The Raven (I) (2012) User Reviews

Poe's literary roots still shine through the action-influenced detective story

[napierslogs · 7/10 · 3 May 2012]

A merging of the life of Edgar Allan Poe, his poetry, the crimes of his stories and a woven, fictional tale of all of the above is "The Raven". In the opening minute, I was ready to knock the film down for missing some of the significant details of The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Except this film isn't trying to faithfully recreate anything, you just have to get interested in a Poe-based detective story.

Yes, it is fairly gruesome. Perhaps more blood and violence than you would typically find in a Poe story, but as the newspaper editor insisted, that's what the people want. That's likely true, but what I like about Edgar Allan Poe's writing is the intelligence, prose and soulfulness that would be hiding amongst all the murderers and dead bodies. Most stories can be deduced to be about something entirely other than just the crimes. That wasn't really the case here, but that's hardly the fault of the film as they are different mediums.

They might not have gotten the underlying meaning, but they did the get the true nature of Poe accurate. His gloomy, brooding obsession with death, women and alcohol. I've always been convinced of John Cusack's aptitude for this role, and contrary to popular belief, he was very good. He was more subdued than most people were probably expecting. No action stunts and no over-the-top dramatics, he just showed how words and his propensity for gin would haunt him. He delivered only a few quick lines of wit, and I'm assuming that was the issue people had. From all that I have read from people wanting Robert Downey, Jr in this role, I'm assuming they have confused the fictional character of Sherlock Holmes with the real-life writer of Poe. All that I can say to that is thank God Cusack never got confused.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has credited Poe as inspiration for the creation of his famous detective. I'm afraid the filmmakers have tried to re-pay the favour and took some action cues from the recent movies. Watching bullets fly through the air really takes away from the few things they did so well.

"The Raven" is a good watch for Poe fans with references to many of his stories and poems and they found great moments to include some of his illustrious and lasting lines. Although I would have liked it more if the movie was just a dramatic recreation of his famous poem, at least Cusack did offer a reading of The Raven which probably mirrored that of Poe himself.

The raving and the riven

[tomsview · 7/10 · 5 December 2013]

This is a clever, well-made movie, but I think there are a couple of things that stop it from being better than it is.

The story is not dissimilar to David Fincher's "Seven", in that case it was killings inspired by the seven deadly sins while in "The Raven", a serial killer creates gory scenarios based on the stories of Edgar Allen Poe.

Inspector Emmett Fields, played by Luke Evans, while investigating a bizarre double murder, realises that it has a connection to a story by Edgar Allen Poe. He engages the author to help him find the killer. Poe, played by John Cusack, is hesitant at first, but soon throws himself into the hunt, forming an alliance with Fields.

The killer's true intentions become a little clearer when Poe's Fiancée, Emily, played by Alice Eve, is kidnapped. Kept in a coffin, she is tormented by her captor. Eventually, Poe works out who the killer is, and strikes a deadly deal in exchange for Emily's life.

I think John Cusack struggles to find the right balance for Poe. Admittedly, he is more settled in the role by the end of the movie, but he knocks it off balance with some early drunk scenes with lots of yelling; actors portraying people who are drunk are almost as annoying as people who are drunk. His performance is uneven, especially in his affection for Emily - he seems oddly unconvincing in some scenes although he says he would sacrifice his life for her. Luke Evans, with a far more understated performance, steals the show as Inspector Fields.

Visually brilliant, the film features ever more elaborate techniques to dispose of the killer's victims, The ingenuity and the amount of work involved would have required a crew the size of the one that built the Panama Canal, however, with a movie such as this, suspension of disbelief definitely helps with the enjoyment level.

For a while, I thought the identity of murderer was going to be either a disappointment or far too obvious, simply because not too many characters are introduced into the story; an unwritten rule of crime movies is that no one is introduced into a plot without reason. My fears were groundless; the ending works brilliantly, and is far more satisfying than is often the case.

Although "The Raven" has similarities to "Seven", it doesn't have the darkness or the hide-behind-your-finger's tension of that masterpiece of horror. With that said however, as serial killer movies go, "The Raven" is definitely a 'cut' above the average.

Mystery thriller romp with a pulpy comic book feel.

[peteranderson975 · 7/10 · 9 March 2012]

This film is story set during the last few days in the life of Edgar Allen Poe. Poe (John Cusack) is a penniless drunk (with a pet raccoon for some reason), depending on money he gets from The Baltimore Times for writing acerbic reviews of other writers' work to keep him in the booze. Emily (Alice Eve) the woman he loves is difficult to reach because her father Colonel Hamilton (Brendan Gleeson) has a very understandable dislike of Poe so they have sneak around behind his back.

The police are investigating two brutal murders of a mother and her 12- year-old daughter in a locked room. Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) notices the parallels between these murders and the Poe story Murders in the Rue Morgue so he sends a squad of policemen out to bring Poe in for questioning. Although Fields doesn't believe Poe is responsible for the murders he is definitely connected to them.

