The 2024 adaptation of The Crow features a tragic storyline anchored by a supernatural twist.
The Crow is based on James O’Barr’s superhero comic book series of the same name. The 2024 action thriller reimagines the comic book by adding a modern twist and features Bill Skarsgård as the lead protagonist, Eric Draven.
The Crow centers around Eric and his girlfriend, Shelly, who are both killed However, Eric gets resurrected by a supernatural entity so that he can seek retribution against those who killed them, but — spoiler alert — it is not an easy task.
The Crow premiered in theaters on August 23.
The Crow 2024 Plot and Spoilers Explained
Warning - the rest of this article contains major spoilers for 2024's The Crow.
At the center of The Crow's plot is a video taken by Zadie (Isabella Wei), Shelley's friend, days before she frantically panics to skip town due to the content of the footage. However, she gets taken away by an unknown assailant.
Said video includes footage of Shelley murdering somebody before hugging a mysterious man who appears to be in control of the situation.
Realizing that she is in danger, Shelley (FKA Twigs) hides her phone and escapes her apartment. In order to avoid being captured, she decides to have herself arrested for possession of illegal drugs.
Shelley's act of getting herself arrested is a wise move that leads her to a rehabilitation facility where she meets Eric (Bill Skarsgård), the man who will change and save her life in more ways than one.
Eric and Shelley's Tragic Romance
Eric and Shelley quickly forge a strong bond after their initial encounter in the rehab facility.
The spark between the pair is undeniable and it is apparent that the love that they have for each other is pure.
He proves his love for her when Shelley's back is against the wall after the ones responsible for Zadie's murder visit the rehab center to get her back.
The pair escape the rehab facility to start fresh in the outside world. While they manage to have genuinely romantic and happy moments together, the peace doesn't last due to the looming threat brought about by Shelley's haunting past.
The murderers responsible for killing Zadie finally catch up to Eric and Shelley and it ends with a tragic fate for both since they are unceremoniously killed.
Who Is Vincent Roeg? The Crow's Villain Explained
The Crow's main villain is a demonic crime lord named Vincent Roeg (Danny Huston).
Infused by the demonic powers, Roeg can manipulate the actions of his victims by simply whispering satanic words into their ears, leading to either their suicide or allowing them to kill another person.
He showcases his antagonistic abilities several times, using them to make Zadie and Shelley's mom commit suicide. While this might seem to be a boring ability for some viewers, The Crow solidifies his dominance by implying that he had a plethora of victims for centuries.
But, why is Shelley considered a main target for Roeg?
It is revealed that the video in the opening moments of the film shows Roeg's abilities in action where he used it to control Shelley to murder an innocent woman inside his building.
The footage is more than enough proof to demonstrate Roeg's demonic powers and releasing it to the public could lead to his downfall.
Why Is Eric Resurrected? His Mission Explained
After Eric and Shelley are murdered by Roeg's allies, the journey for the protagonist doesn't end there.
Although Shelley's soul appears to have been taken by eternal hell, Eric, meanwhile, gets taken away in a purgatory-like dimension between life and death.
This is where he meets Kronos (Sami Bouajila), a spirit who tells him about his fateful revenge mission in order to correct the wrongs that have been done to him.
Kronos uses Eric as his force of reckoning to eliminate Roeg in the land of the living since he already abused his stay due to his demonic powers.
Eric receives the power of a god (as Kronos described) by being invulnerable to harm and has the ability to quickly regenerate from any wounds.
Kronos tells him that he will have this power as long as his love for Shelley is pure.
Why Did Eric Lose His Powers?
After being resurrected, Eric doesn't initially get used to his newfound abilities.
Making matters worse, Eric's discovery of finding out the truth about what Shelley did in the video leads to him losing his powers and returning to Kronos' dimension.
The spirit explains that Eric lost sight of his pure love for Shelley after learning about the truth, leading to the loss of his abilities.
Eric bargains his soul in exchange for Shelley being resurrected if Kronos agrees to give him his powers back and fulfill his fateful mission.
Long story short, Kronos grants him his abilities back, but he will die and Shelley will be resurrected once he successfully returns and defeats Roeg.
Eric's pure love for Shelley is once again showcased in this moment due to his willingness to sacrifice his life for his soulmate.
While some would argue that Eric and Shelley's love story only manifested within days, this is further proof that no amount of time can be tantamount to how genuine the bond is between two individuals.
The Crow's Ending Explained: Did Eric Defeat Vincent Roeg?
Eric, anchored with a renewed sense of purpose and a vengeance-seeking mindset, wreaks havoc against Roeg's forces as he eliminates them one by one while an Opera is ongoing inside a theater.
He masterfully defeats every single enemy under Roeg's umbrella of forces. He even punctuates it by beheading two of the villain's loyal allies and presenting it to the audience before taking a bow.
A final confrontation between Eric and Roeg ensues inside the latter's home.
This face-off leads to Roeg using his demonic abilities to Eric, but his love for Shelley ultimately prevails which allows him to transport the villain into Kronos' dimension.
This is where Eric ultimately defeats Roeg, with the spirits of the damned helping him to push him into eternal hell.
In the aftermath, Shelley gets resurrected by Kronos in the real world (as a disguised EMT) and Eric's human form dies (as promised).
The Crow's final moments show Eric walking satisfied inside Kronos' dimension, with a hopeful monologue about getting his and Shelley's souls back together one day.
The Crow is now playing in theaters worldwide.
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