The Raven

Director: James McTiegue
Cast: John Cusack, Brendan Gleeson, Luke Evans and Alice Eve

Pen on paper and liquor in the glass,
Were passions of Edgar Allan Poe.
He used to write about the macabre and death,
He was the master of the horror show.

The Raven is his most popular poem,
Through it we have come to know,
About his prolific genius in the mystery genre,
And why his popularity still continues to grow.

James McTiegue has directed The Raven,
Juxtaposing fact and fiction from the life of Poe.
It’s wonderfully dark and especially gothic,
In its narrative style and flow.

The story is captivating,
It’s mystery alleviating ever more.
Each scene adds to the viewers’ expectation,
That the climax could be a brilliant outpour.

You may feel something’s amiss,
Something that the film fails to show.
But that’s the beauty of all mysteries,
They hide more than what they show.

John Cusack’s persona lacks visceral darkness,
Of Poe’s characteristic grim, emotional fandango.
But he makes up with an intense performance,
Brilliance is its status quo.

The film does miss a trick,
It overlooks the overt alcoholism of Poe,
Instead it focuses on romance,
A trait the master writer rarely did show.

Yet The Raven is a film well made,
It’s a rendition of the legend of Poe,
A remix of his writings and his mysterious death,
Details of which millions want to know.