There's a second murder this time based on the story The Pit and The Pendulum and this is a pretty gory killing as you can imagine if you are aware of the story (if you are not I'll just say the pendulum has an enormous blade on the end of it). The victim this time is a writer at The Baltimore Times who wrote highly negative reviews of Poe's stories. A crimson mask found on body is a message from the killer to Poe and the police about where he will strike next. The killer is playing a game with them and when the life of his beloved Emily is threatened Poe is forced to play the killer's game.

This was an entertaining mystery thriller and I did like the inclusion of Poe's stories in this film. The setting felt authentic enough and there was no anachronistic steam punk stuff going on like so many other alternative history stories. The cast are reasonable enough, especially Brendan Gleeson, but they don't really get too much development. I don't have any doubt that Cusack's performance bore very little resemblance to the real Edgar Allen Poe but it was fun and over the top and similar to Robert Downey Juniors's take on Sherlock Holmes. Anyone expecting dark melancholia and madness will probably not like this film but for people only passingly familiar with Poe it is a mystery thriller romp with a pulpy comic book feel.

Rating 7/10

A bit too simplistic all.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 6/10 · 4 July 2012]

Well, not much to say about this movie really. It's not bad but it's definitely nothing memorable or impressive to watch either. It's all being good and entertaining enough to keep watching but by the end of it you won't feel like you got an awful lot out of the movie.

I think that the biggest problem of the movie is that it's being a very straightforward mystery/thriller, which at the same time also makes it a very standard and formulaic one. Normally I would complain when a movie has too many distractions in it but in this case it most likely wouldn't had harmed this movie. Some more character, or some more different story lines would had perhaps made this movie a more interesting one.

The movie now becomes a bit tiresome after a while. There is not enough variation and the movie just never really manages to become a tense one, with any of its mystery or thriller elements. Who knows, maybe it also was the movie its low budget that prevented it from ever making a real impact and the reason why the movie seems to be lacking the right required type of atmosphere.

A problem of the movie also lies with its main character. No, I'm not saying that John Cusack is a poor actor in this movie but his character simply isn't being a good or interesting enough. There was so much they could had done, after all he plays Edgar Allan Poe in this movie but it feels as if the film-makers were holding back with just about everything and decided to play things safe, making this a very standard and therefore also predictable little movie.

No it's not a horrible movie to watch but just a movie that offers far too little to its viewers.

6/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Dark and atmospheric police case... with Poe.

[siderite · 7/10 · 14 August 2012]

I really wanted to like this film, I really did. Something was off, though. Was it the script? Perhaps, although I can't find a clear fault in it. Some of the sophistication of the crimes and of the investigative methods were clearly out of the era, but overall it was OK. The production values were good, the direction was good, the acting was good. The atmosphere was dark and claustrophobic as in Poe's writing. Yet, I didn't quite find the enjoyment I was looking for.

The only thing I can think off was John Cusack. He and Alice Eve had no chemistry (and how can you not have it with Alice Eve?!) and the thing I had most trouble believing were not the way the criminal always barely escapes, not the story or the era or the feel of the movie, but that Cusack's character had any feelings at all. He seemed apathetic and occasionally angry. That was it. And that made the film, a good film overall, not be better than average.

Un "Poe" tic

[Tcarts76 · 6/10 · 19 September 2012]

It's a 6 for me. If you are going to make a fictional movie about a real character I think you should really just go for it, make it original, and use some imagination. Edgar Allen Poe seems like a great character to use as inspiration for a very dark, evil, twisted movie. This wasn't one of those.

Cusack as Poe, was OK, not great, not horrible but just OK. The story is one I have seen a few times before. The whole author writes something, serial killer uses it as a blueprint, suddenly the writer is called in and that was the killers plan all along and it becomes personal. Yawn. There was so much potential for this movie, and they turned it in to a played out old story line.

It wasn't bad. After the first ten minutes I figured the rest was going to be a torture to watch. It did get somewhat better, but never rose above OK.

Fell Short

[culmo80 · 6/10 · 17 February 2013]

I always enjoy atmospheric, Gothic horror movies, so that's probably why The Raven is given a 6. Otherwise, I would have rated it lower.

In case you haven't read the synopsis, The Raven deals with Edgar Allen Poe in his last days when he is brought in by the police to find a murderer who's methods mirror Poe's own stories.

I liked the atmosphere and the settings. Baltimore, being such an old city, certainly has that certain creepy charm needed for a good horror story...which is always probably why Poe was drawn there. Anyway, aside from this, the movie fell short. The plot almost works but in most "mastermind murderer" films, the whole plot falls apart if the authorities aren't quick enough or are too quick. The long series of clues left by the killer all could have unfolded the entire movie. I know, we're supposed to suspend disbelief, but the more complex the conspiracy, the more likely it won't work.

Spoilers:

I thought the ending was also poorly done, and if they had worked it better, it might have made the whole movie better. I think rather than have Reynolds escape to France, Poe should have done him in after he consumed the poison.

Anyway, The Raven probably could have/should have been a better movie. Poe certainly deserves a better treatment, being one of the original masters of the horror genre.

I didn't find Cusack lacking in his portrayal of Poe. The dialogue was decent, and the action kept the pace well enough, though sometimes, it seemed there was action just for the sake of having some action.

