DVDFile

When the original The Crow was released in 1995, I assumed the film was going to be a one shot deal. After the tragedy of Brandon Lee's untimely death, I felt the creation of a sequel was in bad taste, but my opinion is of little consequence to a studio. The original was very profitable, so in one of those "shitty realities of the industry" (Brandon Lee's words from the documentary on The Crow) a sequel was a foregone conclusion. Yet both producer Jeff Most and James O' Barr collaborated once again, even though they questioned the validity of even making a sequel.

Admittedly, Eric Draven isn't the primary focus of The Crow. Instead, the focus was turned towards the crow's ability to bring the dead back to the world of the living. The crow resurrects someone who has been brutally murdered to avenge those who have been harmed. In City of Angels, the unfortunate victims of a brutal murder are a father and son.

Ashe (Vincent Perez) is the father, but unlike the first film, where Eric is a bit lost about his purpose at first, fate has brought Ashe together with Sarah (Mia Kirshner) a mysterious young woman with a past. Sarah is actually the same girl who was in the first film, only older. Not only does the film explore her life after Eric and Shelly, but the complications of when she falls in love with Ashe, who she's just supposed to guide through our world.

City of Angels is definitely lacking when compared to the original film, but I don't think it can be nailed down to just one thing. The villains aren't as memorable, even though both Richard Brooks and Iggy Pop seem to relish their roles as Judah and Curve, respectively. While the extension of Sarah story was a solid idea, perhaps the payoff was too depressing. Plus, when watching this film, it just seemed to be an excuse to put a new rock album together. Considering the effort Jeff Most usually puts into the soundtracks, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. In all, The Crow: City Of Angels is a big disappointment.