THE RAVEN (2012)

Genre: Thriller
Director: James McTeigue
Cast: John Cusack, Luke Evans, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Brendan Coyle, Kevin McNally, Pam Ferris, Dave Legeno
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence & Gore)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures & MVP
Official Website: http://www.theravenmovie.com/

Opening Day: 26 April 2012

Synopsis: In this gritty thriller, Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack, Being John Malkovich) joinsforces with a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans, Immortals) to hunt down a madserial killer who's using Poe's own works as the basis in a string of brutalmurders. Directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta, Ninja Assassin), the film alsostars Alice Eve (Sex and the City 2), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and OliverJackson-Cohen (Faster). When a mother and daughter are found brutally murdered in 19th century Baltimore,Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) makes a startling discovery: the crimeresembles a fictional murder described in gory detail in the local newspaper-part ofa collection of stories penned by struggling writer and social pariah Edgar AllanPoe. But even as Poe is questioned by police, another grisly murder occurs, alsoinspired by a popular Poe story. Realizing a serial killer is on the loose using Poe's writings as the backdrop forhis bloody rampage, Fields enlists the author's help in stopping the attacks. Butwhen it appears someone close to Poe may become the murderer's next victim, thestakes become even higher and the inventor of the detective story calls on his ownpowers of deduction to try to solve the case before it's too late.

Movie Review:

Give this reviewer any movie starring underrated John Cusack, and he will gladly sit through the entire picture. Yes, even the sluggish Shanghai(2010) and 2012 (2009) had merit in the form of Cusack’s underrated performances. In his latest project, the 45 year old Hollywood actor plays American author and poet Edgar Allan Poe.

“Edgar Allan who?” – we hear you ask. If you aren’t too well informed about the literary critic who is best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, this thriller would just serve as another popcorn flick to kill off the boring weekend.

The movie is a fictionalised account of the last days of Poe’s life, where he hunts down a serial killer whose murders resemble those depicted in his stories. The background is 18^th century Baltimore, a period where Poe is a struggling writer and a social pariah. As a series of gruesome killings begin to mirror his creations, he becomes a key factor in a determined detective’s investigation to hunt down the murderer.

Director James McTeiguire is no stranger to gritty thrillers. Highly lauded for his work on V for Vendetta (2006), one can see the Australian filmmaker’s love for cruel killings and ghastly deaths in his third feature film (he may want to erase any trace of memory from the redundant Ninja Assassin starring Korean heartthrob Rain). The intense cinematography by Danny Ruhlmann and the fast paced editing by Niven Howie serve this movie well, but there is something about the screenplay written by Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare that prevents the film from reaching its full potential.

The 110 minute production takes its time to get into the groove of things, with a lethargic first third which will only interest enthusiasts familiar with Poe’s work and life. For the rest of us, the introduction feels exhaustingly weary, a sign which doesn’t bode well for the excitement that’s to come.

The revelation and action comes on fast and furious after that, and the average movie goer would be kept at the edge of his seat while Cusack’s Poe pieces the jigsaw puzzle together to solve the mystery before it’s too late. Of course, it also helps that Cusack’s performance manages to engage the viewers in the most pleasantly surprising ways. Be it a nonchalant expression, a deadpan quote or a frantic cry for help, the Illinoisborn actor will have you believing that these were the exact emotions Poe experienced in his last days. Given the actor’s versatility in vastly different films like High Fidelity (2000), Being John Malkovich (1999) and Con Air (1997), it is no wonder he can handle this role with ease.

Cusack is supported by a cast of equally fine actors like the manly Luke Evans (The Three Musketeers) as an unwavering detective, the luminous Alive Eve (Sex and the City 2) as an unfortunate victim trapped by the serial killer, and veteran Brendan Gleeson (Albert Nobbs) as her suspiciously dubious father. The ensemble cast puts together a winning performance which saves the grim movie from being another forgettable thriller.  

Movie Rating:

(An average thriller saved by John Cusack’s charismatic on screen presence)

Review by John Li