The Crow: City of Angels

Following Brandon Lee's death in an on-set accident, the producers of the first Crow movie completed it using computer graphics, thus proving that there's no limit to Hollywood's cynical exploitation of a star's box-office appeal. This necrophiliac sequel, the first feature of a British pop promo-maker, tries to sidestep the Lee issue by resurrecting the cathartic purity of James O'Barr's original comic book. Sadly, like its unfortunate protagonist, it's very soon dead in the water. Although the setting has moved from Detroit to LA, the stylised urban wasteland, morbid atmosphere and basic plot remain the same: gunned down by Judah (Brooks) and his gang of low-lifes, Ashe (Perez) returns from the dead, inheriting the dark mantle of the first film's Eric Draven. On the plus side, legendary rock survivor Iggy Pop exudes raw power as Judah's search-and-destroy sidekick.