Review of Victor Frankenstein (2015) by Toby J — 28 Nov 2015

While Max Landis' American Ultra might have had a stale, pointless and uninteresting original idea behind it, he more than makes up for his creative chops with Victor Frankenstein.

With mainstream movies relying so heavily on unoriginal and uncreative ideas because the system caters more to the quantity of a project's worth (oh, sorry "PRODUCT'S" worth) than the very quality of work that goes into the art of filmmaking, Victor Frankenstein does something that is more refreshing than the rest.

Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy's chemistry in the movie is absolutely phenomenal the way they work off each other really carries you through the movie with great gusto and the motives behind Frankenstein's work what with him being a mad genius is both sympathetic and extremely touching.

There are enjoyable side-characters that could have used some fleshing out to make for a better story or at least a complete one, Igor's love interest is one of tacked on and worthless and the deliciously deluded inspector who is always trying to get into Frankenstein's way is marvelous but could have used some more focus as a compelling antagonist for "religion vs. science" elements that's more present in the dialogue and subtle expressions between the actors which is done rather well and moves the story at a good-yet-too quick a pace, oh and there's this rich fella who wants to steal Frankenstein's success who looks like a spunking hot Draco Malfoy, who is just kind of there but he helps move the movie along. And suck it, Charles Dance is just having a good time walking in and smacking people around because he's a badass as Father Frankenstein.

The prosthetic effects for the creations of the movie, with SOME use of CGI, are wonderful and amazing to behold, Gordon was a gruesome delight who held a fun and horrifying presence as a zombified monkey that is a great throwback to Re-Animator though more serious it is a compelling watch.

But by far the crowning glory, if not too brief a performance, is the Prometheus creation, it's just such a hulking, beautiful and haunting mass of a monster who is an amazing watch as well as the meaning behind the creature which I won't spoil here though I will say it is very touching.

The cinematography and look of the film is amazingly gorgeous and atmospheric going nuts with the period piece in London and castle set pieces that ooze atmosphere that a story like this needed and they do it great here with the crafting hands of Eve Stewart.

Is Victor Frankenstein a masterpiece? I don't think so, it has a lack of slowness to give it breathing room for the characters, Igor and Frankenstein's relationship in the movie was great but the love interest for Igor feels terribly tacked on and essentially useless, I would have liked to see more monsters, characters could have used some more fleshing out.

Nevertheless, the fact we get something that is more than decent, something like this to actually be good despite some of the flaws and studio powers against it, Victor Frankenstein is a nice refreshing update to the Mary Shelley story with deep and emotionally compelling meaning with the greatness and sadness of being a mad genius and what it means to have a dear friend who walks with them in their endeavors, I dare say this is just as compelling to watch as Back to the Future and deserves to be seen with open minds and hunger for good imagination that in this industry, let's face it, is going to get harder and harder to find.

This is a good one.