For some writers, having their literary imaginings become a reality would be a dream come true. But for Edgar Allan Poe - the American author famous for his gothic writing style - it becomes his nightmare.
The Raven is the imaginary account of Poe's (John Cusack) last days. Poe, broke and an alcoholic, is embroiled in a series of gruesome murders in the American town of Baltimore. Since they bear a close resemblance to storylines in his work, Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) invites Poe to help investigate.
Poe is in love with Emily Hamilton (Alice Eve), and plans to propose to her at her father's party. But the killer sneaks in and kidnaps Emily. He challenges Poe to publish his long-abandoned gothic stories again - if he wants his fiancee to stay alive. Poe accepts, and meanwhile joins Fields in the search for the murderer and Emily.
Director James McTeigue brings a whimsical eeriness to the film. The Raven deals with guts and gore in an unsettlingly comfortable way: the torture and killings are not shown, but investigations of corpses are seen in detail.
The film's downside is its predictability: it is so chronological that it bores. The movie also has no grasp of subtleties. The poorly-laid background music, on many occasions, gives away the thrills instead of setting the mood.