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critique Talk about this scene
- Thread starter Dean Jay
- Start date
Ok so I'm not going to do an in depth analysis, but basically Ernie Hudson is good, and the DP is on the low end of average, aside from that, it's a total loss. This is not a talented director at work. There is no imagination in design of the scene, the plot is kind of ludicrous and basic, to the extent of feeling copy pasted from a million comic books. Of course they did this same setup in GOT, except it was amazing. Remember when Oberyn Martel came to Kings Landing? That's this same basic plotline. The wife, daughter, girlfriend, is brutalized in some way, usually raped and then killed, then the hero finds out, and embarks on a quest for revenge.
I would describe the scene above as "hamhanded", kind of a clumsy and basic approach to executing a simple plot structure point. Any time you have an opportunity to pass information on to the viewer, you should be thinking about the most interesting context that it could occur in. If realism calls for the conversation to take place in a living room, then that's where it should be. When you're doing a fantasy action film with an undead ICP escapee, and a pivotal part of your film takes place "next to a lamp from the store", you may be underthinking it. There are so many ways that this scene could have been memorable. The first thing that comes to mind would be having this plot reveal take place during another situation, which is entertaining in it's own right. You see this done all the time in good movies.
Imagine a scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but with this director. We need to know that Indy hates snakes, so they make a scene where Indy goes to his living room and makes a phone call. He's filmed sitting on a sofa, and calls a friend to discuss his dislike of snakes. It's now been established, but in the most banal possible way.
Anyway, there's my critique. Ernie Hudson is great, and this scene is incompetent.
I would describe the scene above as "hamhanded", kind of a clumsy and basic approach to executing a simple plot structure point. Any time you have an opportunity to pass information on to the viewer, you should be thinking about the most interesting context that it could occur in. If realism calls for the conversation to take place in a living room, then that's where it should be. When you're doing a fantasy action film with an undead ICP escapee, and a pivotal part of your film takes place "next to a lamp from the store", you may be underthinking it. There are so many ways that this scene could have been memorable. The first thing that comes to mind would be having this plot reveal take place during another situation, which is entertaining in it's own right. You see this done all the time in good movies.
Imagine a scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but with this director. We need to know that Indy hates snakes, so they make a scene where Indy goes to his living room and makes a phone call. He's filmed sitting on a sofa, and calls a friend to discuss his dislike of snakes. It's now been established, but in the most banal possible way.
Anyway, there's my critique. Ernie Hudson is great, and this scene is incompetent.
I remember watching this in the theater when it came out and never watched it again... I'd had high hopes for it but it just didn't get it done for me.
This scene certainly could have been more memorable. I feel like I just heard the first draft that needed even more whittling down and polishing.
It tried to be deep but not even the actors could save it because it just doesn't go deep enough because the dialogue doesn't go deep enough.
This scene certainly could have been more memorable. I feel like I just heard the first draft that needed even more whittling down and polishing.
It tried to be deep but not even the actors could save it because it just doesn't go deep enough because the dialogue doesn't go deep enough.
I thought it was good. A top shelf popcorn flick. I don't think it tried to be anything else.
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You're right. And? That was a totally POPCORN scene.
It was a good scene. I didn't see anything wrong with it technically or artistically.
You wrote "you're right, And?"... I answered the 'and'. Were you looking for me to say something specific?
Not at all. Just saying I understand your perspective. I don't have to agree with it but I'm not here to argue about this scene... LOL.
I don't consider arguing a bad thing. I love discussions that cause people to expand their original idea, theory, conclusion, etc.... Somebody might suggest The Crow is deeper than it appears, then offer reasons why they think that, and based on what they say, you might pause to think about it. Hasn't that ever happened to any one? It happens to me all the time. Stay open minded. Leave room for new ideas and be willing to argue. And be willing to listen to other people's arguments. After all, this thread is called Talk about this scene.
edit: depending on the source, argue can be defined as simply discussing ideas - to angrily try to persuade someone to agree with you. I'm for the more passive definition. I guess most people would use Discuss instead of Argue.... So let's discuss.
edit: depending on the source, argue can be defined as simply discussing ideas - to angrily try to persuade someone to agree with you. I'm for the more passive definition. I guess most people would use Discuss instead of Argue.... So let's discuss.
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Agreed. Arguing, as in being angry and using verbal force. I agree that will usually get you nowhere... 
I can TELL you don't consider arguing a bad thing since you KEEP going on the thread. And? Discussions are good but in this particular case and this particular scene? I'll agree to disagree because in my humble opinion... There's NOT that much to talk about.
MAYBE they were going for your popcorn analysis... Maybe NOT. I think they were going for something a little deeper and I think they failed in this particular scene.
In my humble opinion? Neither the acting or the dialogue made ME feel anything. I think Hudson's character accepted the fact that Brandon Lee's character (Eric) APPEARS way too easily. He's a cop. Sure, he asks him IF he's a ghost and Eric doesn't even know and that's pretty much it. LOL.
I feel like this was a missed opportunity for everyone to figure out a little more about WHO this is... Not much of a character introduction in my honest opinion.
Not believable either... To me.
I don't feel like it's worth much more of my discussing it.
MAYBE they were going for your popcorn analysis... Maybe NOT. I think they were going for something a little deeper and I think they failed in this particular scene.
In my humble opinion? Neither the acting or the dialogue made ME feel anything. I think Hudson's character accepted the fact that Brandon Lee's character (Eric) APPEARS way too easily. He's a cop. Sure, he asks him IF he's a ghost and Eric doesn't even know and that's pretty much it. LOL.
I feel like this was a missed opportunity for everyone to figure out a little more about WHO this is... Not much of a character introduction in my honest opinion.
Not believable either... To me.
I don't feel like it's worth much more of my discussing it.
Lol, I guess this scene was at least strong enough to polarize people.
I know that the Crow was a big movie for some people, and I probably enjoyed it the day it was released. It's been a long time though, and I think audiences in general have become more sophisticated in terms of recognizing weaknesses in film. To me, today, this scene looks "undercooked" but I'm sure it once brought happiness to someone. Personally, I see the John Wick movies as the "replacement" for the Crow series, with a very similar plot, and better overall execution.
Also, welcome back Unknown, we thought you had been abducted by one of those flying saucers that are always snatching up lone cyclists from the American southwest.
I know that the Crow was a big movie for some people, and I probably enjoyed it the day it was released. It's been a long time though, and I think audiences in general have become more sophisticated in terms of recognizing weaknesses in film. To me, today, this scene looks "undercooked" but I'm sure it once brought happiness to someone. Personally, I see the John Wick movies as the "replacement" for the Crow series, with a very similar plot, and better overall execution.
Also, welcome back Unknown, we thought you had been abducted by one of those flying saucers that are always snatching up lone cyclists from the American southwest.
I saw a UFO earlier this year and it wasn't a saucer.
It turns out they're triangles.... at least not the one i saw.
flipping/rotating triangle with a triangular hole inside it.
It looked a lot like this and was about the height/size of an airplane
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Don't worry it's not an alien, it's just Mr. Beast, a teenager that became a global financial superpower after publishing his epic film "what happens to an iphone if you drop it in a fishtank" The triangle is actually an Apple Icar, which he was given to beta test 16 years before public release as a reward for learning to ask clickbait questions in huge print on youtube thumbnails.