The Raven (2012)

Happy Veteran's Day!  Here's a completely unrelated movie!    When I first heard about this movie, I was very excited.  John Cusack playing Edgar Allen Poe in a murder mystery?  That's like Godiva truffles stuffed into Lo Mein and wrapped in a pepperoni pizza.  But like some favorite things, these elements were better off separate. 

Edgar Allen Poe (John Cusack) is on his way to being a complete alcoholic when he is picked up and questioned for a murder of two women in a locked room.  A situation eerily similar to a story Poe had published years ago.  Detective Fields (Luke Evans) enlists Poe's help as a consultant when it becomes clear that the murderer is using the various stories to strike ever closer within Poe's circle of acquaintances, until finally kidnapping Emily (Alice Eve), the poet's girlfriend. Using Emily as a hostage, the killer taunts police with clues on each subsequent victim, pitting his genius against Poe's. 

There was no reason why I should have disliked this movie.  It's competently acted, if a little shout-y, by good actors, dependable actors.  The mood, the cinematography, the set dressing, the music all came together.  It had an adequate number of thrills with a decently thought out plot.  It's not the greatest or most innovative but it told a story and told it thoroughly. 

I still didn't like it. 

But I can't put my finger on why I didn't like it.  That bothers me more than anything else.  It's one thing to say I didn't like Water for Elephants.  Sappy romances just don't do it for me.  That's acceptable.  What is not acceptable is to not know why you didn't like something.  How can I avoid these things in the future if I don't know what the warning signs are?  This movie looked like it had everything going for it.  Favorite actor?  Check.  Gory, gruesome deaths?  Check.  Cat and mouse game between the forces of good and evil?  Check.  Maybe it just really is like the favorite food abomination I described, a sum worth less than its parts.