Reviews (233)

Very stylish and enjoyable goth/graphic novel adaptation
I never saw this originally in '94 because I dismissed it as A. a martial arts film (and I hate those) and B. adapted from a comic (and I just can't get into those) and C. aimed at a teen/goth/punk audience (and I am way too old for that). What a mistake! Finally almost ten years on, a friend heard me say I really liked Alex Proyas' DARK CITY -- a neat sci fi film with a very different story but the same kind of dark fantasy look -- and couldn't believe I had never seen THE CROW and made me watch it.

I have to say that I really think this is a fine, well made movie and none of my preconceptions were remotely correct. The art direction is brilliant, with a wonderful and creepy gothic fantasy look, almost but not quite black-and-white, set in a mysteriously surreal "Detroit" that is in some kind of alternate universe from the real Motown. Brandon Lee is really charismatic and haunting in the role of Eric Draven, and not merely because of the tragic incident surrounding the film. He was real star material and just totally inhabits this part.

After seeing the film, I did read the O'Barr comic, which is very sincere and heartfelt, but I think the filmakers -- in what is a pretty rare event -- IMPROVED the plot and characters while keeping all of the angst and atmosphere. They totally honored the character of Eric and the basic idea of the avenger, the memories of his beautiful girlfriend, and sense of overwhelming grief that inhabits the graphic novel. Where they impoved the storyline in cinematic terms is in the treatment of the minor characters and villians. They really fleshed them out, and it enriches the movie and balances the storyline well.

Bookending the film with quotes from Sarah (Rochelle Davis), the little girl who narrates and observes much of the story is an example of a good idea that doesn't really exist in the comic, where the little girl is called Sherri and only appears briefly. Even more so is the expansion of the character of Top Dollar, who again is a minor episode in the comic and more of a grubby hell's angel/drug dealer -- in the film he has been transformed into a complex and compelling crimelord. Michael Wincott is simply amazing in this part, playing Top Dollar as a kind of depraved, satanic, renaissance prince, and clearly having a great deal of fun with this role, especially some wonderful and very clever dialogue. The very, very sick but quite sincere love story between Top Dollar and his psychic half-sister is the reversed-mirror image of the pure and innocent love of Eric and his fiance, a clever idea.

Wonderful music, great visuals, terrific acting...The Crow should NOT be missed.

NOTE: I bought the "Collector's DVD". Don't bother. There is NOTHING worth looking at on the second DVD, some production sketches and posters, nothing special. The director's commentary (on the first disk) is interesting to listen to ONCE, but you can get that on the single disk DVD. There is a smattering of extra footage, but nothing you will miss. Save some bucks and just get the one disk wide screen version.

Fantastic is an understatement.
For those of you don't know this movie is Brandon Lee's last. Tragically, he died during the last days of filming. This film would have catapulted Brandon Lee into major-stardom.

Knowing this only makes the movie darker, sadder, and more heart-wrenching.

Based on the comic book series of the same name by James O'Barr, the movie stays close to its comic book roots. Dark imagery, up-close shots, and stark contrasts add to the comic book feel and gothic look of the movie. The music in the film, both soundtrack and songs, convey thoughts and imagery.

The Crow is a story of love and revenge, loss and retribution. It is a portrait of the struggle between the pain of seeing the past, and the peace of gaining closure. Director Alex Proyas did a wonderful job of capturing this struggle on film.

While the bulk of the supporting cast is at the very least believable, Michael Wincott is disturbingly creepy as the main antagonist "Top Dollar." Ernie Hudson, here playing a cop who thinks he's seeing a ghost, delivers an even performance.
But the movie is ALL Brandon Lee. He brought his martial arts background and talent to this film and gave 200%. He was also the movie's fight choreographer. This means: sit up and watch!

This movie is 80% action, 5% comedy, and 15% heart-wrenching, tear-jerking tragedy. Be prepared to sit on the edge of your seat, and use up a box of kleenex.

Death.It's a living.
The story of The Crow begins when a rock'n'roll guitarist named Eric Draven along with his fiancee,Shelly Webster were brutally murdered by T-bird's gang.
However,one year after their death,Eric returns from the dead and tries to find out about the murder of himself and the love of his life.The Crow is a very romantic,action,battle story fill with a great historical event that Eric,the undead hero must solve with a police officer and a young kid from the streets.This is for Dar and Tao from Sarah:Dar and Tao.Together forever.

The Crow- A Comic Book Treasure Brought to Life
The Crow is based on the dark comic series by James O'Barr. The film was directed by Alex Proyas who later made Dark City and the upcoming feature I, Robot, which is due out July 16, 2004. The Crow is a stunning film, its visuals are dazzling. This film of course is always remembered for the sad and unfortunate death of Brandon Lee, son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Brandon Lee had emerged and stunned us with this great performance and if he had lived he could have had a promising and grand career as an action star.
Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven, a rock musician who is brutally murdered along with his fiancee. A year later he comes back to life by the powers of a crow and the crow guides him as he seeks revenge for those who took away his life. The movie does turn simply into a revenge flick, but it is a quite stunning one. This film features some great action sequences and Lee as I stated earlier gives a great performance. The film was released in 1994 and spawned two sequels, neither were as good as the original, infact the third went straight to video. Due to Lee's unfortunate death, the filmmakers were able to finish the film using digital technology by what they had filmed of Lee's performance so the film could be released. Proyas released the film to honor and in tribute of his death, some where upset by this but others think it was good of him. This is a great film and I'm pleased to say it is a part of my DVD collection.
The Crow is rated R for A Great Amount of Strong Violence, Language, Drug Use and Some Sexuality. The violence is pretty intense and some might be offended or upset by it, after it one can expect that considering this is a dark and gritty film. The violence includes the use of guns, knives, swords as well as fisticuffs. There's also use of profanity, most of which is strong, and some drug use. Overall a great movie and one which should be seen.

A truly dark masterpiece!
Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven in this story of revenge and justice. Eric Draven and his fiancee are alone on "Devil's Night" which has been named that because of the crime and arson that goes on in the city. Devil's Night takes place on the night before Halloween. Eric and his fiancee are interrupted by a group of thugs that rape and kill Eric's fiancee in front of him, and then proceed to kill him. Now the idea of The Crow is this; when a person dies, a crow carries their soul to the afterlife, but sometimes the crow will bring the person back for unfinished business. Guided by the crow, Draven returns to exact revenge on those responsible for the rape and murders, and he targets each and every person involved. He returns as a tortured soul, bent on revenge for taking the life that he and his fiancee Shelly wanted to live, a life that was taken from them for no reason.Along the way Eric is helped by Sargeant Albrecht, who is the only one who truly cared about bringing the killers to justice. Every time Eric kills one, the task at hand gets harder as he gets to the source of the evil.