I'd watch The Raven if you like Poe or the time period, or Gothic horror...but I wouldn't say this will be one of your favorites.

Nice mystery type film featuring the tortured Edgar Allen Poe.

[Aaron1375 · 8/10 · 23 October 2012]

I was not sure what to expect from this film, but seeing as how I could borrow it for free I would watch it. Turns out it was a really good movie as it featured a fine performance from John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe, a nice kill here and there and a nice mystery to try and unravel. I am surprised that it did not perform better at the theaters as it was a nice change of pace from all the comic book films I usually watch.

The story has Edgar returning to Baltimore at a time a gruesome murder is taking place. One that seems to be a copy of his work "Murders in the Rue Morgue". Other heinous crimes occur, all seeming to be based off Poe's work. Poe becomes the prime suspect, but the investigator on the case soon realizes it is not the troubled author so he soon enlists Poe's help to try and find the person responsible. Unfortunately for Poe, this killer soon brings Poe in directly by kidnapping Poe's beloved and challenges Poe to find her before she dies.

I liked the cat and mouse of the game as the investigator and Poe try to solve the killer's bizarre and twisted clues to learn his identity before it is too late. I was not sure what to expect from the film, but it turned out to be a very dark and a bit of a sad film. John Cusack did great as Poe, but all of the cast did a fine job. They also did a nice job of recreating Baltimore in the time period this film takes place. I am sure if I really looked I could find a mistake or two, but I never really try to look for anachronisms when watching a movie unless it is like totally obvious or the movie is not good.

So all in all a good mystery type movie with some horror elements in it. The best death was a bit early in the film, it being the one that copied the Poe story "The Pit and the Pendulum". None of the other deaths were quite as graphic as it. However, the film's story was good enough that I did not need to see a bunch of over the top brutality.

Beautiful, Brilliant, But Miscast

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 16 February 2013]

When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack), a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe to stop him from making his stories a reality.

The idea of setting a murder mystery in Baltimore at the time of Poe, with Poe as a character and with his stories as the inspiration seems genius on the face of it. Indeed, he is a great character in a great time and his stories are a great inspiration for murder (as we have seen in the many film adaptations that were inspired by his work). It does seem a bit weird to put a real man in a fictional story, but if we can have "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", I guess it is okay.

If you have an issue with it, I understand your sense of accuracy and need for historical continuity. It might have made more sense to put the story after the time of Poe (say, the 1850s) and had the killer be inspired, with a detective who knows the tales well. Or have Poe trying to solve another murder, perhaps one that even happened. You know, like Mary Cecilia Rogers, the "beautiful cigar girl".

Some people had an issue with John Cusack's Edgar Allen Poe. I feel their pain. Although I loved Cusack's delivery of the lines, I never felt like he looked the part. He looked too much like himself. Ideally, they should have cast Jeffrey Combs. Combs not only looked spot on as Poe in "Black Cat", he did a one-man stage show. Combs eats, sleeps and breathes Poe. And, as an added bonus, he probably costs less than Cusack.

Luke Evans was great and stole the show with his incessant intensity. Every line was dramatic, and it worked. Evans kept the film alive for me, as did the beautiful scenery and cinematography. Whatever was lost with Cusack was gained with the coloration and lighting. Great, great work. I could have used less CGI blood, though.

Not At All What It Should Have Been

[ksj870 · 4/10 · 17 May 2012]

If only Vincent Price were still alive. Perhaps the legendary Price, himself a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, and who starred in many adaptations of Poe's stories, could have brought the necessary combination of grand passion, inner turmoil, and sly wit to The Raven that it needed to succeed. But Price is of course long gone, and so we must make do with John Cusack. And it just doesn't work.

The Raven is based upon a great premise: in 19th-century Baltimore, a sadistic killer is on the loose, his murders based on the stories of the infamous poet and purveyor of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. Poe, penniless and drunk most of the time, is at first a suspect in the murders, but Detective Fields (Luke Evans) realizes that however otherwise dissolute Poe may be, he is not a murderer, and so enlists the writer's aid in cracking the case. The stakes are raised, however, when Poe's own fiancé, Emily (Alice Eve) is kidnapped. Can Fields and Poe solve the mystery of the murderer's identity in time to save Emily's life, or will Poe be undone by the very fruits of his own grisly imagination? Again, it's a great premise. Poe is one of the greatest horror writers of all time, and a thriller based upon his lurid tales of madness and death has a lot of potential. Sadly, The Raven—which takes its title from perhaps Poe's most famous poem—never realizes its lofty ambitions. The aforementioned John Cusack is the first problem the film is saddled with, for while Cusack is a capable actor the complexities of playing the troubled, rather enigmatic Edgar Allan Poe prove totally beyond him. Cusack never makes his version of Poe likable, or even interesting, and in many ways Evans's much more ably realized Detective Fields is the real star of the show. Alice Eve's lovely and charming performance as Emily goes for naught, as her character doesn't have enough to do and is so underwritten that she lacks any real personality.

