The Raven (2012)

In 19th century Baltimore, Maryland, several policemen burst into an apartment to discover a murdered woman sprawled on the floor. Detective Emmett Fields is called to assist in the investigation and discovers that the crime resembles a fictional murder in the short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue".


The alcoholic writer, Edgar Allan Poe, is brought to see Fields for questioning and learns someone is using his stories as the backdrop for a series of murders. The two men are called to investigate the murders and Edgar's fiancee Emily is held as ransom. Poe's lodgings are burned down by people who believe he is responsible for the murders, and he moves in with Fields.


Poe and Fields search tunnels under the city with several policemen and discover the walled-up corpse. Two clues are found. Poe and Fields deduce these clues to refer to the Holy Cross church. As the police attempt to break down the church doors, the killer attacks and wounds Fields. Poe gives chase but the killer escapes. Poe writes a new column and tells the killer that he's tired of this.


In the morning, the maid gives Poe a letter from the killer. Believing the editor to be the murderer, Poe races to the newspaper office but finds the editor's corpse. The real killer then appears and congratulates Poe on finding him. The murderer gives Poe a vial of poison and tells him to drink it in exchange for the location of Emily. Once Poe is too weak to go for help, the murderer tells Poe that he's moving to Paris with the name "Reynolds" and where to find Emily.


As the killer leaves, Poe rescues Emily and then wanders off to a park bench to die. A man recognizes him as "Edgar Poe," the famous writer. All that the dying Poe can say to the man is "Tell Fields his name is Reynolds". When Fields comes to view Poe's corpse at the hospital, the attending physician tells him the writer's last words.


In Paris the killer enters a carriage where Fields greets him with a pistol.