Posted by: Bradley Redder
First, let me just say that outside of the profoundly silly delivery of "Nevermore," that horseback chase sequence was by far my favorite part of this movie. If the detective sending Poe after the murderer instead of any one of the handful of others far more suited to the task is the set-up, then Poe falling off the horse nine seconds later and emptying his gun into shadows in the mist is the perfect punchline. The only thing it was missing was a few seconds of struggling before Poe could actually mount the horse and take off. It was gloriously dumb, and yet maybe the truest moment in the entire film: Why on Earth would Poe last much longer than that on a horse? Or know how to aim and fire a gun? This might beg the question: "Why am I still criticizing it for being ridiculous and out of place, then?" Because this happens so late in the film, and McTeigue has spent the previous eighty minutes trying to condition the audience into seeing Poe as a Hollywood hero. So, though it does succeed in providing the most entertaining sequence of the entire film, it is a complete failure and falls flat on its face in regard to its actual intent.
Which brings me back to the question I asked you... I was not talking about removing Poe or keeping him. What I'm curious to know is whether you think the more entertaining film would have been a series of weird "Nevermore" lines and goofy horseback scenes, or a more true-to-life depiction of Poe in a darker, more psychologically twisted film in more capable hands. We both agreed that this concept has potential, but potential for what, exactly? It relates to the larger question of Poe's superfluousness in this story. Personally, I think I'm so caught up in wishing that there had been more of these dopey, ham-fisted Poe references that I want the fully-realized goofy version of The Raven. I wanted The Tell-Tale Tambourine. As it stands, it's just about halfway in between: too silly to take seriously, but too labored to provide enough of that silliness for me to have a good enough time.
Though the way you interpreted that question makes me wonder now if it would have been better to scrap Poe altogether. I know it's not really fair to judge a movie based on how true to life or source material it is... I understand and fully stand by dramatic license and all, but at the same time I don't think it's fair, either, to just cut-and-paste an interesting historical figure into a dull script in order to jazz it up without at least putting any of that person's traits into the character. Having Poe ensures a certain expectation that the audience will have, and not delivering on that in any way is not only unfair, but it's also incredibly distracting. I'm supposed to look at this gun-wielding asshole running around after a murderer for ninety minutes and see him as the guy that wrote some of the most fantastic poems and mystery stories I've ever read? Not happening. So, given that this was an obnoxiously bland and poorly constructed film, I have to say that I might have been a little more willing to suspend my disbelief and go with it had the guy been named Steve... Because Steve knows how to ride that fucking horse.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Entry 4: RE: "Raven" - It's not im-Poe-tant
Posted by: Chad Van Alstin
I think with or without Edgar Allan Poe this would still be a
really bad movie. I find it difficult to come up with anything that really stood
out to me as original. Basically, everyone has seen this movie before -- except
this time Edgar Allan Poe happens to be a character in the story.
All of the fun in The Raven comes from those moments where the story becomes too silly to take seriously. Take for example one of the film's chase scenes: we have the police and Edgar Allan Poe hunting down the murderer. Never for a second would I have guessed that this sequence would end with Poe riding horseback, shooting his pistol like a hero from an old western. Scenes like this are so unintentionally ridiculous that it's hard not to be a little entertained.
I also kept having to remind myself that John Cusack is playing Edgar Allan Poe. The character is never believable or interesting at all. It's almost as if the other actors on screen were calling John Cusack "Poe" all the time as a way to constantly remind the audience that Edgar Allan Poe is a character in this movie.
All of the fun in The Raven comes from those moments where the story becomes too silly to take seriously. Take for example one of the film's chase scenes: we have the police and Edgar Allan Poe hunting down the murderer. Never for a second would I have guessed that this sequence would end with Poe riding horseback, shooting his pistol like a hero from an old western. Scenes like this are so unintentionally ridiculous that it's hard not to be a little entertained.
I also kept having to remind myself that John Cusack is playing Edgar Allan Poe. The character is never believable or interesting at all. It's almost as if the other actors on screen were calling John Cusack "Poe" all the time as a way to constantly remind the audience that Edgar Allan Poe is a character in this movie.
I admit that removing the Poe gimmick would make some of the
scenes less (unintentionally) funny. However, I'm not sure that my enjoyment
level would change all that much. There just isn't enough in this movie to
really keep me interested.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Entry 3: RE: "Raven" - Po(e)stponed
Posted by: Bradley Redder
I just wanted to quickly comment on the question you posed at the end of your post... Why Poe? It's an important question given how much this film failed him not only as a mystery writer but also as an actual historical figure. I had planned to address it in a later post. The short answer is yes, I think he was definitely tacked on to a lame script... There's no way this was originally intended to be a movie based on/about/featuring Edgar Allan Poe. We both touched on it in our reviews, but I think your observation nails it... It is exactly like putting a celebrity's image on an everyday product in order to make it seem cool.
