I, Frankenstein
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighty, Yvonne Strahovski, Miranda Otto
Director: Stuart Beattie
Rating: 2/5
Aaron Eckhart returns to the big screen this week, to tackle a new version of the popular Frankenstein story.
The movie is based on the graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux, and sees Stuart Beattie in the director's chair.
200 years after his shocking creation, Dr. Frankenstein’s creature, Adam, still walks the earth.
But when he finds himself in the middle of a war over the fate of humanity, Adam discovers he holds the key that could destroy humankind.
I, Frankenstein is a movie that sadly, doesn't quite work. There is no doubt that there are some good ideas here, with some of the fight scenes and the special effects looking fantastic.
However, it is a bit of a disjoined mess as Beattie jumps from one scene and moment to the next without a real cohesion.
You could say that this movie does need a little bit of humour, but the dark look and tone that Beattie has tried to capture would have been fine; but he hasn't quite pulled that off either.
On paper Adam is an incredibly complex character as he doesn't fit in anywhere; he is not human, demon nor part of the gargoyle race sent to protect mankind. He is a man who has let darkness and hate creep into his heart and almost consumer him.
And yet, on the screen he has been made into a 2D character. Aaron Eckhart does do the best with what he has been given, but the story never really explores the complexities of this character.
I am a big fan of Eckhart, and I do think that he does bring a darkness and a menace to Adam. It is a shame that he has not really been given something that he could truly get his teeth into and explore.
Adam could have been developed into a rich and full rounded character; instead, the film chose to focus on gargoyles going head to head with demons.
Having said that, the battle between the two sides it a highlight of the film, as these battle sequences look great and really will hold your attention.
However, you will sit there thinking that this movie could have been so much more.
Sadly, this is a movie where style really has trumped substance; it does look great, but we are left with a story that is chaotic and paper thin.
I, Frankenstein could have been a real character driven, gothic movie. Instead, it is a battle between good and evil that we have seen before; and we have seen it done much better.
I, Frankenstein is out now.