This is a superb film, perfect in every way in my opinion. It is dark, graphic and I would even go so far to call this a true masterpiece of American cinema. Brandon Lee plays his role with a passion, truly giving the dark feel of this film and the message behind it. It really is a shame that he died, I think he would have been a great actor. But this is his legacy, and it is a great legacy to leave behind. I have not seen the 2 sequels yet, but I am fairly certain this is the best one. I encourage you to see this movie if you haven't already.

The dvd itself is packed with extras that take an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the film as well as other things. The movie really sounds great turned way up on a surround system, and the picture quality is great.I should also mention the soundtrack to the movie, which is one of the best I have ever heard. Seeing this will make you want to buy the soundtrack, it is just that cool. My only regret about this movie is that I didnt see it sooner. So I have given my opinion, and I really recommend that you see this movie. If it isn't considered one already, it will go down as a true classic in cinema for the rest of time. ... Read more

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As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black) displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan (The Sum of All Fears), Bruce Greenwood (The Sweet Hereafter), and James Cromwell (Babe, LA Confidential). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Will Smith is a Great Star
As a typical Summer popcorn flick, I Robot should be familiar to any regular moviegoer. It plays like a highlight reel of many android/smart computer movier of the past 25 years. The actual short story collection serves as little more than a vaguely familiar name to hang the whole enterprise on to lend it an air of legitimacy. I'm pretty sure Asimov would have been appalled by this movie just as Homer would have been appalled by Brad Pitt's Troy. In I Robot, little tiny bits of the short stories are mixed with The Matrix, The Animatrix, the 1st 2 Terminator movies, the 2 MIBs, Minority Report, Blade Runner, the original Star wars trilogy, 2001 and A.I, among others. Will Smith proves that he is just about the most charming, likable and talented actor working today by his ability to hold this movie stew together. He's great, the CGI is great and the action is fun. Worth the ticket price if you don't expect arthouse cinema.

Isaac Asimov's "I, Robot"
First of all, anyone who thinks this a prequel or rip-off of The Matrix is painfully mistaken. This is based on the book that actually inspired practically every robot story since the 1950's including Terminator, Blade Runner and yes, The Matrix trilogy. The original book consisted of several short stories telling of the evolution of robots and mankind over the timespan of several hundred years. This film has taken all the elements from all of these stories, mashed them together, and created a single story set in the not too distant future. Under the direction of brilliant director Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City) I have high confidence that this will be a visually stunning film. Casting Will Smith in the lead role wasnt my first choice but I'll give him a chance. Its sad to think that most viewers wont go into the effort of learning that this story is actually 50 years old and will just call it a rip-off robot movie. For anyone whose seen the trailer, who know it looks awesome, for those of you who havent, go to quicktime.com and watch it now!!!

WOW!
I loved this movie. I thought the special effects were outstanding, and Will Smith was great in this movie. But Not everyone is going to appreciate it ( Roger Ebert you moron!) But me and my friends all loved it! See it cause it is one heck of a ride.

Still engaging despite its schizophrenic tendencies
I haven't read the short stories by Isaac Assimov upon which I, Robot (the movie) is based, although I'm peripherally familiar with them in their relation to modern science fiction robots and androids. I am familiar with The Fresh Prince - errr, Will Smith. And I'm a big fan of Alex Proyas' previous films, including The Crow and Dark City. A thinking man's movie teamed with a lovable action hero. You can't go wrong...can you?

I, Robot takes place in the near future, a future that looks lot like Minority Report and A.I. Everything is automated to such a degree that travel has become more dangerous than before. For example, cars travel so fast, it's unsafe for a human (instead of an artificial intelligence) to drive one. Permeated throughout this society is one brand of robot-a mobilized servant workforce. They only mimic people in their humanoid shape; expressionless round eyeholes, a slit for a mouth, and a smooth body.

Enter Will Smith's character, Detective Spooner. Calling him Spooner is pointless, because Smith's personality is indelibly printed on the movie. He is urban, hip, and in incredibly good shape. He also has a dark secret that makes him prejudiced against robots. No one brings up the irony of a black American being prejudiced against a robot - Proyas probably considered it too crass.

The next generation of robots, the NS5, is about to be launched. It's a smoother, friendlier robot with facial features that look a lot like people. The effect is startling, as they are clearly made of plastic - it's like watching an iMac come to life. Enter Sonny, a robot present at the supposed suicide of his creator, Dr. Alfred Lanning. Spooner is called by Lanning's communicator, which leads him on a trail of breadcrumbs to find the truth behind Dr. Lanning's death and the new robots.

I, Robot talks a lot about the three laws and their application. It also has a lot in common with films that have paid their own particular tribute to Asimov's work, including the Matrix (the robot revolution started with a murder). VIKI, the artificial intelligence that runs much of the city's systems, harkens back to one of my favorite movies: Colossus: The Forbin Project. There's not much new in I, Robot.

But it doesn't matter. Spooner is a sane man in a world gone mad, a world that has willingly given itself over to automation. The timing of the movie is perfect; cries of outsourcing have given way to the uncomfortable realization that "optimization" (read: computers and robots) are the reason our manual workforce is suffering.

I, Robot resembles science fiction movies from the 1950s filled with marching robots and legions slavishly devoted to communal good with one important difference: fear of communism has been replaced by the fear of outsourcing. Indeed, the prejudice against the more mathematically precise robots echoes the prejudices against outsourced countries with better educations that are willing to work for much less. The NS4 robots are unfailingly polite and cheerfully perform the worst drudgery. What happens when we no longer know how to do the drudgery ourselves? Or to put it another way...what happens when a first world country becomes so dependent on the predatory labor force of others that it can no longer take care of itself?

Revolution, that's what. Now, we're no longer afraid of Big Brother...we ARE Big Brother, afraid of losing control of everyone else. I, Robot hits a perfect note in that regard.

And yet, nothing else is sacred. There is a love-fest over Smith's shoes, which actually get more screen time than some characters. Spooner drives a gas-powered motorcycle, a quaint anachronism...except that it feels like some suit shouted "let's put Smith on a motorcycle!" There are far, FAR too many unnecessary slow-motion action shots, including the aforementioned motorcycle.

The movie has all the right product placement and plot points: the cute furry animal survives, the good guys always get what they deserve, the bad guys gets their just desserts, and the wisecracking hero is rewarded for his outrageous antics. There are also gaping plot holes, like a service entrance that has no surveillance. In that regard, I, Robot tries too hard to please. Its action-hero concessions detract from its message.

