Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox – 111 min – 2012 – Rated R -1080p – 2.40:1 widescreen – DTS-HD 5.1 Audio – Digital Copy

It seems that Hollywood is trying to make ‘alternate history’ their newest genre to capitalize on. Earlier this year Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter had our 16th President fighting the undead and attempting to unite the country. Now another famous figure in history, gothic author Edgar Allen Poe (who ironically is also in character in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) is given his own alternative twist in The Raven, released on Blu-ray by Fox. Poe was without a doubt one of the most influential literary geniuses of his time, but could he have also been a kick ass action hero?

THE MOVIE

For those who may not know of his work, Edgar Allen Poe wrote such literary classics as The Pit and the Pendulum, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher, and of course The Raven, just to name a few. His stories were all set in a dark, scary and violent world, making him the Godfather of the horror genre. Poe himself was a very dark and lonely man who died very mysteriously, which is what this film focuses on. Not his whole life, just the last days before his death and a theory of what could have happened.

John Cusack plays the title role as the infamous author, and he does a great job by not attempting to make Poe likeable or sympathetic, but instead a chaotic misfit who doesn’t seem to fit into the century he’s been placed. Poe is an alcoholic who is just desperate to sell some more of his writing so he can get a few bucks in his pocket, and win the heart of his girl Emily (Alice Eve). Unfortunately Poe’s life goes further into the Baltimore sewer when individuals in the city are gruesomely being murdered in the same manner as depicted in his literary tales. This catches the attention of Detective Emmet Fields (played by Luke Evans) who enlists Poe’s help to help him track down the killer. Poe could care less, but when his true love Emily is kidnapped by the serial killer, and now he must join forces with the detective to save her before she suffers the fate of one of his fictional characters.

On the surface this sounds like a great idea, but the problem is the pacing of the film does not match the enthusiasm of the premise. Cusack is doing all he can to hold the film together, the main issues are with the story’s execution. Director James McTeigue, who helmed V for Vendetta seems to be putting bits and pieces from various other films such as Seven and Sleepy Hollow, making the film vey slow in places and when the suspenseful moments do occur they are full of clichés that we’ve seen in endless movies and even episodes of CSI.

Edgar Allen Poe was a fascinating person, and by the stories he wrote he was most likely a very tortured soul. The Raven could have been a film that stood out in the mystery suspense genre, but unfortunately it plays out like a made for cable movie. It makes you wonder what would a director such as David Fincher, Guillermo Del Toro, or even Brian De Palma would have done with the material.

VIDEO

The image quality of The Raven is of its best features. Presented in full 1080p in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, this Blu-ray displays very strong detail. Its gloomy atmosphere and dark environments have been carefully mastered to immerse you in the setting. Blacks are strong, but colors, even though they’ve been toned down, still stand out. Close up on the characters show of plenty of facial detail down to every line on Cusack’s aging face. If this were an old catalogue title it would have looked horrible, but working with a pristine new source material made for an excellent transfer.

SOUND

The sound also holds strong, offering a DTS-HD 5.1 surround mix that will draw you into old century Baltimore. This film is heavy on sound effects and background atmosphere, which effectively helps to build of suspense. Dialogue is clear and the actors present their lines almost as if it’s a theater production, with an exaggerated pitch. The score by Lucas Vidal also stands on its on and gives the film an old world feel.

EXTRAS

The bonus selection is simple, just your basic quick behind the scenes look at the making of The Raven.

An audio commentary track is provided by Director James McTeigue, who is joined by the film’s producers Aaron Ryder, Marc D. Evans and Trevor Macy. The four of them explain the back-story of the film, as well as some standout on the set tales.

There are six deleted scenes that add up to about eleven minutes, but it seems that all of these scenes added no new layers and would have slowed down the film even more.

The Raven Guts is a thirteen-minute long making of piece with interviews with the casts and filmmakers.

The Raven Presents John Cusack and James McTeigue has the film’s star interviewing his director with questions about his interest in making this movie

The Madness, Misery and Mystery of Edgar Allen Poe is just as it sounds, allowing two experts on Poe’s life and work talk about the man himself.

Music for The Taven has the film’s director talk to composer Lucas Vidal and his team who created the film’s score.

A Digital Copy is also accessible for viewers on the go.

BOTTOM LINE

Edgar Allen Poe and his work are fascinating, but The Raven does not hold up to his legend. The Blu-ray offers solid picture and sound quality and a basic set of bonus features. At best, this one is a rental and you can make your own choice as whether or not it’s a keeper.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 2.0

Video: 4.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 2.0

Bottom Line: 2.5