The Crow: Wicked Prayer (2005)

Overview
"The Crow: Wicked Prayer", directed by Lance Mungia, is the 4th installment in "The Crow" movie franchise launched in 2005. The film is based upon the 1998 book of the same name by Norman Partridge, itself a part of the series sparked by James O'Barr's original comics series. The story revolves around a hellish gang, the resurrection of the lead character due to a magical crow, and his ensuing revenge mission. The film stars Edward Furlong, Tara Reid, David Boreanaz, and Dennis Hopper.

Plot
The plot starts in the Southwest mining town of Lake Ravasu, which is being taken down by a group of satanic bikers, called the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The gang is led by ex-con Luc Crash (David Boreanaz) and his bride-to-be Lola Byrne (Tara Reid). In order to end up being a never-ceasing satanic force, Luc completely murders Jimmy Cuervo (Edward Furlong) and his girlfriend Lilly (Emmanuelle Chriqui) as part of a wicked ritual.

As Jimmy and Lilly's souls rose towards paradise, a mystical crow taps its powers and brings Jimmy back to life. Imbued with a supernatural recovery aspect, he sets out on a vengeance-fueled objective. He fights his enemies productively utilizing his 2 signature weapons: a knife and the crow-like capability to see the death memories of the corpses he touches.

As Jimmy brings justice to Lake Ravasu by eliminating Pestilence and Famine, Luc finishes his routine and changes into a powerful satanic force. Nevertheless, despite Lucifer's powers, Jimmy, with his indomitable spirit and driven by his love for Lilly, manages to recover the last routine product - Lilly's eyes - from Luc. Immediately, Luc loses his powers, causing his defeat.

Conclusion and Reception
Towards completion of "The Crow: Wicked Prayer", Jimmy avenges Lilly and his own death by defeating Luc and his gang. After accomplishing his objective, Jimmy visits Lilly's tomb, where the magical crow shows up to take him to the afterlife, in harmony reuniting him with his loved one.

The film, however, got mostly negative evaluations from critics. They criticized the movie for its discrepancy from the original theme, strange plot, and grumbled about poor efficiencies by leading stars. It was also compared unfavorably to its predecessors, especially the acclaimed original movie starring Brandon Lee. In spite of the criticism, some fans valued the movie for its unique blend of supernatural and revenge styles.

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