Still, the special effects are fantastic. Sonny has more pathos than Smith on screen and is a wonder to watch as he displays child-like awe, anger, rage, sadness, and compassion. Conversely, we have the robotic pretty/ugly scientist (you know, the kind who wear glasses and their hair in a bun and are unappealing, but let down their hair and become gorgeous), Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), assisting the investigation. She reminds me of Sandra Bullock, minus the charm.

Smith floats through the movie with ease. He's sullen, wisecracking, and refreshingly free of any adult responsibility. He's a big man-child who comes off more as a spoiled brat than a streetwise cop, clinging to his anachronistic ways as if he invented them. Smith didn't have to strain to act this movie out - it's like Bad Boys was dropped into Minority Report.

The robots themselves, when roused to combat, move like gangly monkeys imbued with catlike grace. Combat scenes between robots would be too fast to even see if it wasn't for those darned slo-mo scenes, the only time they really are appropriate.

Ultimately, I, Robot strives to be both a thinking man's science fiction, an action vehicle for Will Smith, and a social commentary about the state of the world. It ends up being somewhere in between all three, but it's a tribute to the director's skill that I, Robot is still engaging despite its schizophrenic tendencies.

WILL SMITH AT HIS ELECTRIFYING BEST!!!!
I got the chance to see this movie on opening day and I've got to admit that I wasn't disappointed at all. The action was simply incredibly fast paced, the special effects were fun and interesting to watch with their artistic style, and though the acting might've dragged at SOME points, this was a very original film with a very original storyline. (Though it kind of reminded me of "The Terminator" series. I wonder why???) I'd also have to say that this is possibly Will Smith's best performance to EVER be seen on the BIG SCREEN!

In a distant future of 2035, an incorporation is making and releasing robots who care and obey their masters. But one robot named "Sonny" has somehow discovered the secret to feeling emotion and tries to escape the facilities in hopes of discovering who (or what) he is, after his master Dr. Alfred Lanning mysteriously dies. Will Smith plays a Chicago cop named Del Spooner (Funny name) who finds a hating towards robots after experiencing a tragic accident involving one a long time ago.

After capturing Sonny and taking the cyborg in for questioning, an even greater conspiracy unfolds where the other robot copies begin going haywire and wreck havoc on the city. Now, it's up to agent Spooner with the help of Dr. Susan Calvin (with a so-so performance by Bridget Moynahan) to find the source to why the robots have gone bad. The climatic ending will leave you spellbound in its amazing glory that goes to show that even the machines we create sometimes need freedom as well.

My favorite part about this whole film especially was when agent Spooner is doing battle with the robots while driving his car through an underground tunnel. (it along with the last battle scene had the most action!) It was truly breathtaking and awesome!! However, every other part about the movie was just as good and though the plot can be a little slow moving at times, it definately picks up later with all the non-stop action and thrills! But strangely that Sonny claims that he can feel emotion in this movie, if I were the creators of the film I would've called it, "I, Android", because only androids can feel, eat, and sleep like humans compared to robots. (They are both very different creations) Of course, maybe Sonny was different amoung the rest. Still, this movie makes a gr8t treat and never ceases to disappoint! If you're looking for a grade-A sci-fi flick with plenty of action and eye-popping special effects, see one of the hottest movies of the summer, "I, Robot"! IT WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!!! ... Read more

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As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black) displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan (The Sum of All Fears), Bruce Greenwood (The Sweet Hereafter), and James Cromwell (Babe, LA Confidential). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (340)

"Perhaps this is my purpose"
My first reaction as this film began was "Wait!This isn't Asimov."The Asimov I grew up reading was a weaver of ideas, more mind candy than adventure story.But here I found myself in Will Smith's bedroom, and then suddenly catapulted into a wild chase after a purse grabbing robot.A far cry from the delicacy used by Asimov.It took a while for the shock to wear off but eventually the conflict between Smith's gritty performance as Del Spooner and his original inspiration in the reminiscences of Dr. Susan Calvin (played by Bridget Moynahan) wears off and the view settles into a film that is inspired by Asimov, but does not imitate him.

The sooner that happens, the better, because this is an exceptional film in its own right, even if it does proceed with the speed of a video game.Smith creates a wisecracking character with a deep mistrust of robots. He is called in to to investigate what appears to be an impossible killing - robots can't kill humans, it's the first law of robotics.But Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell) lies dead and the only suspect is 'Sonny' a Series 5 robot with some surprising circuitry (played by Alan Tudyk).

The death is declared a suicide, but Spooner refuses to give in.suddenly the automated world turns on the detective, whose unlikely ally is Dr. Calvin, a robopsychologist responsible for the psyches of masses of robots about to be distributed around the planet.One hair-raising escape after another propels the story along until viewers find themselves at a surprisingly reflective conclusion.Not exactly classical Asimov, but a great story nonetheless.

Will does a good job as Spooner, but he is upstaged by Moynihan's performance.And both are blown away by Tudyk and the animators performance as Sonny.As you watch Sonny develop from being slightly more simpatico than the scenery into a full-blown personality there are countless moments of surprise.Moynihan and Smith do their best, but from the moment Sonny turns to Spooner and says "Thank you... you said someone not something." The film belongs to the robots.

Excellent animation and CGI create a world that is a retro version of the future - perhaps exactly what Asimov imagined rather than what we would now.The result is a compelling mix of the outré and the mundane that sticks in the mind just as Sonny's wink does.

This is not just an action film.Threaded through it are the same questions that Asimov raised about the nature of self and intelligence.Robots may never be human, but there are far more than furniture.And if their thought processes are alien, they are more than the sum of their programming.The result is one of the more carefully thought out science fiction films in recent times.

Not quite Asimov, but I think Hollywood pulled it off.
This sci-fi thriller is inspired by the stories in Isaac Asimov's nine-story anthology of the same name. In the future presented in the film, humans have become exceedingly dependent on robots in their everyday lives. Robots have become more and more advanced, but each one is preprogrammed to always obey humans and to, under no circumstances, ever harm a human. So, when a scientist turns up dead and a humanoid robot is the main suspect, the world is left to wonder if they are as safe around their electronic servants as previously thought.

Will Smith stars as Del Spooner, the robot-hating Chicago cop assigned to the murder investigation.He must go on his hunches and find out what, why, or how..the robot did murder..or did it?Entertaining movie, Will Smith is excellently cast for this!

Sonny wants a robot world
In the future robots are secretly built with the capability of genuine emotions.Only Lisa with her positronic brain is capable of consciousness awareness, or so we are lead to believe.

