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The mystery surrounding American author Edgar Allan Poe's last days in 1849 is given a suitably macabre treatment in The Raven, which pits the literary legend against an unknown foe using his works as murderous inspiration. But despite a mostly engaging lead turn from John Cusack and a beguiling premise, the execution is dismal and lacking the writing or visual prowess to flourish.

A drunkard and genius craving recognition on the streets of Baltimore, Poe becomes embroiled in a hunt to find a serial killer who has snatched his beloved ladyfriend Emily (Alice Eve). He's also immersed in a fractious ongoing clash with a local newspaper editor who has failed to publish his recent efforts.

Teaming up with bland Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans), Poe faces a race against the clock to write his own destiny. Yet as the movie's beginning establishes, his own death looms on the horizon.

Some of the themes that emerge along the way are undoubtedly prevalent in contemporary society, despite the 19th century setting. In particular, the fandom and celebrity surrounding Poe and his reaction to it (and at times, lack of it) gives Cusack plenty of scope to unleash plenty of "adjectival fireworks" while amidst the public. These moments of verbosity, often venomous, are both Cusack's and the movie's strongest moments.

Alice Eve in The Raven
Initially, a decent balance is struck between the darker and lighter elements of Poe's personality. But as the plot progresses and Poe's required to play the hero and attempt to track down his lover, the character becomes more generic. It quickly descends into the forlorn figure plodding round various tunnels shouting out "Emily!" over and over again.

Concurrently, the movie as a whole becomes increasingly dull and insipid. The fine Brendan Gleeson is hugely wasted in a nondescript supporting turn as Emily's father, who experiences a massively unconvincing shift in his attitude towards Poe.

Even worse, director James McTeigue resorts to the stale device of an accompanying flash of lightning and jolt of thunder on more than one occasion, in a bid to heighten the dramatic tension and fear factor at specific moments. Frightening, but not in the way it was intended.

Laziness also creeps into the dialogue, with all the efforts to provide wit, period authenticity and drama all seemingly crammed into the opening half hour. For example, following an underwhelming reveal, the unmasked killer spouts tripe like "I guess I went a little nuts". By this point, it's likely viewers will be going a little sleepy instead. A movie that takes its inspiration from a man renowned for his language should really make more of an effort on this front.

Squandering a promising premise and depriving John Cusack of sufficient dramatic meat to stake his claim to be the definitive portrayal of Poe, The Raven feels like a hollow shell - without a beating (or tell-tale) heart.