a meager 26m$. A good 2 hrs entertainment but not as good as McTeigue's debut 'V for Vendetta'. Raven feels like it had potential that was not fully realized.

A great concept but all and all it was very poorly executed. The largest problem is Cusack's portrayal of Poe. It is bad, really bad. Cusack's Poe is prone to speaking in pseudo-intellectual statements, yelling. Also Cusack does this thing when he leaves his mouth partially agape and it makes him look like he has an IQ of about 20. That combined with the lackluster performance by the rest of the cast and the mishmash of under and over directing The Raven ends up being the perfect example of poorly executed.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]