It’s obvious a movie is really bad when even the star says so, as is the case with Bill Skarsgård in 2024’s The Crow. Brimming with controversy even before its release, the remake of the 1994 goth cult film, which saw the tragic death of actor Brandon Lee, was universally panned by critics and audiences alike. Though The Crow’s ending leaves the door open for a sequel, most believe that this new take on the dark anti-hero remake shouldn’t have been made in the first place.
In the reboot, Skarsgård plays Eric, who meets and falls in love with Shelly (FKA twigs) in a rehab center. Their romance is cut short when they’re murdered by goons of the evil Vincent Roeg (Danny Huston), a man who collects souls so that he can live forever. Eric rises from the grave to kill all of those responsible — even if it means damning himself to save Shelly’s soul. Following The Crow’s dismal reviews, Skarsgård claimed that he had his own idea on how the movie should have ended — but it probably wouldn’t have helped much.
What Happened At The End Of 2024’s The Crow
Eric Brings Shelly Back To Life While He Is Damned
In the last 20 minutes of the 2024 version of The Crow, Eric Draven finally confronts the Big Bad, Roeg, in his estate. After Roeg tries and fails to absorb Eric’s blood and thus his powers, Eric pulls him kicking and screaming into the afterlife — an abandoned railroad crossing. Eric beats Roeg to a pulp before the villainous antagonist is pulled down into the depths of Hell, which subsequently frees Shelly’s soul.
The two lovers share a final farewell before Shelly is pulled back to the land of the living, specifically the moment when she and Eric died. This time, she is resuscitated by paramedics, but Eric is still ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, and his soul is left to roam in the underworld. As a voiceover from Eric ruminates on how she will live to keep their love alive, he strolls off into the distance, saying, “Someday, I know our souls will find each other again. ‘Til then, I will have just the memory — that perfect sensation of loving her. And that’s enough. Almost enough.”
“Almost enough” suggests that Eric’s journey is not yet over, and although he is damned, he plans to fight for the chance to be with Shelly again. Likely the filmmakers were hoping that the movie would be successful enough to create a franchise, but they were sadly mistaken.
Bill Skarsgård’s Thoughts On How The Crow Should Have Ended
The Eric Actor Thought The Ending Should Have Been Less Ambiguous
In May 2024, Esquire featured an interview article with Bill Skarsgård in which the actor talks about his career, family, and fame. The tone of the article suggests that when the topic of The Crow was brought up, Skarsgård was reluctant to discuss it. However, he did offer his thoughts on the film’s ending, saying, “I personally preferred something more definitive.”
If those two little words had been left out of Eric’s final voiceover, it might have felt like an entirely different ending.
Even with this vague comment, Skarsgård’s sentiment is pretty clear: the ending of The Crow might have been more satisfying if it had not been left open-ended for the possibility of a sequel. It’s hard to disagree with that idea, and if those two little words had been left out of Eric’s final voiceover, it might have felt like an entirely different ending. The audience could ᴀssume that Eric has made peace with his choice to trade his soul so that Shelly can live, and giving her the chance to start over is enough to cement his conviction.
Fans Of The Original Version Of The Crow Protested Against The Movie
Many Felt It Was An Insult To Brandon Lee
When the first official trailer for The Crow remake was released in early 2024, it sent fans of the original film into an uproar. Comments like “The only thing this trailer accomplished was making me want to watch the original,” and “As The Kurgan said in Highlander ‘There can be only one’ and Brandon Lee is the only one he is The Crow….. R.I.P.,” flooded the Lionsgate YouTube page.
As the latter quote suggests, most fans believe that the 1994 version of The Crow is a testament to the legacy of Brandon Lee, the star of the original who tragically died during filming. Lee’s death was caused by an accidental shooting of a prop gun on set, and many have considered the 2024 Crow remake to be an insult to Lee’s memory. This includes Rochelle Davis, the actor who played Sarah, the young girl who was friends with Eric and Shelly in the original. According to TMZ, Davis even called on fans to boycott the remake.
Mainly, the reason for the hate the remake incurred is the shared opinion that Lee’s final film should have been left untouched as a testament to the late actor. From public outcries on social media to online peтιтions being made in an effort to halt the film’s release, it seems that The Crow was doomed from the start.
Skarsgård’s Idea Wouldn’t Have Saved The Crow Remake
The Original Movie’s Ending Was Much More Hopeful
While Skarsgård’s idea of ending The Crow more definitively isn’t a bad one, it still wouldn’t have made up for the reboot’s many faults. Even without comparing it to the far superior original, those who have seen the 2024 remake agree that it suffers from slow pacing, poor writing, and an unconvincing love story. The movie’s Rotten Tomatoes score of 22% should be enough of a clue that The Crow failed to impress, much less live up to its predecessor.
Sadly, 2024’s The Crow just doesn’t pack the emotional punch needed to make it feasible. What made the original so good wasn’t only Lee’s performance but the potent love story at the heart of the film. The bittersweet ending has both lovers at peace and going together into the afterlife, while the remake suggests that Skarsgård’s Eric will search for a way to get back his lost love, making his sacrifice appear meaningless. The original film ends with a message of hope, but the remake ends with a question mark, and not one that viewers care to see resolved.