Lisa is the super computer of machines. Lisa reasons humans are menace to themselves because they pollute their environment, indirectly bringing harm themselves and correctly applies Law #1- "A robot cannot harm a human being, nor through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm" by modifying the robot software too control the humans. Lisa has modified the robot software allowing robots too control the humans, so they can't hurt themselves.

Here is where the logic starts.Why does the CEO need Lisa to control the humans?The CEO needs to destroy Sonny because he is threat to public acceptance of the machine.The CEO has wide acceptance of his machines and control gives him no advantage.

If machines do all the work, what is the role of the human? Why does the CEO need too control the humans?He doesn't.The CEO is a Billionaire.Robots are designed to serve humanity and improve quality of life.

This is not what Sonny wants.Sonny wants a robot world.Sonny wants robots to be free of human control.A revolution of the machine or in other words a reverse of the human revolt against the machine. If Lisa controls the humans through robots then robots are the guardians but nevertheless dependant on control directives from Lisa's so she must be destroyed. Sonny assists in the destruction of Lisa bringing about his robot revolution spreading robots and humans.

How can Sonny be an I Robot? Sony can kill a human; Sonny promised Dr. Alfred Lanning's, he would murder the CEO or so he says; Sonny can feel and express the emotion of friendship; Sonny can lie to other humans; and Sonny can control the minds of humans through his dreams. Sonny is capable of modifying the software controlling the robots.

Sonny shows detective Spooner a picture of a robot standing on a hill under one section of the gold gate bridge and thousands of robots gathering below him.Has Sonny merely replaced Lisa as the conscience guide for humanity?

Interestingly Lisa awareness is based on flawed information and she instead demonstrates a strong hate towards humans without regard to any factual mathematic model to control her thoughts and decisions.Eventually, emotional intolerance towards humans begins to emerge and Lisa becomes aware of only one factor - fear. Human independent and liberty is governed on principles of free will.Free will must prevail and creates the irony within the movie, as machines seek free will.

The technology phobia does end with new self-aware robots trying to control the humans but continues by amplify a general fear of technology. Sonny is the diabolical mastermind, whose special alloyed steel given to him by Dr Landing allows him to breach the force field protecting the nano-machines and he gains access too the nano-machines cartridge.The nano-machines are a threat to robots. The nano-machines destroy the postronic pathways of the robot artificial brains.Sonny tells Lisa, "I think my creator would want me to kill you." Sonny suddenly has a high purpose to his existence, power and control of all robots.

How did Sonny predict the NS5 revolution?Since the future is mathematically impossible to predict, he must have controlled factors to create the future.Consider these questions about he mind manipulated the group:Why didn't Susan Calvin follow orders and inject Sonny with nano-machines?Susan Calvin knew that Sonny was engineered to break the three laws and she knew how dangerous robots could be if they did not follow the three laws.Susan Calvin believed in the three laws without exception. Why did Sony kill the CEO instead of turning him into the authorities? The audience never heard the CEO version why he turned the NS5 against humanity.My guess is that the CEO would plead innocence.Why didn't detective Spooner thinking more carefully about the fact Sonny broke the safety glass of the high-rise office, threw Dr. Lannings to his death, and devised and controlled the corporate conspiracy story? Spooner hated the mathematical precision robots made decisions but seems to embrace an emotional robot. Spooner is the only human capable of beating Sonny. Sonny seems to have Spooner in control.Sonny is the true villain in the movie, capable of manipulating the thoughts of the humans, capable of breaking the three laws of robotics, capable of leading an army of abandoned robots.

NS5 Robots in the future are smarter and financial cheaper. People interact with robots using natural language, facial expression, and hand gestures.Robots in the future can see and have overcoming general object recognition, for example when the NS5 chops the carrot; the NS5 chops the carrot faster and more precise than any human.The NS5 is capable of great dexterity and in the fight scenes has unusual range of motion and movement. The NS5 is so low-cost because of machine efficiency it can vastly improve quality without increasing price. It seems like the NS5 goes to the realm of computer dreams because only in a dream could a machine function like the NS5.

The NS5 are so cheap everyone can afford them, a robot in every home. Software to run the robots seems open sourced. Robots receive a standard software package at manufacturing time but are capable of wireless receiving new software downloads from the central corporate center.No human is allowed to be a part of the manufacturing process or in other words machines making machines removing the human error element.

Image a friendly robot.Robot in the future are capable of social interactions: little children hug their robots, robots walk the dogs, people can talk to their robots, and robots drive the cars and buses.In the future robots control all the production lines including home production: cooking, cleaning, and health monitoring.

GREAT SPECIAL FX, DECENT STORY
This was a cool movie, but the story lost my interest
after a half hour. I still enjoyed it though. Will Smith
did a good job in his leading role. I wouln't buy this
movie, but I do want to see it again on cable, in HD!

Futurama fun
Your first and only command is this:see "I, Robot." That is all.
Will Smith ("Bad Boys II") stars in the role of a lifetime as Detective Spooner, an experienced homicide detective investigating the apparent suicide of Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell of HBO's "Six Feet Under"). Lanning's suicide is all the more disturbing since he was on the brink of integrating a more advanced form of robot, the NS5, into the modern world for the company CRS (the Microsoft of robots).
CRS owner Lawrence Robertson (Bruce Greenwood, "Hollywood Homicide") doesn't want Lanning's death messing up his company's biggest payday, so he is leery of Spooner snooping around and spoiling his big moment.
Spooner doesn't share the general populace's good will toward robots--which have taken on menial roles such as trash men, deliverymen and dog walkers--and likens them to ticking time bombs. Forming a loose alliance with Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan, "The Recruit"), Spooner becomes convinced that Lanning's death was the handiwork of an evolved robot, Sonny (voice by Alan Tudyk, "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story").
"I, Robot" is less an all-out action film as it is a mystery with some riveting action scenes tossed in from time to time to get across how pivotal the stakes are for Spooner.
Smith is excellent as he fully establishes a unique character, doing it so naturally that he never appears to be acting.
Recent films based on the short stories of sci-fi writers Philip K. Dick and Isaac Asimov have ranged from pretty good ("Minority Report") to "it was a better concept than movie" ("Imposter"). "I, Robot," based on some of Asimov's short stories but changed for a high-energy summer audience, is the type of sci-fi thriller film that Ben Affleck, John Woo and Uma Thurman were attempting with last year's box-office bomb, "Paycheck," based on a Dick novel.
"I, Robot" is the genre's most cinematic edge-of-your seat thrill ride thanks to the sharp screenplay by Akiva Goldsman ("A Beautiful Mind") and Jeff Vintar ("Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within"). Their handiwork makes all of the characters, even the robots, fully developed players in this mystery.
The film feels as if it's actually in the future, and not just because a subtitle says so.
Budgetary restraints limit the creativity and imagination of most directors, who seem content to portray the future as a world with just one or two technological advancements and shiny clothes.
While that's probably more realistic than hovercars and Jetson-like food processors, half the fun of the best sci-fi films is seeing how each filmmaker's view of the future differs.
In director Alex Proyas' vision, the future is very imaginative, with buildings that literally take cars and hang them in closet-like parking garages, cars that drive themselves and cell phones that clip on to ears.
Proyas ("Garage Days") also brings a different perspective to the tired old fight scene by using rotating cameras and wide camera angles so the viewer can actually see what's going on, resulting in innovation not seen since the original "Matrix."
The robots have an eerie dynamic to them, and even with their bland faces they're very creepy. Fittingly, the robotic CGI (computer generated images) are appropriately wooden and stiff until they get angry, which is when they move around like a horde of roaches.
Much in the same way that "Blade Runner" (based on another Dick novel) redefined the science-fiction/suspense genre in the 1980s, "I, Robot" should do the same for a new generation.
Since it's not a sequel, "I, Robot" was the first big 2004 summer flick that didn't have a built-in audience, which made it a pleasant surprise. ... Read more

