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Meat and Potatoes; 4.8
Perks; 5.0
Homer Facor; 5.0
NECA's version of The Crow is 7" tall and decked out in the classic black, torn, goth look. This time he's also wearing the John Woo trenchcoat. The figure has limited articulation but is an amazing likeness of the late Brandon Lee.
The figure comes with a plot from Eric Draven's grave, a headstone, and naturally The Crow.
When you read 'The Crow' the protagonist is an elemental. Think Jason Vorhees accept he's fighting the bad-guys... and be very happy you aren't one of the bad-guys. The merciless, horrible violence is understandable in light of what lead to Eric Draven's death, but there are times when the old 'if you stare too much into the abyss' line starts to feel like it's coming to life. The beauty of the motion picture version is Brandon Lee gave this Dark Angel a soul. Yes, this being is STILL driven by vengence, but he's not as ghoulish. The hysterical scene with Ernie Hudson in the poor cop's apartment was a sign of what could have been; the ability to be both dramatic, but also add a funny side to a scene.
How to you pay homage to a character and actor with so much emotional power? Well, McFarlane did a stunning job years ago with their 'Movie Maniacs' line. Reel Toys NECA decided to jump on the bandwagon and has purchased the license for some classic horror characters, such as Jason Voorhees, Stripe from 'Gremlins', and The Crow. So what's the point of getting this figure AGAIN? Ok, so it's a repeat. Just the same that doesn't detract from the fact NECA has created a beautiful piece of work.
Ok, first of all regarding meat and potatoes; this is more a statue then an action figure. I know, I know, I got rather catty about it with Neo. Well, this is a bit different. With Neo, I expected a butt-kicking, mega-articulated figure. Considering the movie, it seemed appropriate to have lots of guns and the ability to duplicate every cool fighting pose. In the case of The Crow, something that is more a statue to honor the character seems more appropriate. I know I'm splitting hairs here. My page, my review. So there. However, the SCULPT on the figure blows you away. Reel Toys created a frightening likeness of Brandon Lee. The haunted look, the strands of hair dangling over his face, the rips in the flowing trenchcoat, all of it create a stunning recreation of Eric Draven.
Perks are minimal, but perfect. Naturally you have The Crow, with a little peg that allows this harbinger of death and vengence to sit on Eric's shoulder. There's a headstone with Eric's name and a small section of the grave that acts as a stand. The killer for me is a TINY necklace with a small gold ring on it. Yep, it's Shelly's engagement ring, just like the movie.
Homer factor? Oh come on folks. Granted, the movie wasn't perfect, and you can beat the 'what ifs' to death. However, the combination of Brandon's lineage, his tragic death, AND the material of the movie create this aura that... well, fortunately it's not like a curse or haunting or anything. However, there is this sense of reverence to this move, and even the products. Yes, it would be kinda fun to have a mega-posable Crow figure. And ya know what? It would be REALLY WRONG to do it.
What's the final word? Ok, if you don't want a statue, forget it. This 'figure' doesn't really do much but look good. BUT, if you are looking for a beautiful piece of work that is homage to Brandon Lee, this is the piece to get.