Frankenstein is a story that has both thrilled and intrigued people for centuries starting with Mary Shelley's book "Frankenstein, or Modern Prometheus". A book a highly recommend to anyone.
The story follows a scientist named Victor Frankenstein as he conducts his experiment to create human life from dead tissue and all the consequences that follow it.
At just 18 years old, this was a massive hit in Shelley's time as it was the earliest example of science fiction and the beginning of the Mad Scientist sub genre.
As the decades follow, this story still continues to be popular with numerous film and movie adaptations that range from serious to silly parodies. My personal favorites are the original Boris Karloff film and Young Frankenstein.
Though odd as it may sound, there has yet to be a 100% faithful adaptation of the novel. The movies have been wonderful, but technically inaccurate.
So in 2015 Fox has produced this film. How does it favor?
Well I must say that I enjoyed it!
We get to see this story from Igor's perspective, whom we've never really known about before, and Daniel Radcliff plays this part so beautifully! Ranging from his horrible life at the circus to having the friendship with Victor. After seeing this film, I was big Igor fan.
This time Victor is played by James McAvoy. I do like this actor for the part, and I buy that he's tortured from guilt about his older brother, which plunges him into exploring the secrets of life and death. However I think he can be a bit too hammy with his acting choices and it really shows in this one. It doesn't hurt the movie, but it's noticeable.
I do love the way this one is put together, the visuals, and supporting cast are done well. If you love Guy Ritche's 2009 Sherlock Holmes film, you will love this too. It very much reminds me of that world of being kinda steampunk, but not going too overboard.
Speaking of Sherlock, this was a Sherlock reunion with the side characters! We have Andrew Scott (Jim Moriarty) brilliantly playing detective Turpin, a man who wants to solve and stop the crimes of nature that Victor has committed.
Louise Bradley (Molly Hooper) as one of Victor's courtesan's, and Mark Gatiss (Mycroft Holmes) as one of Victor's interns. As a Sherlock fan, this made me SO happy!
My problems with it is that it's a little too long, for the type of story it wanted to tell, Victor didn't quite make a lot of sense at times, but I just chalk it up to his desperation and depression. Also this film can be brutal at times. Not gorey, but it can be pretty rough in certain moments.
Final Thoughts:
Go see the movie. It certainly deserves more credit and advertising than what other critics give it. It is by no means a horrible movie, but it's not high cinema either. It's great moments are done well, and the problems it has are forgivable.
Books vs. Movies:
They didn't want to make this an adaptation, and that's fine. But I still give it to the book as it goes into FAR more detail with The Creature and the themes are done brilliantly! Find it at the library or for free on kindle.
Next Time:
Bond. James Bond.
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