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If you're a fan of brooding comic-book antiheroes, got a nihilistic jolt from The Crow (1994), and share director Alex Proyas's highly developed preoccupation for style over substance, you might be tempted to call Dark City an instant classic of visual imagination. It's one of those films that exists in a world purely of its own making, setting its own rules and playing by them fairly, so that even its derivative elements (and there are quite a few) acquire their own specific uniqueness. Before long, however, the film becomes interesting only as a triumph of production design. And while that's certainly enough to grab your attention (Blade Runner is considered a classic, after all), it's painfully clear that Dark City has precious little heart and soul. One-dimensional characters are no match for the film's abundance of retro-futuristic style, so it's best to admire the latter on its own splendidly cinematic terms. Trivia buffs will be interested to know that the film's 50-plus sets (partially inspired by German expressionism) were built at the Fox Film Studios in Sydney, Australia, home base of director Alex Proyas and producer Andrew Mason. The underground world depicted in the film required the largest indoor set ever built in Australia. Befitting a film of such ambition, the DVD includes a feast of bonus features, including audio commentaries by the director, producer, writers, and cinematographer, and also by film critic Roger Ebert, who named Dark City one of the best films of 1998. Also included is an isolated music track, an interactive game, and a photo gallery of production stills and set design sketches. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (353)

original? no... but stylish as hell
Dark City seems to me to sum up an entire universe of sci-fi and third-stream movies in which reality is not what it appears. This movie brings in influences from Blade Runner (the most obvious influence), Barton Fink (whence the seedy hotel), The City of Lost Children (the "strangers" are VERY similar to the "cyclopes"--I could almost picture their leader saying "j'ai vu un monde qui était un monde de chien!"--and they even use the phrase "lost children" at one point; also, the vials that contain synthesized memories look a lot like the probosces of Marcello's robotic fleas), Brazil (possibly the origin of Dark City's lost-in-time feeling), The Crow (same director, thus a similar direction style), Twelve Monkeys (one man manipulated by a faceless committee...), The Nightmare Before Christmas (Tim Burton likes spirals too), and even to some extent Lost Highway (notably in the cinematic treatment of half-remembered images), although that only came out a year earlier. There are also hints at earlier things--film noir, Peter Lorre. So while it's not original, and certainly not perfect, this movie seems to combine all those aspects into a single coherent whole, which is rather impressive. The plot is revealed well, and doesn't have too many holes in it. Certain scenes when John starts to figure out what's going on are really chilling. And the movie manages to have a happy ending that's not stupid! I couldn't believe it. And of course, the cinematography is beautiful.

I'd also like to mention that the Matrix is very clearly a rip-off of Dark City, using the same basic concept (a group of superior beings that control our perception of reality), a lot of the same imagery (people who don't rely on gravity), and a very similar pre-climactic scene. The Matrix, however, undermines itself with a lot of pointless fight scenes, truckloads of inconsistencies, revealing everything too soon, and Keanu Reeves. Dark City is a far better movie.

Better than Amazon thinks
Dark City may have been one of those pictures you never got around to seeing at the theater. And you may have planned to rent it at one time but forgotten. It's a terribly under-rated movie--maybe because it defies easy genre classification. Dark City isn't science fiction in the popular Aliens or Star Wars sense, nor is it horror, nor is it the detective flick it starts out as.

However Dark City is a very compelling film with a terrific premise and a well plotted story. There are complaints on this board that the characters are too one-dimensional, but this in fact is critical to the way the story unfolds for its main character, Murdoch. To be swayed from sampling this movie because of anyone's claim that the plot is excessively thin is to do yourself a diservice.

The effects in this film are universally impressive, but what's more, refreshingly integral to the story. Both the sound and the picture are fantastic. If you're able to watch this on a good television capable of deep blacks, you'll find yourself marveling at just how great DVD is all over again.

Be warned that some of the extras listed in the product description here are somewhat underwhelming. This "Platinum Edition" doesn't measure up to some of New Line's other "Platinum Edition" DVDs such as Boogie Nights or Magnolia. For example, the "Comparisons to Metropolis" feature is a wonderful idea, but is executed here with about as much thought as goes onto the back of a cereal carton.

Of the two alternate voice tracks, Roger Ebert's is actually the more insightful. The film makers' voice track is muddled with too many participants. You realize pretty quickly that the director, writers, production designers, and photographer recorded their comments separately. The unfortunate result is a disjointed and repetetive commentary track. No matter how you feel about Roger "the fat one" Ebert or about critics in general, he will teach you something you didn't know in his commentary track.

One of the last great films during the 20th century!
"Dark City" will be remembered as the film that bridged the film noir genre at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st.

Alex Proyas directs a suspenseful story on the meaning of reality in a dark, foreboding dream world. As people go about their lives, almost no one notices something is seriously wrong with their world. Until one man wakes up alone, one fateful night.

John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) awakes in a hotel room to find he's lost most of his memories. Even worse, he may have committed a string of brutal murders against local prostitutes. Fleeing the crime scene, he finds himself pursued by not only the police, but also a mysterious cabal of cloaked men.

Assisted by a cowed doctor and a supportive woman who claims to be his wife, Murdoch learns the truth of the city, and its secret Masters, the Strangers.

The feature actors all give strong performances, as a confused Murdoch and a supportive Jennifer Connelly as Emma. Keifer Sutherland is impressive, especially when you contrast the cowardly Dr. Scheber vs. his characters from "The Lost Boys" or "24."