So I'll put off answering in full for now and ask you a related question: which film would you prefer... The silly, goofy, fun movie that The Raven sometimes was and which I started craving halfway through this dud, or the moody, atmospheric thriller that it could have been had Poe actually been utilized as more than a character name?
And if you're wondering... There are plenty more Poe puns where those came from.
I just wanted to quickly comment on the question you posed at the end of your post... Why Poe? It's an important question given how much this film failed him not only as a mystery writer but also as an actual historical figure. I had planned to address it in a later post. The short answer is yes, I think he was definitely tacked on to a lame script... There's no way this was originally intended to be a movie based on/about/featuring Edgar Allan Poe. We both touched on it in our reviews, but I think your observation nails it... It is exactly like putting a celebrity's image on an everyday product in order to make it seem cool.
So I'll put off answering in full for now and ask you a related question: which film would you prefer... The silly, goofy, fun movie that The Raven sometimes was and which I started craving halfway through this dud, or the moody, atmospheric thriller that it could have been had Poe actually been utilized as more than a character name?
And if you're wondering... There are plenty more Poe puns where those came from.
Entry 2: RE: "Raven" - Cheese or Poe-peroni?
Posted by: Bradley Redder
I don't know if it's a sign of a dull film or of this blog being comprised of two incredibly astute viewers that we both came away with an almost identical dislike of this sorry piece of shit. I notice that both of our reviews hit on all of the same points; mine originally even contained mention of that outrageous utterance of "Nevermore" by Poe himself at the costume ball. What a ridiculous moment! But perhaps one that should have been replicated throughout. Think of how much fun this could have been had we seen Poe just walking around shamelessly quoting his most macabre lines in ordinary conversation: "Villains! Dissemble no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the planks! Here, here! It is the beating of... little Timmy's tambourine. I borrowed it last week and forgot to give it back. Sorry."
If I had to pick out what the biggest problem with The Raven was, after much deliberation I think I would say inconsistency of tone. You are right when you say this had the potential to be fun; I thought the same thing. It's really not a bad premise, but McTeigue just doesn't really know what to do with it. The murder scenes are handled in radically different ways, sometimes gravely, like the opening double murder, which actually brought some legitimate thrills. But then you get scenes like the pendulum murder, which are so over-the-top and cartoonish they couldn't possibly be taken seriously at all. And the reactions to these murders, the pendulum one in particular, were just as erratic: The guy identifying the bloody, halved body of the victim is vomiting when he enters the room, and by the time he is leaving a few minutes later looks like he's wondering which toppings he should get on his pizza.
If only McTeigue had settled on a cheesy approach, all of this could have been great. All of the schlocky silliness could have been right at home. Then when we got to the end and the killer is getting away on horseback, leaving behind a horse and a dozen policemen, I would have been laughing with the film when the wounded lead detective tells Poe to ride after him. Not any of the able policemen... Poe. The alcoholic writer. Horrible.
I don't know if it's a sign of a dull film or of this blog being comprised of two incredibly astute viewers that we both came away with an almost identical dislike of this sorry piece of shit. I notice that both of our reviews hit on all of the same points; mine originally even contained mention of that outrageous utterance of "Nevermore" by Poe himself at the costume ball. What a ridiculous moment! But perhaps one that should have been replicated throughout. Think of how much fun this could have been had we seen Poe just walking around shamelessly quoting his most macabre lines in ordinary conversation: "Villains! Dissemble no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the planks! Here, here! It is the beating of... little Timmy's tambourine. I borrowed it last week and forgot to give it back. Sorry."
If I had to pick out what the biggest problem with The Raven was, after much deliberation I think I would say inconsistency of tone. You are right when you say this had the potential to be fun; I thought the same thing. It's really not a bad premise, but McTeigue just doesn't really know what to do with it. The murder scenes are handled in radically different ways, sometimes gravely, like the opening double murder, which actually brought some legitimate thrills. But then you get scenes like the pendulum murder, which are so over-the-top and cartoonish they couldn't possibly be taken seriously at all. And the reactions to these murders, the pendulum one in particular, were just as erratic: The guy identifying the bloody, halved body of the victim is vomiting when he enters the room, and by the time he is leaving a few minutes later looks like he's wondering which toppings he should get on his pizza.
