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The Raven Blu-ray and DVD

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Written by Jonathan Jacobs

Though feigned for the purpose of fictionalizing Poe's life, his lover in The Raven is none other than the bedazzling Emily Hamilton (Alice Eve), quote that bedazzling beauty nevermore! The lovely Ms. Hamilton is madly in love with the older poet but her father feels quite the opposite. Captain Hamilton (Brendan Gleeson) wants what every man wants, the best for his daughter. That designation does not include a melancholy writer with a checkered past and little to speak of in the way of financial security.

When Poe's inability to author new prose of any kind becomes a disenchanting reality, an arch villain intervenes on his behalf. This psychopath is quite lucid and creative and taken with the author's words. So much so that this villain (Ivan played by Sam Hazeldine) begins a series of gruesome murders in the spirit of Poe's writings. There are tongues cut out, hangings, and entombments a la "The Casks of Amontillado" and "the Tell-Tale Heart". One man can only bear so many insults before revenging himself.

While the murders are in progress, the criminal compels Poe to break the literary ice as it were. Should the author not pen a new story for the ages his lover Emily (already kidnapped) will be buried alive for all of eternity. Between Poe and Detective Fields there must be a resolution. With their knowledge of sleuthing and of Poe's own stories and their outcomes, they must find and dispatch the killer before time expires along with Emily's life and spirit.

John Cusack's accent may stink worse than a frightened skunk, but it is wonderful to have him back in the fold. The role of Edgar Alan Poe has always been a pet project of his and it shows. The Raven on Blu-ray begins slowly but the denouement is nothing if not thoroughly satiating. Alice Eve demonstrates that she is an actress first and a pretty face second. Luke Evans is the real star of the show. He would make a fantastic detective in any film, and in particular when cast in pre-modern detective movies. Brendan Gleeson is always crotchety, it is sort of his trademark by now. Sam Hazeldine is a chilling criminal with a flair for the dramatic. Overall, The Raven deserves high praise. It is not exactly masterpiece theater but it meets and surpasses all expectations. Surely it deserves a viewing or two, surely.

DVD Extras for The Raven include: "The Raven Guts: Bringing Death to Life, The Madness, Misery and Mystery of Edgar Allen Poe, and musical and audio commentary.

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