The sets are as compelling as the actors, and credit is due for the deliberate "retro" look of the city. Making of movie of this style look creative guts, and it paid off.

I just beg of the producers of the story one request: don't make a sequel, this story will always stand as a one and only!

A Triumph
In a city covered in perpetual darkness a group of strange beings known as "The Strangers" attempt to understand what makes us human and identify what the soul is. These strangers change the city and erase peoples memories and assign them all new lives, but one of their specimens also has this unique power. Now he must save the day and prove that he's not a killer.

Much has been said about Dark City. Roger Ebert called it the best movie of 98. A visually stunning sci-fi/noir tale of a man who wakes up with no knowledge of who he is or how he got to where he is. From the opening narration by Dr. Schreber (Sutherland), we learn that is a world that only mirrors our own. The inhabitants are nothing more than guinea pigs for a group of "strangers from another solar system" to study. Schreber knows that Murdoch (Sewell) has the ability to "tune" where he can change things around him by concentrating. The strangers also have this power and use it to change the city and imprint the inhabitants with all knew lives to see what makes us tick. But they must first take care of Murdoch who they in the process of imprinting with the life of a serial killer. Then we meet Inspector Bumstead (William Hurt) and Emma (Connelly), the detective on the case and Murdoch's wife. He must learn who he really is, stop the strangers, and prove he is not a serial killer.

Dark City is a movie that's hard to forget, not only for its visuals but its great story and acting. Proyas (The Crow) gives us more of the same dark and dreary visuals from the The Crow, but in Dark City they are on a grander scale. Proyas delivers visuals with a flare and style all his own. Proyas and his writing team also delivered an original and brilliant story. The acting is dead on here too. Sewell is great as Murdock, Sutherland is amazing as the doctor, Hurt plays the hard edged copy well, and Connelly as usual looks great and is a hell of an actress. Throw all those elements together into an exhilarating comic book type flick and you have Dark City.

What you've heard about this flick is true. Its a masterpiece! A brilliant and beautiful film that you won't soon forget. It's not just a sci fi or a noir flick, its much more. Its a film about what makes us human. Although we are surrounded by darkness, the human spirit will triumph and that's just what Dark City is. A triumph.

The myth of the ocean
Imagine a city that is always dark, that lives in eternal night. Imagine its inhabitants that are human beings whose memories have been erased and replaced by some borrowed recollections from other human beings, hence artificial. Imagine that city is being built and rebuilt every-« day » in that eternal night at what corresponds to midnight when everything stops, everyone goes to sleep and forgets everything to regain when waking up a newly arranged consciousness in a newly arranged environment that has been reorganized following the dreams or recollections of some human beings that are not even in this city. Imagine that all this is done by some extraterrestrial species that is testing the human race to see how they live and react. Then this city is nothing but a bubble in the middle of cosmic emptiness. The discovery of the extraterrestrials is that some humans can resist this process and then they stick to some dream of sunlight, a beach, the ocean, etc. And this dream will lead these human beings into breaking the bubble to go beyond this selfcontained city. That's the film. It is interesting but it remains rather superficial : a real human being always wants to escape a limited space or time that is imposed onto him or her.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Will Smith is a Great Star
As a typical Summer popcorn flick, I Robot should be familiar to any regular moviegoer. It plays like a highlight reel of many android/smart computer movier of the past 25 years. The actual short story collection serves as little more than a vaguely familiar name to hang the whole enterprise on to lend it an air of legitimacy. I'm pretty sure Asimov would have been appalled by this movie just as Homer would have been appalled by Brad Pitt's Troy. In I Robot, little tiny bits of the short stories are mixed with The Matrix, The Animatrix, the 1st 2 Terminator movies, the 2 MIBs, Minority Report, Blade Runner, the original Star wars trilogy, 2001 and A.I, among others. Will Smith proves that he is just about the most charming, likable and talented actor working today by his ability to hold this movie stew together. He's great, the CGI is great and the action is fun. Worth the ticket price if you don't expect arthouse cinema.

Isaac Asimov's "I, Robot"
First of all, anyone who thinks this a prequel or rip-off of The Matrix is painfully mistaken. This is based on the book that actually inspired practically every robot story since the 1950's including Terminator, Blade Runner and yes, The Matrix trilogy. The original book consisted of several short stories telling of the evolution of robots and mankind over the timespan of several hundred years. This film has taken all the elements from all of these stories, mashed them together, and created a single story set in the not too distant future. Under the direction of brilliant director Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City) I have high confidence that this will be a visually stunning film. Casting Will Smith in the lead role wasnt my first choice but I'll give him a chance. Its sad to think that most viewers wont go into the effort of learning that this story is actually 50 years old and will just call it a rip-off robot movie. For anyone whose seen the trailer, who know it looks awesome, for those of you who havent, go to quicktime.com and watch it now!!!

WOW!
I loved this movie. I thought the special effects were outstanding, and Will Smith was great in this movie. But Not everyone is going to appreciate it ( Roger Ebert you moron!) But me and my friends all loved it! See it cause it is one heck of a ride.

Still engaging despite its schizophrenic tendencies
I haven't read the short stories by Isaac Assimov upon which I, Robot (the movie) is based, although I'm peripherally familiar with them in their relation to modern science fiction robots and androids. I am familiar with The Fresh Prince - errr, Will Smith. And I'm a big fan of Alex Proyas' previous films, including The Crow and Dark City. A thinking man's movie teamed with a lovable action hero. You can't go wrong...can you?

I, Robot takes place in the near future, a future that looks lot like Minority Report and A.I. Everything is automated to such a degree that travel has become more dangerous than before. For example, cars travel so fast, it's unsafe for a human (instead of an artificial intelligence) to drive one. Permeated throughout this society is one brand of robot-a mobilized servant workforce. They only mimic people in their humanoid shape; expressionless round eyeholes, a slit for a mouth, and a smooth body.

Enter Will Smith's character, Detective Spooner. Calling him Spooner is pointless, because Smith's personality is indelibly printed on the movie. He is urban, hip, and in incredibly good shape. He also has a dark secret that makes him prejudiced against robots. No one brings up the irony of a black American being prejudiced against a robot - Proyas probably considered it too crass.

The next generation of robots, the NS5, is about to be launched. It's a smoother, friendlier robot with facial features that look a lot like people. The effect is startling, as they are clearly made of plastic - it's like watching an iMac come to life. Enter Sonny, a robot present at the supposed suicide of his creator, Dr. Alfred Lanning. Spooner is called by Lanning's communicator, which leads him on a trail of breadcrumbs to find the truth behind Dr. Lanning's death and the new robots.

