Raven's Hollow

Raven's Hollow could be one of most imaginative adaptations from literature recently. Similar to Lincoln the Vampire Hunter the premise is intriguing. A clever portrayal of colliding cultures, reluctance to change and chaos that follows. The Raven's hatchling being stranded by Poe is a clever expression of human relationships. With regards to the visuals the colour tones are perfect and special effects are satisfying too. Great use of background audio which is unique and fitting well. Brilliant performances by the cast to keep up with sudden shifts kf the plot. Raven's Hollow surely has a good amount of shudder in store.

Simply another well made British detective, with quite beautiful, moody and dark photography. With some really solid acting performances. A tight knit story that is quite suspenseful. What more could I wish for in a detective?

Any bad? It isnt horror, although it is listed as a horror movie on Imdb. It isnt thrilling or intensely spooky either, but it has got a constant dark mood of doom that is quite fascinating to watch.

If I have to dig deep to find anything wrong I would like to say that the moment certain evil forces became visible (half way into the movie), I was disappointed a bit, because I always hold the stance that the evil which one cant see, is much more scary than CGI monsters. And the visualisation of this evil force wasnt done with the best CGI effects available nowadays. So that was (the only) minor letdown.

All in all, simply another solid British period detective story. Fans of the genre will be pleased (I guess).

I watched this film based on a recommendation from a source I trust without checking the rating here on imdb(which I usually always do).

I was shocked when I saw the low rating here after watching the movie. Usually imdb ratings are very accurate but not for this movie.

This is a great movie. It is a thinking person's horror movie. I would call it a horror-drama. While it could be considered a slow burn the movie is engaging and gripping throughout.

That strong atmosphere combined with it's engaging nature is very effective. I hesitate to call it a slow burn at all because things are happening and developing steadily through the entire movie. And I found it to remain very engaging.

The directing is very, very good. The story is complex and the are a few significant plot twists. So you have to pay attention and keep tracking with it.

Now some reviews said it isn't horror. False. It is indisputably horror. Strong horror. I think why some viewers fail to see that is because it has substance and intelligence and artistry and that it comes from a whole different world than your 'slasher of the week'.

And there is some extreme gore in this movie and coming from me that's a significant statement.

It is a violent movie. It doesn't compromise on violence like some would lead you to believe.

It has a good story. No cookie cutter backdrop for violence here. The story can be a little confusing and you need to pay attention to get the whole story.

It has this wonderful mysterious element to it. Even with what's revealed in the film's final act the mysterious atmosphere persists right through the end credits, in a good way.

One thing I liked about the movie is that the main character, Poe, is a good and noble person and that comes across in a very authentic way. He is a likeable and very admirable character, which is unfortunately rare for a horror movie protagonist.

This is not an iffy, maybe it's good, maybe it's bad movie. It's genuinely a great movie.

It's well paced. An intelligent viewer will be drawn into the steadily developing story. The atmosphere is so strong. It's very well directed.

And it has a great story. It's very intelligent. It plays outside of the stereotypes. Perhaps that is why the unperceptive didn't like it.

I wanted to like this very badly. I love 1800 New England and autumnal settings and gothic horror. The whole setting and aesthetic was right up my alley. Unfortunately, this movie did not live up to my hopes.

The main problem, I'm sorry too say, is the acting. William Moseley is not up to the task of playing young Poe. I believe he's going for the whole 'stoic 1800s Northerner' thing, but he never drops this affect for a moment. He never seems scared or really terrribly affected by the goings on around him. The performance is overall much too flat. He can't carry off some of the flowery dialogue that is clearly inspired by Poe's writing. You never buy that the horrors in this movie turned this clean-cut cadet into a tortured gothic horror writer. He's just not Edgar Allan Poe.

First and foremost, this is a very moody, atmospheric Gothic Horror film, as I mention in the title above. The lighting, cinematography, and MOST the acting is quite good. But, you need to remember, this movie is almost ALL mood. There are a few truly gruesome moments, but those expecting any level of Action at all will likely be disappointed.

That's probably why I may have scored this filma bit higher than most. Because for my personal taste, if a director can create a really effective mood, than to me that is one of the more important things I would look for in a movie like this, especially with its really heavy Gothic atmosphere. I do kind of agree though with Taske95, another reviewer here, where they state that the beginning half of the film is done really well, and the last half, although still somewhat effective, does kind of drop off a little.

I think the contrast is heightened by the extremely well done way the first half is, so that when it continues into the second half you can tell the difference. I feel that with a bit more of a deft hand at the writing (the direction is quite excellent) they could have followed through with a better 2nd and 3rd act. When they reveal something of what is actually going on, that is a good progression of the story and is intriguing, but I think what they do with it and the way they develop it is not nearly as good as the first half. There are also a TON of Poe references, so if you are into him at all, you'll like that.

But, with that said, overall I feel that the mood and time period is very authentic with excellent performances all around. With maybe the slight exception of the daughter at the inn... I just think that since all the other performances are so good, hers kind of stands out just a tad as perhaps more pedestrian and a bit superficial. But, I don't think it ruins the story or anything. But, quite honestly, I think with a MUCH stronger actress in her role, the overall effect would have been a lot better. Since her character is rather important, I feel the story would have greatly benefited with a more powerful, emotive actress, just my opinion... : )

So, if you really enjoy strongly Gothic, atmospheric Horror films and you don't mind a slow-burn story, and you like a good sense of Mystery, and you can really get into the mood of a period piece like this, AND you don't expect a lot of Action or tons of overt horror, there is a chance that you might find this one entertaining as I did.