The Raven

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I probably shouldn't be as interested in this movie as I am, but I've already demonstrated an obsessive compulsion to watch any movie based on the writing of Edgar Allan Poe, no matter how often they keep disappointing me. It's apparently been out in the UK for about a month, and the the few reviews available from that release haven't been too positive, but my interest can't be deflected. The trailer looks about five times too modern and sensational for my tastes, but the premise is at least good (Poe pursues a serial killer who's using his stories as the basis for his murders) and anyone who doesn't like John Cusack can just get the hell off this planet.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuireoKBiC0[/youtube]

Edgar Allan Poe is one of my favourite writers. From the trailer's looks it reminds me of the last Dorian Gray movie which I watched because I adore Oscar Wilde's work.
To the point,... I'd probably watch this movie,too because of its Poe-content but I doubt it be any better in execution than said Dorian Gray movie.
Story-wise......interesting but will it work?
If it is anything like Mary Reilly (which is based on a book which is based on "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde") I'd be more than happy. As far as I can remember reviews for Mary Reilly were quiet bad, as well but that didn't stop me from liking it a lot.
Whether this could be considered subjectively good .....It's about an open mind for me.

I want to see this movie so badly; yet it won't open until April 27th.

I've been digging up more reviews in addition to the four from the Metacritic link in my original post. They're tearing this movie apart:

IGN - 2.5/5

Telegraph - 1/5

Daily Mail - "utterly dreadful"

Digital Spy - 2/5

FlickFilosopher - "a crying, bleeding shame"

Sigh. I'll be there regardless.

Can't wait to see this movie.

Although I like Cusack --- any former emo girl worth her salt would never dare insult Lloyd Dobler-- I read something that mentioned Adrien Brody as a better Poe, and I think I agree!

The best Poe I've seen was Jeffrey Combs in the Masters of Horror episode "The Black Cat." It's worth watching if you're a fan. You can find it on YouTube. (The official video will cost you $1.99, but several users have uploaded it for free.)

I remmeber watching a movie called the House of usher based on the Edgar Allen Poe poem it was really good.

Me too! Critics can go screw themselves!

I think the critical reaction to a film can be trusted in general – if it gets mostly good reviews, it's probably pretty good, and vice versa – but the one exception is horror films. Critics will trash awful horror films, like the remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th, but they never seem to recognize a good one when they see it. The Shining got poor reviews when it was released. So did The Thing. Recent horror movies that I really enjoyed, such as The Ruins, The Mist, and The Thing (prequel), got mediocre to poor reviews. When a movie like The Thing gets the same score on Rotten Tomatoes as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it's hard to trust critics on any horror movie.