The Crow remake scores 22% on Rotten Tomatoes amid outcry over ‘disrespect’ to star who died making original

It's been labelled 'one of 2024's most atrocious films'

The much-anticipated remake of the 1994 cult classic sees Bill Skarsgard star as main character Eric Draven, and was released in cinemas on Thursday (August 22).

The original wasn’t an immediate success when it first hit cinemas, but love and appreciation for the comic book adaptation have grown over the years.

The film is a dark superhero flick which follows Draven, a young man who is murdered alongside his fiancee the night before his wedding.

A year later, Draven rises from the dead and takes the form of a supernatural entity known as The Crow who is thirsty for vengeance against those responsible for his and his partner’s deaths.

The new design of The Crow is a wildly different take when compared to Brandon Lee, who played the titular role in the 1994 film, a look that has become iconic in the years following its release. 

The original film was struck by tragedy though after Lee was killed by a prop gun on set. When the trailer for the remake dropped earlier this year, some thought it was "disrespectful" to Lee's memory.

Now, the first reviews are in for the film - and they're not great.

From 41 critics reviews, The Crow has a score on Rotten Tomatoes of just 22 per cent, at the time of writing.

It has initially had a score a low as six per cent.

The Guardian slammed the film with a one-star review, labelling it an "unfathomably awful goth remake" and "one of 2024's most atrocious films."

The Wrap described the film as a "nonsensical, ineffectual new take on the cult classic," whilst Mashable said it was a "callous and clumsy remake."

The film also stars British singer FKA Twigs as Eric's girlfriend Shelly.