If only McTeigue had settled on a cheesy approach, all of this could have been great. All of the schlocky silliness could have been right at home. Then when we got to the end and the killer is getting away on horseback, leaving behind a horse and a dozen policemen, I would have been laughing with the film when the wounded lead detective tells Poe to ride after him. Not any of the able policemen... Poe. The alcoholic writer. Horrible.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Entry 1: RE: "Raven" - What did I just see?
Posted by: Chad Van Alstin
I guess that the only question I have is this: was this film intended to be more, or is this just some boring movie that the filmmakers added Edgar Allan Poe into as a gimmick to sell tickets? I'm inclined to believe it's the latter.
While I liked the gory scenes, I agree that they seem made
for 3D. Very strange. It's almost as if this was intended, as so many films are
presently, to be a 3D blockbuster. After all, it seems to have all the makings
of a really fun adventure flick -- great cast, murder, a damsel in distress,
gunplay.
Yet, the end result is really flat. Nothing ends up being
really fun at all -- though the potential for fun was there. I wouldn't necessarily mind the hokey,
generic, script if it were all packaged in a fun movie. The only real enjoyment
I found came from mocking the movie moments that we've all seen previously in
countless other films.
I guess that the only question I have is this: was this film intended to be more, or is this just some boring movie that the filmmakers added Edgar Allan Poe into as a gimmick to sell tickets? I'm inclined to believe it's the latter.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Chad's Take: "The Raven" (2012) - 1 Star
I’m going to assume by now that you’ve seen the trailer for The Raven, a film by V For Vendetta director, James McTeigue. You know the premise: a fictional Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) is helping hunt down a serial murderer, who seems deeply inspired by Poe’s work. This story is told through a series of chase scenes, shootouts, and other movie clichés.
To say that the plot unfolds without originality would be a complete understatement. This is a formula movie, and a very poor one at that. The Raven displays a visual style that seems to strive for mediocrity, and only succeeds at reaching that level some of the time. The film shows very little creativity in its visual style, and sometimes it looks downright ugly.
The cinematography is as formulaic as the film’s script — every shot seems borrowed from somewhere else; every scene seems crafted around a stale idea from the past. While I expected to see a film heavily influenced by past “whodunits”, The Raven fails so completely to deliver anything original that it seems like little more than a cheap knockoff.
Brad's Take: The Raven - *
The basic idea of The Raven is, though a little ridiculous, a pretty good idea for a fun piece of pulp: A serial killer bases his murders on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe, leading the police to ask for his help in tracking this killer down. When Poe agrees, the killer kidnaps his fiancé and challenges him to write stories based on his future murders in exchange for clues as to his fiancé's whereabouts. So Poe becomes detective trying to solve the mystery of his own work. Sounds interesting, no? Art imitating life... turning life into art... about art based on life imitating art... or something like that. Well, it's not interesting. Not in the slightest.
I'm not sure if it's ironic or just lazy that a murder mystery about Edgar Allan Poe could be so lacking in thrills. How is that possible? Well, it doesn't help that Poe is written about as blandly as can be, without any real hint of what made the man a literary genius. His poetic, mid-19th century style of speech is turned on and off as if by switch depending on the importance of the scene's expository dialogue, and alcoholism is treated like a boy scout merit badge he is trying to earn, rather than a debilitating condition that might actually turn him into an interesting protagonist. So we see him getting into barroom tussles and calling everybody "philistine" which, had I not been told about two hundred and seventy four times that this guy wrote "The Raven" (the poem, not this movie), is pretty close to how I would describe this character.
The Raven was directed by James McTeague, who previously directed the fantastic V For Vendetta and the hyper-kinetic Ninja Assassin, which makes me wonder how this film could be so drab. It's visually dull, poorly paced, and has no idea what tone to adopt, being at times almost tongue-in-cheek ridiculous while at others so self-serious it was almost parody. Even worse, it fails to create any kind of tension or atmosphere... you might think that it would have a sense of macabre, but instead everything is brightly lit, even the underground coffin in which his fiancé is being kept. The characters are constantly carrying around lanterns which, given the abundant sources of light in every scene, I have to assume were some leftover props from another film.
The real mystery of The Raven is why this story had to be told using Poe as its main character. There seems to be no reason beyond using a recognizable figure to grant legitimacy to such an insipid screenplay. Beyond a few references to some of his works in the form of murders with cartoonish splatters of blood shooting at the screen (which made me seriously wonder if the guy in the ticket booth forgot to give me my 3-D glasses) and the aforementioned two hundred and seventy four allusions to "The Raven," there is almost nothing onscreen resembling the life or works of Edgar Allan Poe, missing above all the imagination it takes to create a compelling murder mystery.
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