The Raven does look good, and there are many appealing shots of fog-shrouded streets and dark forests. But the atmosphere is wasted, and the elements of Poe's stories which make it into the script are misused. Familiar Poe stories like The Pit and the Pendulum and The Murders in the Rue Morgue are used for a few gory set pieces that are merely insults to the original tales which inspire them. Suspense is diluted by the inability of the director, John McTeigue, to decide what kind of movie he really wants to make: a mystery? A thriller? A horror-comedy? The Raven isn't solidly any of these things, and so it becomes terribly boring by default.

If you really want a good movie inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, there are a few of them out there, including at least two likewise called The Raven: one starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff , and the other featuring Vincent Price and, again, Boris Karloff. Though both films have entirely different stories to tell, they are also both superior to the new movie in every way. Poe himself was a merciless critic. Were he alive today, I think his own review of The Raven would make mine look glowing by comparison.

Brilliant- Must watch

[Ashman1977 · 8/10 · 22 March 2012]

I am a big fan in general of "WhoDunnit" movies, and I was keen to see what 'The Raven' had in store. I went in assuming that it would be like any other 'Jack the Ripper'/19th century killer movie and that it would predictable. I was right in my assessment, but inspite of these cliché's the Raven was a brilliant film mainly because of the following:

• The movie was beautifully shot. It has a very 'sleepy hollow' feeling throughout. - The use of Poe's work and the poetic climax was excellent. I enjoyed this bit a lot as it left me with things to think about after watching the film, something which is testimony to the fact that the film made an impact. - Great character development of John Cusack/Poe. Made for a dark, mysterious man with a twisted view of the world. Exciting. - There were many tense moments, great chases and small pieces of puzzle solving( like in console games) making for small mysteries within one large mystery, thus keeping you engrossed all the way.

To summarise, the Raven was riotous ride through Victorian era type settings, keeps you on the egde of your seat, the mini puzzles keep you busy and the plot and character development( Poe) was excellent, Definitely worth a watch and an 8 out of ten for me.

P.S. The film has gore so if you can't stand that, don't watch it. It's not a Hostel or a SAW, but there is gore and blood.

Unmitigated good thriller

[JohnRayPeterson · 7/10 · 12 October 2012]

This is an unmitigated good thriller; I obviously don't agree with most critics on this one, but some user reviews I most definitely did. Considering the storyline, I expected the movie to be more about horror than mystery or suspense, like another Edgar A. Poe story related flick(did not like) I'd seen, The Pit and the Pendulum; it was not. This movie is all about mystery, suspense and thrills; the few short and slightly gruesome scenes are merely a necessity to the whole story. If you are somewhat knowledgeable about Edgar Allan Poe's career or works, and especially his death, you'll be blown away by the story that unfolds in this movie.

I would describe the film as a period thriller. The costume designs and sets are very believable. The performances by the four main actors, Cusak, Evans, Eve and Gleeson, do justice to a good script and the direction seems consistent with McTeague's previous quality work.

I have seen each of the previous movies directed by James McTeigue and can say that when he directs another, it will be one I'll consider watching at least because of his involvement, if not for some actor(s) I may also hold in regard for their body of work. With 'The Raven', it was a combination of both actors and director that made me consider watching it. After reading some of the more thorough and positive user reviews, my mind was made up to see it.

Sam Hazeldine, in the role of Ivan Reynolds, is revealed at the end as the mysterious psychopath, the murderer of Poe, and at no point before will you suspect him; he acquits himself as well as any fiendish villain character any actor has played before, terrific. Don't make up your mind about the film until you've seen the full ending.

Liked but below expectations

[bolbasor01 · 5/10 · 30 April 2012]

Great and interesting concept but a little below my expectations. I admire Poe's writing and biography yet this film did not abide by it. Edgar Allan Poe( who suffered loss of loved ones, loneliness and depression)did not reflect completely on John Cusack's interpretation of the role. In the film The character was half drunk, did criticized but there was a "humorous vibe" that threw me off pertaining to the Horror and thriller genre and Poe's personality. There was no moment in the film where the tormented, bipolar and dark Poe appeared. Also the movie did not make me think in the sense that every time they found a crime the film immediately pointed out the story or poem, as a matter of fact it only took the first crime for the Detective to figure out that the murder was a reenactment of Poe's story, but according to the film itself Poe was not famous or even recognized. I did enjoy the relationship between Poe and Fields, It was interesting in the sense of the change from suspect to friend, from untrusted to relying on each other.Also the art direction and Costume design. The ball where "The mask of the red Death" was depicted was impressive and very detailed as well as Poe's town and the killers "lair." The movie is visually striking, emulating historical costumes and setting, but the story lack consistency. It was a wonderful and thoughtful ending to a defective and lacking plot due to failures in character developments ( not counting detective fields). Like previous reviews on this film I would compare it to Sherlock Holmes, but I would of rather it parallel with Se7en directed by David Fincher, it had the potential.

decent movie

[ashdoc53 · 6/10 · 17 October 2012]

Spoiler alert !!

Its the mid nineteenth century and Edgar Allan Poe rules Baltimore city . Actually he rules the literary world there . Or so he thinks.....But when he barges in a bar there asking for a free drink because he's the literary king no one recognises him there . Instead he gets a punch and a kick out of the bar . But maybe thats because its just a bar filled with drunken louts.....

