Review of The Raven (2012) by Alex R — 09 Oct 2012

The Raven is a mediocre horror thriller that could have been much better. I've been a big fan of Edgar Allen Poe's work, and though I found the concept of the film to be quite interesting, I found that the script was flimsy and some of the dialogue was poorly written.

I really enjoyed James McTiegue's directorial debut with V for Vendetta, but with The Raven, he just clumsily directs a film that just doesn't seem to work. Some of the cast are pretty good, unfortunately the script just doesn't work, and the attempt of combining a mystery with psychological horror leaves you wanting more.

I'm a big fan of Poe's work, and I was really looking forward to seeing this film, sadly I was disappointed in the result. McTiegue is a great director, but with this film, he just misses the mark.

This film could have been so much better than what it turned out to be. This is a disappointing flick that just doesn't deliver anything memorable or entertaining. Although I have to admit that the gore effects were great, it still didn't add anything substantial to the film, and the screenwriters could have put a bit more effort into trying to make everything work.

The elements for a great story were there, but the execution was poor. If you're looking for something entertaining, you'll be disappointed with The Raven. I found myself being bored most of the time while watching, and despite a good, it's a shame that this film never takes off.

The film has elements of the psychological horror genre along with mystery/ thriller elements, and with that said, with a proper script rewrite, The Raven would have been a terrific film.