‘The Raven’ is better than most critics say

"The Raven," starring John Cusack, opened in theaters Friday to a slow start.

Critics bashed the movie, which made just more than $7 million this weekend.

However, the movie was overshadowed with the openings of several other anticipated movies, including "The Five-Year Engagement."

Had there not been so much competition, "The Raven" should definitely have gotten the credit it deserves.

World-famous poet and writer Edgar Allen Poe brought about inspiration for the fictional film. The title comes from one of Poe’s most famous poems, "The Raven."

In the film, Poe, who is played by Cusack, returns to Baltimore for the sake of his bride-to-be, Emily Hamilton. Upon returning to Baltimore, Poe begins working with the police department to solve a series of murders that seem to mimic his writings.

Admittedly, the film made Poe out to be more of a Sherlock Holmes type of character rather than a writer.

Regardless of the reality of the movie, however, it was entertaining and enjoyable.

Cusack, who stepped out of his comfort zone for this role, did an excellent job capturing the essence of his character. All in all, the acting in the film was good.

The content of the film was good, too. Despite a grim and gruesome core plot, other elements of the storyline, such as the underlying love story, seemed to distract the viewers.

A few of the murder scenes in the movie were pretty gory. This is definitely not a film for the faint of heart.

"The Raven" also did a great job referencing Poe’s actual works. The film made use of his short story "The Cask of Amontillado," and his poem "Annabel Lee," as well as a few others. Although it is a fictional movie, it contains a lot of history of Poe.

To sum it up, "The Raven" is an underrated film. It has many of the ingredients of a good movie, including a unique and diverse storyline, historical elements and decent acting.