Victor Frankenstein (2015)

September 12, 2019 3:42 PM

Told from Igor's perspective, we see the troubled young assistant's dark origins, his redemptive friendship with the young medical student Viktor Von Frankenstein, and become eyewitnesses to the emergence of how Frankenstein became the man - and the legend - we know today.

Peter Bradshaw [guardian] This fantastically silly but enjoyable horror reboot is a cavalcade of prancing steampunk silliness and muttonchop-whiskered overacting – and none the worse for that. It has been grumpily received by some critics but I found it diverting.

Emily Asher-Perrin [tor] [The] actors made the choice to treat this script as award-worthy material instead of the hilarious schlock it is, and the performances are gorgeously melodramatic.

Kevin Maher [the times UK] Worst film of the year? Possibly. Worst Frankenstein adaptation ever? Definitely (and considering that Aaron Eckhart's egregious 2014 action flop I, Frankenstein is also in the running, that's impressive).

posted by porpoise (6 comments total)

I enjoyed the hell out of this. Can totally buy into the reimagination, Frankenstein's demeanour, and change to Igor's POV.

Of thematically similar movies, this is much better than the Downy and Law's 2009 'Sherlock Holmes' outing but shares a lot of the fun. Compares favourably to the Jackman/ Bale/ Bowie 2006 'The Prestige' which beat the pants off the Norton's 2006 'The Illusionist.' There's a bunch of LXG (movies and graphic novels) in this piece's DNA.

McAvoy has a ton of incredible fun here - a little like his role in 'Filth' - Radcliffe has been and continues to be doing a great job growing past Harry Potter.

The plot's a little schlocky (less schlocky than Depp and Ricci's 1999 Sleepy Hollow), but everyone takes it seriously and the cinematography and music is first rate. Sets are gorgeous if too sanitary, but managed to avoid looking sterile. The science is completely wrong, but consistent with the source material, and the CG is strong without being distracting.

I absolutely loved Lorelei's very brief dressmaking visual contrasting with the early visual effects for how Igor sees bones, muscle, and sinew and how they all interconnect. Kind of glad they only used it to build character background and not a movie-long gimmick.

Igor's sudden transformation is a little implausible; at least in 'The Count of Monte Cristo' a huge plot point is his training while in captivity prior to his emerging from the chrysalis of Château d'If.

The climactic lightning scene played like a Victorian rocket launch was amusing. The shroud over the Creature's heads in a thunderstorm would have basically waterboarded it the moment it tried to take a breath, though.

Don't understand the critic hate.
posted by porpoise at 5:10 PM on September 12, 2019 [1 favorite]

I completely agree, porpoise, though I'm afraid I have to deduct a few points because you derogated The Illusionist.

I have an irrational love for Victor Frankenstein. It's a beautiful fever dream second only to Bram Stoker's Dracula. Even the parts that would wreck any other film--like Andrew Scott's wandering eyepatch, or Charles Dance showing up precisely long enough to slap James McAvoy and storm out--only strengthen this film.

I am a little surprised it doesn't have more vocal fans in the queer community. If Victor dry-humping Igor to fix his spine didn't introduce enough subtext, the Effete Landed Gentry Interloper certainly should.
posted by MrBadExample at 9:25 PM on September 12, 2019 [2 favorites]

didn't introduce enough subtext

Or Victor mouth-siphoning to drain Igor's hump, to get the suction started. And multiple ways that his jealousy of Lorelei could be interpretted.
posted by porpoise at 9:59 PM on September 12, 2019 [2 favorites]

Honestly having Charles Dance slap someone and storm out is enough to make me love any movie.
posted by miss-lapin at 9:42 AM on September 14, 2019 [1 favorite]

I love that it's the only thing he does in the film! I like to imagine that Charles Dance was just wandering past the soundstage and decided James McAvoy needed a slappin', and the cameras just happened to be rolling. Then he wandered off to continue his rampage.
posted by MrBadExample at 10:34 AM on September 14, 2019 [1 favorite]

Yup this is my dream of Charles Dance's life. Just wandering about slappin' people.

One of my favorite things is his appearance in the golden child. When eddie murphy kissed him, I think that was his true expression. Like what in the fuck just happened?
posted by miss-lapin at 10:03 PM on September 14, 2019 [1 favorite]