The last time I watched The Crow was almost a year ago.  It was during this viewing that I realized I truly loved this movie (as much as someone can "love" a movie).  Despite having seen it many times, it was almost as if I were seeing it for the first time.  While I had always appreciated it, I had never realized just how deep that appreciation went.  It wasn't just the story or just the action, but it was each character, their little intricacies, the little lines of dialogue that fell so perfectly into place. 

I should put up a disclaimer: The Crow is not a pleasant movie.  It is dark, violent, tragic, crass, and haunting.  And yet, through it all, it carries a certain beauty to it.  An air of sorrow hangs over the entire movie, but it somehow manages to leave you feeling comforted.  It's not too different from a funeral really.  It leaves you with a feeling of peace and remembrance.

The set up of The Crow is simple enough.  Eric Draven and his fiancée are murdered the night before their wedding.  One year later, Eric is resurrected and made unkillable.  From the guidance of a mysterious crow, he realizes he has been brought back to enact vengeance on the people who murdered him and his fiancée.  What elevates the movie is the emotional pain that runs through the movie.  You feel what Eric is feeling, both the good and the bad.  

Along his journey, he sees the ripple effects that his death have caused in those around him.  He comes to appreciate everything he had before and attempts to pass on this knowledge before his mission is done.  This is all accomplished by Brandon Lee's amazing performance as Eric Draven (and yes, that would be the son of Bruce Lee).  It makes the film all the more tragic that Brandon Lee was accidently killed towards the end of filming.  If you know the story behind the making of the movie (and the comic that it was based upon), it adds a whole new level to the film's already eerie mood.

Brandon Lee does an amazing job of going between the extremes of a mad man to a broken soul immobilized by fear.  The rest of the cast is solid.  One more actor that deserves special attention is Michael Wincott who plays the main villain Top Dollar.  I'm sure many will recognize Wincott's gravely voice the second they hear it.  This is his most insane, over-the-top performance that I have ever witnessed.  Top Dollar is one of those character's that could easily go too far into hammy territory, but Wincott somehow manages to keep it grounded with a layer of cynicism and evil.  His character's fate plays perfectly into the films ending.

The whole movie is brought together with fantastic imagery and some killer music.  The former is thanks in large to director Alex Proyas.  While I really like Dark City and even enjoyed I,Robot, I believe The Crow is Proyas's best film hands down.  In regards to the music, this movie manages to successfully blend a solid musical score with the popular rock and alternative songs of its day.  This is a tactic that has been imitated many times since, but never really pulled off.  I can't say I'd listen to any of the bands during my free time, but within the context of the film, they blend wonderfully with Graeme Revell's compositions.  

Some movies are great despite their little flaws.  In The Crow, it's the little things that make it great.  An iconic shot here, a quotable line of dialogue there.  The movie is both tragic and hopeful.  It manages to find reason in the chaos of life.  Every time I watch it, despite the terrible events that take place, I'm left with a peaceful feeling by the time the credits roll.  And that, among other reasons, is why The Crow is a movie I love.

PS: Don't waste your time with any of the Crow sequels or the short lived TV series.  It will only taint your memory.