The problems here are deep, though there are a few rewards, as well.
First, since the story strays so far from the story we know, and fairly far from the novel, perhaps it would have been better if they had written the film as NOT Frankenstein. A different story. Of course, then it would have been dismissed as a rip-off of the Frankenstein story.
Second, while I admit that I'm no fan of Daniel Radcliffe (at least since he grew up), I just don't think he gave the part of Igor what it needed. Particularly early on in the film, Igor needed the audience to be deeply sympathetic toward him, and Radcliffe is not a good enough actor to really pull that off. He's better later in the film, but that is long after there is no longer a need to have great sympathy for the character.
What's good about the film? Well, James McAvoy turns in a bravura performance. He lets out all the stops, so to speak.
The special effects are quite stunning, although I'm not quite sure why there are so many explosions in the film's climax.
The detail in sets (many computer driven, of course) are nonetheless quite entrancing.
In addition to McAvoy (as Dr. Frankenstein) and Radcliffe (as Igor), there's Jessica Brown Findlay as -- oddly enough -- Igor's love interest; she seems like a very talented and lovely actress. Andrew Scott is superb as the detective, although we are drawn to the "bad guy" (Dr. Frankenstein) more than we are the good detective who fully realizes the abomination Frankenstein is about to create. Freddie Fox is good as a late associate of the bad doctor.
All in all, despite its problems, I enjoyed it. But as I walked away I sorta thought about what could have been.
First, since the story strays so far from the story we know, and fairly far from the novel, perhaps it would have been better if they had written the film as NOT Frankenstein. A different story. Of course, then it would have been dismissed as a rip-off of the Frankenstein story.
Second, while I admit that I'm no fan of Daniel Radcliffe (at least since he grew up), I just don't think he gave the part of Igor what it needed. Particularly early on in the film, Igor needed the audience to be deeply sympathetic toward him, and Radcliffe is not a good enough actor to really pull that off. He's better later in the film, but that is long after there is no longer a need to have great sympathy for the character.
What's good about the film? Well, James McAvoy turns in a bravura performance. He lets out all the stops, so to speak.
The special effects are quite stunning, although I'm not quite sure why there are so many explosions in the film's climax.
The detail in sets (many computer driven, of course) are nonetheless quite entrancing.
In addition to McAvoy (as Dr. Frankenstein) and Radcliffe (as Igor), there's Jessica Brown Findlay as -- oddly enough -- Igor's love interest; she seems like a very talented and lovely actress. Andrew Scott is superb as the detective, although we are drawn to the "bad guy" (Dr. Frankenstein) more than we are the good detective who fully realizes the abomination Frankenstein is about to create. Freddie Fox is good as a late associate of the bad doctor.
All in all, despite its problems, I enjoyed it. But as I walked away I sorta thought about what could have been.