So how does the literary king eke out a living ?? He does that by writing grisly stories of even more grislier murders full of sharp weapons and bloody deaths .

......And to eke out a living he has to keep on churning out the stories week after week to be published in the newspapers which the greedy public reads to satisfy their bloodsoaked fantasies .

But his literary talents earn him one other thing---love of a beautiful woman......a woman who dares to go against her father who threatens to shoot Edgar dead if he continues the romance . That further enthuses the blonde blueeyed beautiful woman who proposes marriage---a marriage she feels will be in the perfect setting for Edgar ; after all nothing could be more perfect than the marriage of the writer of grisly murder stories occurring under the threat of death at the hands of her father......

But unfortunately there are other less delicate admirers of Edgar Allan Poe's work ; and one of them is a demented psychopath who decides to murder people in the exact way as written in Edgar's books---by cutting into two the bodies of his victims with the help of a saw for example...... ......And Edgar's work continues to give this psycho inspiration for different kinds of more grisly murders......all of which attracts the attention of the police who decide to enlist Edgar's help in solving the murders as they are based on his writings anyway......

But the demented psycho has a newer and bolder plan---to make the threat of death on Edgar's wedding even more real by kidnapping his wife and making him churn out grislier stories on pain of his wife's death by keeping her locked up......

So does the psycho's plan succeed ?? Or does Edgar succeed in finding out who he is ?? And to what lengths and sacrifices Edgar is willing to go to save his wife ?? Will he trade his own life for hers ?? Go and watch the movie for that......

I found it a decent watch......

Great atmospheric murder mystery.

[amesmonde · 30 July 2012]

A killer is on the loose, a young detective joins forces with Edgar Allan Poe to stop his writings becoming reality. The stakes become high when Poe's partner is kidnapped and her life hangs in the balance.

Set in Baltimore, an underrated thriller mystery that needn't be compared to other period pieces including the likes of Sherlock Holmes (2009). This has its own legs and is more of a murder thriller than adventure. James McTeigue captures the ominous 1849 setting with dark and foggy cobbled streets reminiscent in tone of a Hammer films and Jack the Ripper tale - In Hell (2001). The setting and locations create a eerie backdrop, complimentary of Danny Ruhlmann's cinematography. There's no doubt, Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare's screenplay unfolds like a period piece CBS CSI special but it's a well filmed, entertaining and intriguing, strengthened by McTeigue's direction and Lucas Vidal's score.

Brendan Gleeson's acting abilities are very much underused as Captain Hamilton has he has very little screen time. Luke Evans' Detective Fields commands an on screen presence equal to that of the late Heath ledger. John Cusack gives his usual solid show, albeit he is more animated than usual as Edgar Allan Poe. Alice Eve is excellent, giving a convincing harrowing performance as the kidnapped and trapped Emily Hamilton.

Anyone familiar with the genre may see the killers identity well in advance. Nevertheless, The Raven is a creepy, solid old-school thriller with a fitting portrayal by Cusack.

Unfortunately Over Acted & Boring

[vlevensonnd-1 · 6/10 · 28 April 2012]

I have a great appreciation of Poe, and I have a great appreciation of Cusack. What the he__ went wrong with this movie? From the very first statement that showed on the screen that he was found dead on park bench, I thought, "What???" Poe was found face down in a gutter in front of Ryan's Saloon and died three days later of what was suspected of alcoholism, with a remote possibility of complications of diabetes, or even rabies, however, shortly before his death, it was reported that he was behaving in a manner consistent with mild epilepsy, or of his bipolar disorder. OK, Oh well, it's Hollywood, right?? From the get-go, the acting was so over the top, and made Cusack appear to be an unseasoned newbie, however, Luke Evans shined in his role. The script appeared to be written rapidly and without care.

It said it was a horror movie, however, it is actually a murder mystery, and not a very good one. Agatha Christie would've definitely thrown this one out. If the author makes the suspect way too un-obvious, then what is the fun it in?? This could have been done so far better then what the final product actually was. Unfortunately, it was a large disappointment. Better luck next time.

Suitably entertaining 19th century serial killer flick.

[theycallmemrglass · 7/10 · 20 March 2012]

I quite enjoyed this. Storywise, its a bit like Seven set in 19th century London, that is, a serial killer detective mystery but here, the killer is forcing a storyline pattern fusing Edgar Allen Poe's stories to life by imitating the murders from several of his stories creating a new one that involves Edgar Allen Poe himself.

Cusack was engaging as the drunken author/poet riding on financial hardship suddenly finding himself helping a detective to catch the killer. At first Poe is quite unlikeable but I then warmed to his idiosyncrasies and determination to find his loved one, whom the serial killer has kidnapped.

There's a couple of really graphic and inventive murders suitably qualified for a SAW or Final Destination movie. There is not enough of them to satisfy the horror enthusiast, though. It might have been a good opportunity to make this a fun horror movie to boot given that there are several murders in the film but we are not shown the rest of them.

