The classic Frankenstein story is mostly culturally known for the monster more than the creator, thus many accused that Frankenstein is the iconic monster. Victor Frankenstein wants to center on to the human aspect of the story and nothing more. The creature is there, but isn't quite what the movie is showcasing. The movie wants to be more about the relationship between Victor and his lab assistant, Igor, and how things fall apart once they think through about this experiment. It's actually a lot interesting when they deal with the titular character's madness, but when the twist and climax comes, it's a total safety zone, in a shameful Hollywood way. It has a strong theme it was willing to handle, but it seem too feeble to handle it any longer, thus result to dumb and clichéd decisions.
This is in Igor's perspective about how Victor Frankenstein found him and build a friendship until they create the monster that will be their trouble afterwards. It's all a fine idea, but there isn't much in Igor other than being an outcast in a new environment and having a love interest who instantly falls in love with him after an incident and nothing else. There's also a conflict about an inspector finding suspicion to Frankenstein, which has hardly anything more than obsession with the scientist. But whenever they contradict with Frankenstein's idea of creating life, it comes close to really good moments, sticking close to what this story is really about. We see an ambition being pushed too far, kind of living up to its aim of portraying Frankenstein as the real monster than the creature he is making. But it stops being interesting when he reveals his true motivation. It also enormously lost it once it finally goes to the climax, which is a point where it reveals that the movie ultimately lacks the gumption of handling this theme in the first place.
To be fair, it does help having this nice cast keeping the movie at least entertaining, maybe only when Frankenstein himself is around. It's kind of fun watching James McAvoy going insane while others around him are either stick-in-the-mud or genuinely worried. Daniel Radcliffe, having Igor as the protagonist now, carries it well, despite of being an ordinary hero kind of Igor. Andrew Scott displays a quieter madness compared to McAvoy's Frankenstein's, yet equally effective, anyway. I'm not exactly sure what the movie is trying to do with the action and some mix of humor. The action seems a little too stock, with these indistinct looking slow-mos and stuff, and there isn't enough sense of horror to it, either. At least the monsters look weird enough, but not impressive enough as action scenes. There isn't much humor in it, unlike the sense of sarcasm it was pulling off in the trailers, but it never matters anyway. The production looks nice, but that's it.
Victor Frankenstein is not awful enough, as many critics may claim. It has stronger moments when it still had potential, when it's just a character study of madness, until it finally admitted that the movie is not bold enough to tackle such ordeal for its characters. Again, this is a Hollywood blockbuster, and like many out there, it isn't fond of pushing the limits or getting away from its comfort zone, unlike its main character. Thus, it's just another blockbuster. And for its blockbuster elements, the action is kind of awkward and there is nothing remarkable about the effects. If there is one thing that keeps the movie watchable and it's nothing more than the cast, because their committed performances just makes its thematic moments sort of compelling in a short while. Everything else is just disappointing compromise.
This is in Igor's perspective about how Victor Frankenstein found him and build a friendship until they create the monster that will be their trouble afterwards. It's all a fine idea, but there isn't much in Igor other than being an outcast in a new environment and having a love interest who instantly falls in love with him after an incident and nothing else. There's also a conflict about an inspector finding suspicion to Frankenstein, which has hardly anything more than obsession with the scientist. But whenever they contradict with Frankenstein's idea of creating life, it comes close to really good moments, sticking close to what this story is really about. We see an ambition being pushed too far, kind of living up to its aim of portraying Frankenstein as the real monster than the creature he is making. But it stops being interesting when he reveals his true motivation. It also enormously lost it once it finally goes to the climax, which is a point where it reveals that the movie ultimately lacks the gumption of handling this theme in the first place.
To be fair, it does help having this nice cast keeping the movie at least entertaining, maybe only when Frankenstein himself is around. It's kind of fun watching James McAvoy going insane while others around him are either stick-in-the-mud or genuinely worried. Daniel Radcliffe, having Igor as the protagonist now, carries it well, despite of being an ordinary hero kind of Igor. Andrew Scott displays a quieter madness compared to McAvoy's Frankenstein's, yet equally effective, anyway. I'm not exactly sure what the movie is trying to do with the action and some mix of humor. The action seems a little too stock, with these indistinct looking slow-mos and stuff, and there isn't enough sense of horror to it, either. At least the monsters look weird enough, but not impressive enough as action scenes. There isn't much humor in it, unlike the sense of sarcasm it was pulling off in the trailers, but it never matters anyway. The production looks nice, but that's it.
Victor Frankenstein is not awful enough, as many critics may claim. It has stronger moments when it still had potential, when it's just a character study of madness, until it finally admitted that the movie is not bold enough to tackle such ordeal for its characters. Again, this is a Hollywood blockbuster, and like many out there, it isn't fond of pushing the limits or getting away from its comfort zone, unlike its main character. Thus, it's just another blockbuster. And for its blockbuster elements, the action is kind of awkward and there is nothing remarkable about the effects. If there is one thing that keeps the movie watchable and it's nothing more than the cast, because their committed performances just makes its thematic moments sort of compelling in a short while. Everything else is just disappointing compromise.