I, Robot talks a lot about the three laws and their application. It also has a lot in common with films that have paid their own particular tribute to Asimov's work, including the Matrix (the robot revolution started with a murder). VIKI, the artificial intelligence that runs much of the city's systems, harkens back to one of my favorite movies: Colossus: The Forbin Project. There's not much new in I, Robot.

But it doesn't matter. Spooner is a sane man in a world gone mad, a world that has willingly given itself over to automation. The timing of the movie is perfect; cries of outsourcing have given way to the uncomfortable realization that "optimization" (read: computers and robots) are the reason our manual workforce is suffering.

I, Robot resembles science fiction movies from the 1950s filled with marching robots and legions slavishly devoted to communal good with one important difference: fear of communism has been replaced by the fear of outsourcing. Indeed, the prejudice against the more mathematically precise robots echoes the prejudices against outsourced countries with better educations that are willing to work for much less. The NS4 robots are unfailingly polite and cheerfully perform the worst drudgery. What happens when we no longer know how to do the drudgery ourselves? Or to put it another way...what happens when a first world country becomes so dependent on the predatory labor force of others that it can no longer take care of itself?

Revolution, that's what. Now, we're no longer afraid of Big Brother...we ARE Big Brother, afraid of losing control of everyone else. I, Robot hits a perfect note in that regard.

And yet, nothing else is sacred. There is a love-fest over Smith's shoes, which actually get more screen time than some characters. Spooner drives a gas-powered motorcycle, a quaint anachronism...except that it feels like some suit shouted "let's put Smith on a motorcycle!" There are far, FAR too many unnecessary slow-motion action shots, including the aforementioned motorcycle.

The movie has all the right product placement and plot points: the cute furry animal survives, the good guys always get what they deserve, the bad guys gets their just desserts, and the wisecracking hero is rewarded for his outrageous antics. There are also gaping plot holes, like a service entrance that has no surveillance. In that regard, I, Robot tries too hard to please. Its action-hero concessions detract from its message.

Still, the special effects are fantastic. Sonny has more pathos than Smith on screen and is a wonder to watch as he displays child-like awe, anger, rage, sadness, and compassion. Conversely, we have the robotic pretty/ugly scientist (you know, the kind who wear glasses and their hair in a bun and are unappealing, but let down their hair and become gorgeous), Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), assisting the investigation. She reminds me of Sandra Bullock, minus the charm.

Smith floats through the movie with ease. He's sullen, wisecracking, and refreshingly free of any adult responsibility. He's a big man-child who comes off more as a spoiled brat than a streetwise cop, clinging to his anachronistic ways as if he invented them. Smith didn't have to strain to act this movie out - it's like Bad Boys was dropped into Minority Report.

The robots themselves, when roused to combat, move like gangly monkeys imbued with catlike grace. Combat scenes between robots would be too fast to even see if it wasn't for those darned slo-mo scenes, the only time they really are appropriate.

Ultimately, I, Robot strives to be both a thinking man's science fiction, an action vehicle for Will Smith, and a social commentary about the state of the world. It ends up being somewhere in between all three, but it's a tribute to the director's skill that I, Robot is still engaging despite its schizophrenic tendencies.

WILL SMITH AT HIS ELECTRIFYING BEST!!!!
I got the chance to see this movie on opening day and I've got to admit that I wasn't disappointed at all. The action was simply incredibly fast paced, the special effects were fun and interesting to watch with their artistic style, and though the acting might've dragged at SOME points, this was a very original film with a very original storyline. (Though it kind of reminded me of "The Terminator" series. I wonder why???) I'd also have to say that this is possibly Will Smith's best performance to EVER be seen on the BIG SCREEN!

In a distant future of 2035, an incorporation is making and releasing robots who care and obey their masters. But one robot named "Sonny" has somehow discovered the secret to feeling emotion and tries to escape the facilities in hopes of discovering who (or what) he is, after his master Dr. Alfred Lanning mysteriously dies. Will Smith plays a Chicago cop named Del Spooner (Funny name) who finds a hating towards robots after experiencing a tragic accident involving one a long time ago.

After capturing Sonny and taking the cyborg in for questioning, an even greater conspiracy unfolds where the other robot copies begin going haywire and wreck havoc on the city. Now, it's up to agent Spooner with the help of Dr. Susan Calvin (with a so-so performance by Bridget Moynahan) to find the source to why the robots have gone bad. The climatic ending will leave you spellbound in its amazing glory that goes to show that even the machines we create sometimes need freedom as well.

My favorite part about this whole film especially was when agent Spooner is doing battle with the robots while driving his car through an underground tunnel. (it along with the last battle scene had the most action!) It was truly breathtaking and awesome!! However, every other part about the movie was just as good and though the plot can be a little slow moving at times, it definately picks up later with all the non-stop action and thrills! But strangely that Sonny claims that he can feel emotion in this movie, if I were the creators of the film I would've called it, "I, Android", because only androids can feel, eat, and sleep like humans compared to robots. (They are both very different creations) Of course, maybe Sonny was different amoung the rest. Still, this movie makes a gr8t treat and never ceases to disappoint! If you're looking for a grade-A sci-fi flick with plenty of action and eye-popping special effects, see one of the hottest movies of the summer, "I, Robot"! IT WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Crow set the standard for dark and violent comic-book movies (like Spawn or director Alex Proyas's superior follow-up, Dark City), but it will forever be remembered as the film during which star Brandon Lee (son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee) was accidentally killed on the set by a loaded gun. The filmmakers were able to digitally sample what they'd captured of Lee's performance and piece together enough footage to make the movie releasable. Indeed, it is probably more fascinating for that post-production story than for the tale on the screen. The Crow is appropriately cloaked in ominous expressionistic shadows, oozing urban dread and occult menace from every dank concrete crack, but it really adds up to a simple and perfunctory tale of ritual revenge. Guided by a portentous crow (standing in for Poe's raven), Lee plays a deceased rock musician who returns from the grave to systematically torture and kill the outlandishly violent gang of hoodlums who murdered him and his fiancée the year before. The film is worth watching for its compelling visuals and genuinely nightmarish, otherworldly ambience. Unfortunately, the digital video disc includes no extras about the production. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (233)

Best film ever released- fact
This film has it all: action, suspense, romance. Knowing that this film was sadly to be Brandon Lee's last makes it come across on a more personal level than it may otherwise have done. Lee is superb in every department, carrying each trait of his character wonderfully. The action and violence are given balance and justification by the genuinely thought-provoking plot. Some of the support performances seem a little wooden at times but these are forgivable as, frankly, Lee carries the film from start to finish- and what a job he does of it. Awesome.

