Hello everyone. Wednesday is now upon us once again, the one day when I’m let out of the Asylum to watch another horrifying film. This week It’s “The Raven”. Here’s hoping It’s horrifying enough to sate my blood lust for another week or else I could be turning on the Inmates soon. When I’m not here, I can be found bouncing off the walls at my other page, Left Field Films!
“The Raven” (2012), is directed by James McTeigue and stars John Cusack in the lead role as Edgar Allen Poe.
If you don’t already know, Poe’s death is till shrouded in mystery. He was found looking shabby and delirious on the streets of Baltimore. He was taken to hospital and shortly afterwards, died. His final word’s were, “Lord, help my poor soul”.
There is no reliable evidence to explain what he did in his final days. “The Raven” uses this premise to weave a murder mystery into Poe’s final days.
Poe is broke, and hasn’t written a good story in a while. He is an egotistical drunk who has a habit of pissing off most people he comes across except a young socialite, who seems to be quite taken with him (her father doesn’t exactly approve of this).
Meanwhile, a serial killer is killing people quite elaborately (and unrealistically), using key death’s from Poe’s previous works. The police point the finger at him, but it soon becomes clear It’s another person’s handywork and Poe is dragged into solving the mystery. He has no choice really, the killer wants to help Poe create his literary masterpiece by forcing him to write about his pursuit of the murderer, which is to be serialised and printed in each days newspaper. If he fails to do this, the killer will kill his socialite girlfriend (who he has kidnapped and hidden in a secret place).
So begins a game of cat and mouse with Poe always trying to guess the killer’s next move. I’ll leave the story there so I don’t spoil it.
This movie is pretty ridiculous. I’m a fan of Cusack from his earlier work, but his movie choices these past couple of years have been preposterous. The idea that Poe went from writer, to detective in his final days, is laughable. Every death scene gets more ridiculously elaborate as the film goes on.
This film is switch off your brain, popcorn movie crap. I saw this film a good while back, but trying to remember exacly what happens in it eludes me. It is that forgettable.
I’m not even sure why anyone would want to make a film like this. Probably to fill the gap in the horror market for elaborately staged deaths, since the “Saw” franchise is now over (for now).
Cusack plays his part like he’s pretending to be Nicolas Cage (wierd haircut and all), who is pretending to be Poe. Totally out of character for an actor that good.
I give this film 1 needle out of 5.
Sorry to everyone who likes this film, It’s just not my bag I’m afraid.
I hope to see you all next week. It’s now time to get some candy from the Head Doctor!
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