What's so bad about The Crow: City of Angels (1996)

The movie is often criticized for being a bad movie and it got bad reviews when released, compared to the first one, but I felt the second was good actually.

Now like the first one, it's a very deep film at all. Both movies suffer from the same weakness and that is weak villains.

But as a violent comic book style fantasy action movie, but on that level it works. One thing I noticed on this viewing, since I was a kid, is that the villain may have been inspired by the villain from Live and Let Die (1973), as both villains are druglords who both have a psychic, and both are black as well. Maybe I am reading too much into it, I just thought maybe it wasn't a coincidence.

But either way, I thought it was an effective action comic book style romp, and it worked on that level, and felt it was up to par with the first one, maybe just a little less so but still good. Although the rock music isn't near as good in this one as the first.

What do you think, or why did it get a lot of hate?

It could be a tie-in, not sure. Can't offhandedly recall who wrote the script.

I am fond of the film. I have also read the novelization (you can find it cheap on Amazon). The movie itself is awfully yellow and purple, which is an eyesore after a while. However, I greatly enjoy the movie and enjoyed the book. Neat alternate ending in that, by the way. I used to have a crush on Mia Kirshner, too, so that factored into my original interest.

Vincent Perez did a fine job, but most of the hate is the fact that it un-"abashed, the devil stood"-ly repeated the same story/vengeance quest of the original (which became beloved with cult status) with some minor gender/interpersonal differences. It's hard to squeeze a lemon twice. I will also say that the story itself is nothing special, and it also lacks the romantic power of the original (Ashe/Sarah aside) and some of the cooler fights/action. It was made with a different taste in mind. Director is not bad, but also not great.

There's some folks that didn't like the original, maybe some out there that would enjoy this one more, or hate both of them.

All in all, I agree with you that more people ought to give it a chance. I happily own it on DVD, enjoyed the special features/making of. It also came out in 1996, not long after, so a bit early and again, the passing of Lee didn't help. Nothing in this movie rivals Albrecht, Eric/Shelly & Sarah for me, and I think that's the real point for lack of interest.

I actually own the trilogy (not really a trilogy). Wicked Prayer was god awful, so I won't touch that one, not even for Boreanaz or Furlong, and I hope the remake never gets made (it keeps failing to escape production purgatory). Nice to see a thread about this flick, though. I like the weirdo crew members for Judah and it was cool to see Iggy Pop in a Crow movie, as O'Barr wanted him to be Funboy. That would've been bad, though, if Pop had been Masse (who was screwed up for a while after being part of the fatal incident). But I really do enjoy Curve's character.

Have you seen the director's cut? That's the one I have. I like the extra scenes. The costume design is neat, sets too, but it lacks that gothic feel of the original (people like that movie for many reasons) and doesn't hit as hard, nor does the music like you said. CofA is kind of like the B side of a tape, not to say it's not worth listening to as some great songs were B-sides.

Shameless plug: I've also made a couple of MMVs for the film, if you would care to watch them. I also have some for the original, depending on how into The Crow you are (I've read the comic and was obsessed as a teen, so maybe more so me).

"Almost Lovers"
https://tinyurl.com/y8kdm9lm

"Undertaker"
https://tinyurl.com/yc6t3j95

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