The dialogue alternates between flat and humorous with some fun (but admittedly way over my head) wordplay with Poe's character. Poe enthusiasts might enjoy connecting the references of the murders to the various stories that he has written. I haven't read any of his stories so I cant make any connections. I do know the overall story/poem of the Raven though and I can say with some confidence, this film isn't that story. Its got ravens in it but I'm not sure that justifies the title, if it does then we might as well call every John Woo film, The White Dove.

I did look forward to seeing this film, as I love V for Vendetta, James Mctiegue first directorial feature. This, his 3rd, is not as good or as clever but it has the same visceral directorial flair and vibe to it which I enjoyed. The script is full of plot holes though and I was annoyed with some scenes that blatantly cheated for the sake of narrative progression.

There isn't anything original here but its competent enough entertainment for a decent Friday night out at the cinema.

Rather good... Thanks to John Cusack, above all

[BeneCumb · 7/10 · 2 February 2013]

The plot has several good moments and logically explained events, but, in general, is rather uneven, with some protracted scenes not providing additional value to the movie. Luckily, there is more crimes and less mystery, no voices in the forest or inside heads or so (personally, I do not find it thrilling to follow someone's going or being mad). As for the cast, John Cusack + British actors give pleasant performances; well, males mostly, I did not like female characters too much. Anyhow, the movie does not become boring and the ending has several layers as well, although you could guess the fate of Edgar Allan Poe.

Additional points as I did not guess who the guilty one was.

Tell Tale Movie

[jymwrite-1 · 8/10 · 27 April 2012]

On October 3, 1849 Edgar Allan Poe was found wandering the streets of Baltimore, delirious, calling out the name Reynolds. There have been lots of theories as to what Poe died of, from tuberculosis, rabies or to a drunken bender. "The Raven" puts forth a more romantic theory and a detective story for the man who invented the modern detective novel.

"The Raven" as a movie demonstrates that you can make a movie that bridges the biographical facts of Poe's life and its own artistic vision and still make an interesting movie. The movie is driven by the premise, a serial killer starts a series of killings in Baltimore that emulate some of the more gruesome murders in Poe's stories. When the first murder is done inside a locked room, police detective Fields (Luke Evans) recognizes it as the setting of an Edgar Allan Poe story. Fields brings in Poe (John Cusack) at first as suspect, but when another murder occurs Poe quickly becomes the first criminal profiler and consultant. Poe helps Fields both in what kind of mind the killer may have and of course in the details from his stories. The killer kidnaps Poe's girlfriend Emily (Alice Eve) with the killer promising clues as to Emily's whereabouts with each new murder he commits.

The filmmakers, director James McTeigue and writers Ben Livingstone and Hannah Shakespeare don't try to recast Poe's character as a superhero or give the movie Poe attributes that the real Poe didn't or couldn't possess. As mentioned before, the filmmakers stick fairly accurately to the known elements of Poe's last few days, although there are some artistic liberties taken, and they still present an entertaining movie with a few twists and turns as to who the murderer is.

Cusack is spot on as Poe from his look, thin with a black mustache and goatee, to (more importantly) Poe's character. Poe was a writer who had the ultimate confidence in his own abilities as a writer and was dismissive of his contemporaries, especially if they were more successful. Cusack is supported by a cast that hits every note right.

If you think a movie about Edgar Allan Poe won't have enough action for you, this is a movie for you. If you're more literary minded and think this movie will have too many inaccuracies or violate Poe's character or will throw in too much action, you won't be disappointed.

Spoke the Raven, Nevermore...

[JoeB131 · 7/10 · 11 November 2012]

Okay, this wasn't "Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter" awful.

It's a period piece movie with a famous historical figure in it. This was actually sort of plausible. Someone is killing people using methods found in the works of Edgar Allen Poe, who is down on his luck at that point in his career. A clever young detective figures it out and enlists Poe to find the killer.

Meanwhile, the killer kidnaps Poe's fiancé, and this becomes the typical race against time plot.

The ending is predictable. I figured it out about ten minutes before the characters did.

Still, the movie looks great, there are great homages to Poe's stories (and I was familiar with more of them than I thought I was) and for the most part the story kind of works. The period costumes are pretty good as well.

Shallow and Disappointing; Edgar Allan Poe Deserves Better

[brando647 · 5/10 · 20 January 2013]

Well, here was a misfire. THE RAVEN is another one of those films where I should have listened to the critics. But, come on, the premise was cool and it's not often that John Cusack disappoints. Plus it was directed by James McTeigue, the man behind V FOR VENDETTA. How did this turn out so poorly? I remember having read reviews for it but I never actually seeing it arrive in theaters. I guess I know why now. I don't know a whole lot about the life of Edgar Allan Poe but I do enjoy his stories. This wasn't enough to find anything to love about the movie. This is throwaway entertainment at best, though entertainment might be too strong a word because I was pretty bored. The movie is a mystery/thriller based around the details leading to Poe's mysterious death in 1849. Poe is a penniless alcoholic scratching for booze money from his apathetic editor who wants nothing more than another macabre tale to capture his readers' attention (and money). Meanwhile, Poe is courting the daughter of a powerful man with a hatred for the alcoholic vagabond. When Baltimore is haunted by a serial killer who draws his inspiration from Poe's tales, the author is approached by Detective Fields to act as a consultant in hunting the murderer. Soon, the investigation turns personal for Poe when his beloved Emily is taken captive and they must work against the clock, following clues to find her before she becomes the killer's final victim.