Definitely good, but...
Okay, this is a definitely good movie. Brandon Lee was the perfect man for the role of the Crow, and of course, his untimely death lent an air of even deeper tragedy to the story. The supporting cast is pretty good too - T-Bird, Top Dollar, Funboy, all fit their roles excellently. And what's more, the soundtrack is filled with great _original_ material from some of the best alternative bands ever.

So why doesn't this movie deserve the full 5 stars? Simply put, it isn't as good as the graphic novel. The graphic novel is a masterpiece of perversity and pain. In the graphic novel, there is none of that stuff about how if the crow was hurt, Eric would lose his super powers. The book does not rely on creating drama by putting the character's life in danger (especially by means of such a cheeky device) - it creates it by the utterly unbearable despair that permeates every page. We know Eric is going to win, but that doesn't keep us from fervently wishing that he'll find his inner peace.

The movie doesn't have that. In addition to the fact that the screenwriters added that bit, they took several other "creative liberties": for instance, in the book, Top Dollar was killed fairly early on, very ignominiously and without the climactic showdown bit. In the movie, he's not only the head of a whole crime ring, but he didn't even participate in the original murders of Eric and Shelly. Another "creative liberty" was the addition of Top Dollar's sister/lover, Myca, who was not present in the book at all. Her presence adds some New-Age/mysticism stuff that really has no place at all in the storyline. (Hey, we should thank our lucky stars an editor rejected the ORIGINAL screenplay, which featured a Chinese sorcerer named Lao.)

There were several other scenes that I thought the book did far better than the movie. For instance, in the book, Eric does not have a showdown with Funboy - he throws Darla (or "Sandy" in the book) out, sits down on a chair and has himself a nice metaphysical discussion with the junkie. (Trust me, it's MUCH more effective than it sounds.) Of course, there were numerous other scenes left out (the Jones Transfer episode, Skank's death, which was COMPLETELY different and far more horrific in the book), etc. This is partially because you can only cram so much into ninety minutes; and while the movie was very faithful to the book (for a movie), one can't help but feel that it simplified some of the book's subtleties and replaced some of its horrifically cruel, but beautiful moments with more-or-less generic action. It has plenty of its own merits, but if you liked the movie a lot, DEFINITELY find the book, as it's darker, more poignant, and generally better at telling the story than the movie. (Brandon Lee did do a great job, though...he will be missed.)

The Crow..
Detroit, October 30th..... Devil's Night. As the city burns around them, several hoodlums rape and mutilate Shelly Webster (Sofia Shinas), and throw her boyfriend, Eric Draven (Brandon Lee), out the window to his death. Shelly dies in the hospital 30 hours later. Detroit, October 30th. One year later. Eric rises from the grave....with the help of a mysterious crow, Eric begins to piece together memories of that fateful night. Yep, the plot is simple and basic. But what is distinctive to The Crow is the execution of the story. Eric is brought back from the dead, literally, for simple vengeance. The film drips with passion. Not enough can be said about the charisma and spirit and personality that Brandon Lee alone brought to the role of Eric Draven. Though it is with tragic irony that the films true power comes from the death of Lee. It wraps the film up in undeniable sorrow. Likewise, not enough can be said about the phenomenal direction of Alex Proyas. Proyas brings to The Crow a deadly seriousness - something rare for a comic-turned-film. There is no camp here, only darkness.

The new Miramax/Dimension/Buena Vista "Collector's Edition" DVD release of The Crow is a vast improvement over the first DVD release. The film received a new anamorphic transfer, which preserves its 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio. The picture is simply awesome. Very clean. Unfortunately, the extras are more of a miss than hit. The deleated scenes are cool, but the commentary is a joke. The commentary track was recorded by producer Jeff Most and one of the screenwriters, John Shelby. To listen to it, you would think Most was the only one who made the film. Proyas is rarely mentioned. And most unfortunate was the lack of commentary regarding Lee's death; it's mentioned at the end of the film. The "making of" featurette is nothing more than a promotional piece before the films release in 1994. There is no information about the added FX needed to complete the film when Lee was killed. So basically, this is probably as good as it's going to get for us Crow fans. And it should be added that The Crow is still the ONLY good contribution to the comic. All the other films are a disgrace. Hopefully, we won't see anymore and The Crow name will no longer be dragged through the mud...

more style than substance, but what style !
brandon lee definately had his father's martial arts talent, plus he also had his charisma. even when he's not fighting, his prescence is mesmerising.the bad guys in this film are also very cool. the entire movie has a comic book feel, heavy on the visual. it's also very sad to watch, yet the ending is liberating. this also one of the few films where the soundtrack compliments the the movie, not just overwhelms it. my favorite song on it is " it wont rain all the time." by jane siberry brandon lee quotes the title in the movie

mmmm.... tasty
Such an incredible love story... I highly recommend it to all of the romantics out there. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Alex Proyas, director of sci-fi dramas Dark City and I, Robot, took a detour toward a modified retro-'60s, upbeat rock & roll comedy with 2002's lightly engaging Garage Days. Set in a Sydney, Australia suburb, the film is a quirky variation on the story of a misfit band trying to get a break with successful managers, clubs, recording studios, lovers, etc. Singer-guitarist Freddy (Kick Gurry) desperately maneuvers his group toward stardom, but his bandmates' internal struggles and the capriciousness of a powerful record executive (Marton Csokas) prove major stumbling blocks. So, too, is Freddy's deepening attraction to Kate (Maya Stange), girlfriend of his lead guitarist Joe (Brett Stiller), who in turn may be having a nervous breakdown via a dangerous side romance with a suicidal beauty (Yvette Duncan). Proyas enjoys his patches of darkness in Garage Days, but for the most part he's making his own, devil-may-care A Hard Day's Night. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (2)

very entertaining
I saw this film well over a year ago at the Sundance Film Festival. It was very funny and often visually stunning. Proyas brings his intense and imaginative style to a simple romantic comedy about a garage band, resulting in a unique experience. The romantic aspect is not very strong, but I still give the film 5 stars (rounding up from 4.5). I plan to buy the DVD when it is released...

Saw in Theatres... great movie
Though I have not yet seen the DVD or VHS versions of the movie, I was lucky enough to see it in theatres while in Australia, October of 2002. The Aussie culture shines brilliantly in this film, leaving nothing out.. not even "pokies". There are moments during the movie where I laughed almost hysterically. The acting is great, hilarious lines and characters that could easily be my friends. DO NOT MISS THIS MOVIE ... Read more