The Raven
Metascore
44 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 30
  3. Negative: 6 out of 30
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  1. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: John DeFore
    Apr 26, 2012
    38
    Director James McTeigue was much more successful capturing graphic novelist Alan Moore's mood in "V for Vendetta" than he is conjuring the bone-chilling suspense of Poe. But viewed as simply another Hollywood thriller, The Raven builds up a decent head of steam as time runs out for our hero's imperiled fiancee.
  2. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    May 2, 2012
    30
    It is, in a word or two, everything that Poe's tales and poems were not: interminable and picayune.
  3. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Nick Pinkerton
    Apr 30, 2012
    30
    It's a pathetic missed opportunity - and one occasion of actually going broke by underestimating the intelligence of the American public.
  4. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Jaime N. Christley
    Apr 26, 2012
    38
    While full of welcome gore and blood spatter, it's bankrupt of any creative spark.
  5. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    Apr 26, 2012
    38
    A grimly preposterous serial-killer thriller set in 19th-century Baltimore, this riff on the final days of the author of "The Tell-Tale Heart" and other masterpieces of the macabre might qualify as literary desecration if it weren't so silly.
  6. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    Apr 26, 2012
    20
    This wannabe Sherlockian thriller is like a night spent at Madame Tussauds, watching mannequins strangle other mannequins.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 28
  3. Negative: 4 out of 28
  1. FDT44
    2
    Let me make this quick, out of respect for the late Poe, "The Raven" is a camp, leanly scripted, horribly acted calumny that unqualifyingly slaps its literary predecessor in the face and defecates on the very writing style that made him unique, supplanting the same pervasive and consuming eeriness with a cheesily rote, slice-and-dice murder mystery that tries to look mean with dark-hued tints and wailing screams but instead appears pathetically misguided and unintentionally funny. Director, James McTeigue just doesn't have a skill for wit here, ruining what could have been a fair pastiche and tribute to Poe, and instead channeling attempts to do so through a hard-to-see, black screen with Conan Doyle in the foreground becoming lost in his own self-searching investigation. 'Raven' is an uninvolving potpourri that creates such such a mess for itself, that it doesn't even know what it's trying to do. Just silly. Do yourself a favor: save some time and just read Poe instead; it's sure to be more engaging. This, however, is nothing to rave about.… Full Review »
  2. DanielOnFilm
    5
    The most I can say for it is that it has enough tension to hold interest, but it never thrills or fascinates. The ending does payoff, but barely. The Raven has just the lighting design it needs; Poe and company are drenched in dramatic shadows. The dialog is filled with clever wordplay, but there's scant investment in those who speak it. The body count rises, but none of the victims receive an iota of development. There is blood, there is gore, but we've seen it all before. Full review on my blog.… Full Review »
  3. Benzin
    8
    Gripping, Suspenseful, and Emotional in all the right places, James McTeigue's "The Raven" is a thrilling motion picture which presents in depth characters and a well-made plot portrayed by the skilled actor John Cusack. While the movie itself rarely falls flat in certain scenes, the appearance of Mr. Poe and other characters isn't as canon as some would want it. Despite these fallacies, The Raven will keep you entertained to the end.… Full Review »
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