THE RAVEN is an obvious attempt to capitalize on the popularity of Guy Ritchie's SHERLOCK HOLMES franchise. It fails. Whereas Ritchie's movies are fun, exciting (if loose) adaptations of the source material, McTeigue's movie is boring and formulaic. It just drones on from one scene to the next, connecting the dots to a conclusion that I just didn't care about. I realized the reason a lot of the tension fizzles is because the movie continues to cut away from the investigation to Emily and her captivity. Maybe if we weren't constantly reminded that Emily is alive, there would've have been a bit of suspense as Poe and Fields race to save her life. "Will they save her? Will she die before they can stop the murderer? Oh wait, there she is. Nope, she's fine." Then there's the matter of the final reveal of the culprit. I'm not going to reveal their identity here for those out there who are interested in the movie, but I was pretty disappointed. To be honest, I didn't even recognize the person at first. I had to think back and remember if I'd seen them in the movie before that point. There are no clues or pieces for the audience to try and solve the case in their own minds, it's just: here's a bunch of brutal murders and…here's the killer. Surprise! The murders themselves are mildly interesting, particularly the scene drawn from Poe's "Pit and the Pendulum". The violence loses some of its edge due to the shoddy CG that fills out the movie. Nothing looks genuine. In 2011, Roland Emmerich used CG to create expansive shots of Elizabethan era London for his film ANONYMOUS and it worked great, but McTeigue tries the same technique for 19th century Baltimore and it falls flat because it looks fake.

Speaking of fake, let's chat about the cast. I love Cusack but he was sorely miscast as Poe. From the very beginning, he never really disappeared into the character and always came off as John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe with a hint of Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes. As much as I enjoy Cusack, I'm not sure he's the right person for any sort of period piece. Throw him back in the hot tub time machine and let someone more appropriate tackle a role like Poe. Luke Evans is Poe's partner in the investigation, Detective Fields. Fields is a dull character with nothing defining about him with the exception that he's intelligent and all business. Good for him, but it doesn't make for the most exciting character. Alice Eve is beautiful as Emily and Brendan Gleeson is probably the best in the cast as Captain Hamilton, Emily's father and ardent Poe hater. Shallow characters in a shallow movie. That about sums up THE RAVEN. It's a forgettable experience that had a hard enough time capturing my attention while I was watching it. If you're looking for a thriller but don't really want to have to put any thought into the experience, THE RAVEN might be what you want.

Absolutely Brilliant!!

[brad_the_metalhead · 9/10 · 28 April 2012]

Do not listen to the negative reviews because this movie is brilliant. I think the main problem is that people maybe went into this movie expecting a horror movie.

The portrayal of Poe is absolutely fantastic, John Cusack did a fantastic job he is a great actor and this one has to be my favourite role that he has played.

The movie has a great pace to it. Your at the edge of your seat the entire time, the thing is though if you haven't read any Edger Allan Poe stories you might have a hard time understanding it, but it doesn't matter weather you have read them or not because the movie is absolutely brilliant. It has its intense moments but honestly you can't take your eyes off the screen it keeps you guessing whats going to happen next.

Don't listen to the negative reviews, this movie is a must-see.

A tough call... Blu-ray: Excellent A:10 V:10

[lathe-of-heaven · 6/10 · 29 October 2012]

Normally I don't add a review if there are so many already, but I just wanted to add a few thoughts about my overall impression. First off, I am a HUGE John Cusack fan; and the thing that I usually like about him is that no matter WHAT role he plays, he basically is always... well, John Cusack. And that is just fine. BUT, and it is a BIG BUT like Mariah Carey's... since this is a period piece and it is about a VERY well known, specific personality, I don't know, but I think that his choice to play it like he always does was not correct. I think in THIS case he really DID need actually to create another, darker, more melancholy persona...

However, even with that said, I don't think that was what primarily detracted from the film. Now, overall the movie is lovely to look at and it is technically just fine and the tone is good since the director pretty much decided just to go the direct Thriller route. Okay... Personally, since it's setting is during that time, I think it would have played a LOT better if they had gone for a more Gothic look and tone, rather than giving it such an almost contemporary feel. It's like the producers got together and said, 'We want you to make another version of 'SHERLOCK HOLMES' (the one starring the excellent Robert Downer Jr.) But, considering the type of dark, tortured character and what this movie is about, I do not think that was the right choice.

A good example of sort of what I mean is the bloody EXCELLENT recent version of 'THE WOLF MAN' with B Del Torro. Now THAT film was frigg'n DRENCHED in Gothic atmosphere and REALLY made you feel that you were in the setting and time with a sh*tload of mood to spare. I personally feel that if they had approached this film a bit more with that slant rather than trying to copy the slick 'SHERLOCK HOLMES', I do honestly think it would have been much more powerful and substantive.

But, with that said, the director taking the film in the direction that he did, since he was either told to do so or chose to go that route, I think he still did a really decent job of putting out a quality movie that is entertaining. I just think that between Cusack's portrayal and the direction they chose to take the story detracted from what could have been a much stronger film.

