The Raven...No not the Highlander one..

Howdy boys and girls! Back with a bit of a more current spin on an old thing. The retelling of an old tale of misery, murder, gruesome and grandeur. So polish the mononocle, grab that absinthe and partake in the local play. This is The Raven.

Spoilers nevermore...

A sot,a uproarious drunk with a keen and gifted mind. Edgar Allen Poe (John Cusack of Better Off Dead, Grosse Point Blank, Serendipity and 1408) feels underappreciated and less than nothing by this rabble that is the common man; is penniless from his world tour due to his level of indulgence and feels his is at his wit's end. A series of brutal murders have occured in Baltimore where Poe resides and a young detective named Fields (Luke Evans of The Immortals,Robin Hood, The Three Musketeers and Clash of the Titans) notices the disturbing pattern of each of the murders is identical to a short story of Poe's. Desperate for help, Fields enlists Poe's assistance in stopping this madman before he strikes again.  While men of completely different caliber and strengths, Fields and Poe try to make a common ground to reach in order to decipher this lunatic's warping of Poe's macbre tales.

Kidnapped is Poe's fiancee` Emily Hamilton (Alice Eve of Big Nothing, Crossing Over, She's Out of My League and Men in Black 3) to taunt and torment Poe's already tortured soul but to inspire words of brillance and morbid fancy all for the killer to read and revel in as this deadly game of cat and mouse continues on the killer's terms. The clock is ticking down as we discover that Emily does not have long for this world unless Fields and Poe can crack the case with the disturbing clues into the madman's psyche.

Director James McTeigue (V for Vendetta, The Invasion and Ninja Assassin) tells us the tale of what would be the happenings of Poe, his written works and the downsides to that of which they could very well create. Now while this is in no way, shape or imagination new ground; the story is well told and shot to a degree of professionalism that V for Vendetta was. The angled shots, crane and hand held was pretty spot on. John Cusack did a fine job as Poe. He attempts to show facets of all the man; his hopes, dreams and nightmares if you will and while this is not the best version of this tale but worth the view.

I would like to point out this gothic story has a fair degree of blood and gore attached to it so that is something to take into account. Certainly not the bloodiest film of the thriller genre, I believe From Hell still holds that mark in my humble opinion.