David Boreanaz

Good things are worth waiting for. That statement has never been truer when referring to the latest Crow movie, Wicked Prayer. I recently viewed the promotional teaser for Wicked Prayer. It is a 5 1/2 minute journey of incredible images, emotion and style. Mark my words; Wicked Prayer will earn back the respect from those fans that have felt abandoned by the last two Crow films. For those like me who have stayed the course, it will give you renewed enthusiasm and pride.

Wicked Prayer is unlike any of the previous Crow films in regard to the look and style. Imagine if you will, combining "Pulp Fiction" and "Desperado" with a Crow twist. Lance Mungia has created a desert atmosphere that is unapologetically violent yet strikingly emotional and beautiful. The color plate is full, with none of the filtering found in the previous films. There are signature Crow images and themes within the story/teaser, but this by far is the most original telling of the Crow mythos since the first movie. The first part of the trailer is intro scenes showcasing all the characters, followed by "action" shots, which look intense and some of the best seen yet in the franchise.

Performances across the board appear to be dead on (half pun intended). David Boreanaz is joyously over the top, mad as a hatter. Tara Reid, as usual, puts a great spin on the bad/troubled girl persona. Dennis Hopper, like David, is in prime form. Danny Trejo, David L. Ortiz, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Marcus Chong, Yuji Ukumoto, Rena Owen, Daymond John, Jorge Jimenez & Macy Gray are all featured, looking and acting every bit the part of their particular characters. (See our Crow 4 front page for a list of whom they are playing).

The big question, how well does Eddie Furlong do as "Jimmy Cuervo"? Eddie is featured in the majority of the promo; you get a good look at him in all facets of the character. His performance is FANTASTIC! He is called upon to display the full spectrum of emotions, all of which he handles convincingly with passion and intensity. His costume and make up harkens back to the gothic style of the first film, with an additional ceremonial touch that goes with the themes of Wicked Prayer.

The music (soundtrack and score) heard during the trailer is not the music which will be featured in the film. However, the composer of the featured score in the trailer is being sought, though no deal has been completed.

The most striking thing you come away with after seeing the promo is the emotional level of the film. There is a montage of scenes towards the end, which flashes images of each character; these scenes are overflowing with raw and intense emotion. I can only hope that this is part of the official promotional reel for the film as it accurately sums up the emotional depth of the story. The teaser ends with a final shot of Eddie, in full makeup and costume, with the crow flying from his shoulder in slow motion as he (Eddie/Jimmy) looks toward it, which leaves you with goose bumps. When the credit screen appeared I found myself shocked, amazed and on an emotionally charged high.

I commented in my review of the script earlier this year that Lance and the actors had to live up to the greatness of the script that he and Jeff Most created. Well, in this teaser, not only have they lived up to the promise of the script, they have surpassed it!

Take care......