So, yes, somewhat enjoyable, but I feel to some degree, out of place...

a thrill-less thriller inspired by the original master of horror

[tbmforclasstsar · 4/10 · 28 April 2012]

To be an author and to live your work must be a wonderfully surreal experience. If you're someone like, say, J.K. Rowling, to walk through a Hogwarts film set is a gift; it's the physical manifestation of your imagination, come to life before your very eyes. The same, however, may not be said if you're someone like Edgar Allan Poe.

And yet, live his work is precisely what Poe must do in the new drama The Raven. Directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta), The Raven tells the fictitious account of the mysterious last days of famed writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe. In the film, Poe (John Cusack) becomes the inspiration for a serial killer, one who draws upon even the minutest details of the writer's short stories to stage his killings. When a team headed by a Detective Fields (Luke Evans) begins to hunt the killer, Poe, the natural expert on the recurring murders, finds himself fighting for the woman he loves (Alice Eve) and challenged by a mastermind more disturbed than he.

To this day, no one really knows what caused Poe's death, or what, exactly, occurred in the last few days he was alive, and The Raven's attempt to answer those questions is, admittedly, quite creative. (I mean, what better way for the author of "The Tell-Tale Heart" to go than chasing a deranged murderer?) In fact, screenwriters Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare (ironically) attempt a tactic similar to that employed in 1998's romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love—both films try to concoct clever scenarios that might lend some insight as to what actually inspired some of the world's literary geniuses. However, while The Raven tries to paint a thrilling picture of said events, try is really all it manages to do. Unlike Shakespeare, The Raven never succeeds in executing its tale with much intelligence; neither does it do so with wit, elegance, or much subtlety.

It's unfortunate that this film is bogged down by such a thinly-crafted script and rather messy direction because I found, and actually still find, the entire concept to be quite fascinating; then again, I've been intrigued by Poe for as long as I can remember. And considering who, and what, the movie is about, I found it to be more silly than scary; I mean, I'm pretty sure I laughed during scenes (and lines, especially) I probably wasn't supposed to, and found Poe's human heart-eating pet raccoon Carl far more amusing than I probably should have.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/theraven/

All 4 people in my party rated it a 7/10

[witster18 · 7/10 · 28 April 2012]

VERY, VERY MILD SPOILERS.

It's a good movie. "The Raven" takes a little while to get going, but the film has some very strong characteristics and the last half is excellent.

My guess is that the majority of negative reviews will harp on the films slow first 35-40 minutes, or about some historical inaccuracies(I always hate those nitpickers on the historical accuracy of subjects of which I wouldn't know what was historically accurate or not - so who cares right?) I went to see the film with my mother, step-father, and my wife. I should note: while we only gave the film a 7/10 as a group - a huge portion of the audience actually applauded at the end of a film. You don't see that very often nowadays, so I thought it was noteworthy.

There wasn't much to choose from when I looked in the paper Friday morning, and seeing how I'm the family movie-buff, I was entrusted to make the final decision on the movie.

Now, I wasn't dying to see this, but stacked up against options like "American Reunion", "Safe", and other "gambles in my mind"; I thought going with Cusack and the director of "V for Vendetta" was the safest bet. Had I been on my own - I would have had trouble picking between "The Raven" and "American Reunion". I like Stathom, but had heard some negative reviews on "Safe". I also knew that I would ultimately see it as a rental.

"The Raven" is in the vein of "From Hell", or "Sleepy Hollow", and probably towards the latter in terms of quality.

John Cusack is FANTASTIC as Poe, a smart, witty, drunk that prints macabre tales, but otherwise seems like a pretty nice guy. When a series of killings turn out to be re-enactments of his previous work - he is instantly a suspect.

Brendan Gleeson is good(as always) as the father of Cusack's love interest, Alice Eve, and another noteworthy performance comes from Luke Evans as the detective assigned to the case.

The last half of the film moves at a nice pace compared to the first half, and the audience is really drawn in to root for Poe's character.

The style and direction are sharp, and there isn't much to criticize in terms of quality here - this is/was a nice production.

The few grotesque scenes are very effective. Kudo's go out to the computer imaging and make-up teams for making this look extremely real.

I was a bit surprised to see this ranked at 6.8 - even though that's really close to what my group rated the film. I suspect it has probably bottomed-out here. I don't expect it to go any lower. This film should hover around 7.0 by the time all is said and done.

Even though I haven't seen the other films at the theater - I have the feeling this is probably one of the best options(if not the best) for a trip to the movies this weekend. It's definitely the best option for the "adult" crowd.

Nice to see an effective film that didn't need to rely on a bunch of T&A, Mass-killings(there's only about 6 or 7 here), or over-blown CGI. I enjoyed it. It might even be worth buying and adding to the collection down the road.

73/100

You'll like this if you liked:From Hell(not as good as this), Sleepy Hollow(about even with this, or call me crazy I might have enjoyed The Raven a touch more!), Ninth Gate(not as good), or The Prestige(a little better).

Welcome back John Cusack. Perhaps his strongest performance since 1990's "The Grifters", or at least 2000's "High Fidelity".

Recommended!