Poe fans should enjoy suspenseful film
Photo Credit: Google Images
"The Raven", now in theaters, stars John Cusack.
May 24, 2012 • Erika Vichcales, Managing Editor
Filed under Arts and Entertainment
The Raven, one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous pieces of literature, is now also a movie about Poe’s last few days on Earth. Poe, played by John Cusack, is caught up into an ongoing investigation of a serial killer who’s using Poe’s works of fiction as inspiration for his murders. Being a huge fan of Cusack and of Poe, I was highly anticipating the release of this film.
Though I am definitely an admirer of Poe’s work, I was a little anxious on how the blood and gore would be translated onto the screen. Being someone who does not enjoy seeing a lot of on-screen violence, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the times I needed to cover my eyes were sparse. Though there were a few bloody scenes The Raven was definitely more of a psychological thriller. On one end it was the typical, “can we catch the killer” drama, but the director were able to make it a little more interesting than that. Since it was based on Poe’s works, the mystery was following the clues that could be interpreted through the stories he wrote.
Overall, I would definitely give The Raven four out of five stars. I thought the main positives about the movie were the creative plot, suspense, and the acting.
Suspense was the key piece to this film. Being a murder-mystery, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats isn’t always an easy task to accomplish. During The Raven I never knew what to expect, or what unexpected twist was coming next. Not only did the audience get to see a story depicting Poe’s last days, but the love story as a side-plot added a romantic element to the plot.
The originality of referencing Poe’s famous works, such as The Pit and Pendulum, The Masque of the Red Death, Murders at the Rue Morgue, and integrating them into the plot is one of the main reasons that I enjoyed and would highly recommend The Raven to Poe fans.
Not only was the plot creative, but the acting in The Raven was very well done. Edgar Allan Poe is a difficult persona to portray, but I believe that John Cusack did a fantastic job. Poe is known to have been not well liked while alive, and Cusack was able to completely take on that characterization. Cusack’s portrayal of Poe, along with the supporting roles, made The Raven even more believable.
If Poe’s work is the reason you set foot in the theater, then be prepared to see another side of him. Yes, Poe is seen as moody and volatile, but also seeing him go through despair over the murders and his passion for his lover brings a new side of Poe to the public. As a Poe fan, I enjoyed being able to see this fictional story from his perspective, giving me a slight moment of what it could have been like to think and see events through Poe’s eyes.
Considering the storyline, the acting, and the suspense I would highly recommend The Raven for anyone looking for an interesting film this spring.
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