Young musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) is brutally murdered alongside his fiancée by members of a violent gang. On the anniversary of their death, Eric rises from the grave and assumes the gothic mantle of the Crow, a supernatural avenger. He then sets out on a macabre mission to mercilessly hunt down everyone responsible and make them answer for their crimes.

For thoughts on The Crow, please check out my colleague’s op-ed here.

Video Quality

Lionsgate presents The Crow with a fantastic 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer that handily bests any previous release of the film. The ancient Blu-Ray release first seen in 2011 has always been a bit of a disappointment for fans of the film, so it is exciting to see this one finally given the respect it deserves. This release does not come with an accompanying Blu-Ray, but we have the previous release, and the improvements could not be more obvious. Any minor specks of damage previously visible appear to have been eradicated. Detail and clarity will knock you sideways along with the natural film grain which thankfully remains intact. We did not spot any signs that any grain reduction has been applied, as you get a fine sheen that resolves well.

This grain allows the texture to come through in the costumes, the environments, and the all-important makeup effects. Facial details such as the streaking makeup or some moments of blood, cuts, and bruises present with impeccable clarity. The Dolby Vision/HDR makes a notable difference, even though this is far from a colorful spectacle. The stylistic intention of the picture is well represented as each decaying setting is at its optimal appearance. Skin tones look natural, if not just a slight bit desaturated. Color saturation otherwise does not falter in any meaningful way. Highlights offer great stability without veering into blooming, except when stylistically intentional. Black levels maintain a tremendous amount of depth and detail in copious amounts of darker environments. Paramount should be commended for giving this one such grand video quality.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track which handles the material adeptly. The environmental sounds are distinguished effectively alongside everything else. The low end response kicks in every time it needs to, providing some rich texture to the proceedings. There do not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear to this one. The score is used perfectly to establish the tone of the story, and this track handles it without issue. There is never a moment where it threatens to clip competing sounds, and it maintains a fine balance so that dialogue comes through clearly.

The environmental effects are very present as the sound of rain, gunfire, and other chaotic elements barrel through the speakers with force. The track focuses pretty heavily on the front channels, but overall there is a fairly expansive soundscape that captures the precise sound design of the film with perfect fidelity. The track features some consistent activity even when things ease up for some character moments. Paramount has given this film a solid audio presentation that serves the movie well. There is a vast array of optional subtitles provided including English and English SDH.

Special Features

Paramount has provided The Crow with an optional sleek new SteelBook that is truly lovely in person. The case comes with a removable plastic slipcase that has a crow in mid-flight with a clear portion where Eric is showing through the crow. The artwork underneath shows Eric with his guitar and the appearance of wings on his back. The rear features Eric walking through the rain in an intimidating manner. The interior sports a depiction of a crow with its wings expanded using different materials. Photos of the set can be found at the bottom of the review. The on-disc content is as follows:

Audio Commentaries: There are two archival commentary tracks provided in which the creative figures deliver some great information about the film, updates that were made to the script, shooting some key moments practically, and more.

- Audio Commentary #1: Director Alex Proyas

- Audio Commentary #2: Producer Jeff Most and Screenwriter John Shirley

Shadows & Pain – Designing The Crow: A new three-part documentary totaling 24 minutes is provided in which Production Designer Alex McDowell explores various facets of the film that even go beyond his discipline. This is a great addition that fans will want to dig into.

- Angels All Fire – Birth of the Legend (7:07)

- On Hallowed Ground – The Outer Realm (8:12)

- Twisted Wreckage – The Inside Spaces (10:00)

Sideshow Collectibles – An Interview with Edward R. Pressman: A nearly 14-minute interview with the legendary producer in which he discusses the development of this adaptation, working with Alex Proyas, a new collectible figurine, and more.

Behind The Scenes Featurette: A 17-minute archival look at the creation of the film featuring great vintage interviews with the creative team.

A Profile on Jame O’Barr: A nearly 34-minute interview with the original creator of The Crow who discusses the development of the character and details about his background.

Extended Scenes: Three scenes totaling 12 minutes of unused material are provided.

Deleted Footage Montage: A six-minute selection of unused footage is provided here.

Trailer: A minute-and-a-half-long trailer for the film is provided.

Final Thoughts

The Crow is really great bit of budget-conscious filmmaking that translates its comic book origins to inspirational levels. The legacy of the movie is tinged with tragedy, but the movie is a dynamic piece of art that stands on its own merits. Brandon Lee is magnetic in the lead role and is essential to making this work. The reality of this city is deftly nurtured to create a heightened aesthetic that allows the near-lawlessness to feel more believable. This is upper-tier when it comes to ruthless tales of revenge. Paramount has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a gorgeous A/V presentation and a fine array of new and legacy special features. If you are a fan of the film, this new release is a no-brainer. Recommended

The Crow will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in a Standard and SteelBook edition on May 7, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.