The long-awaited remake of cult classic The Crow has bombed at the box office, much to the delight of its original director.
Since the announcement of a new Crow remake, almost everyone has expressed skepticism with a resounding “actually?” Is that the original movie being remade? The film’s foundation is rooted in a well-known comic book series, although many people are familiar with the 1994 version to begin with. The film’s director, Alex Proyas, expressed discontent with the remake, sharing his sentiments that the original should have been left untouched in an interview last year? Tragedy struck when Brandon Lee, star of the 1994 film, suffered a fatal accident involving a prop gun during filming, casting a shadow over any potential remakes and sparking widespread controversy.
Despite its expected buzz, the film’s lackluster performance became evident from the outset, debuting to a meager $4.6 million and ultimately garnering only around half of that amount in total funds, a dismal $50 million. The movie’s underwhelming performance starkly underscores the futility of the creative endeavour, serving as a poignant reminder of the significant resources squandered in its production. When viewers find themselves deriving a modicum of satisfaction from the film’s shortcomings, they’re not alone; author Scott Westerfeld has been sharing additional insights about his work on Facebook since the movie’s release. “Wow. The field workplace is a massacre,” claimed Proyas in his scathing assessment, further lamenting that he perceived the remake as a crass, money-driven endeavour. “Not many people have enough money to buy it seems.”
The film has fallen flat across the board, with underwhelming performances from both critics and audiences alike; its Metacritic ratings stand at a dismal 29/100 for critics and a paltry 3.1/10 from consumers. While scores aren’t everything, it’s clear that this movie isn’t for everyone. Perchance there lies an unspoken truth in resisting the urge to reimagine everything beneath the sun merely because we can.
