Mary Shelly's Frankenstein

Mary Shelly's Frankenstein

We all know the story of Frankenstein, right? An eccentric, blood thirsty and bizarre Eastern European nobleman becomes obsessed with an innocent young English lady and Dutch doctor as bizarre as the creature itself is the only one that knows how to destroy the creature, right? Oh, that's a different one.

In this film Kenneth Branagh plays the good doctor Frankenstein. Devastated by the loss of his mother, he vows that he will “cure” death. Off to medical school he goes. After a peasant kills his favorite Professor Waldman (John Cleese), he finds the professor's notes on how to build an abominable creature from “materials” recovered from dead bodies and gets to work. Ironically, he basis the creature, at first, on the body of Professor's Waldman's murderer. Some other stuff happens and the creature returns to destroy Victor's life.

The performances of the cast were wonderful. Robert De Niro is truly a modern day Prometheus as the creature, evoking the pathos of Greek tragedy.

In other areas, the film falls flat. Frankenstein, after a break taking scene of birthing the creature is all too quick to call out “What have I done?” Why proclaim the creature a vile failure so quickly? Because it's ugly? He already knew that before it came alive. Perhaps the film is a victim of the viewer's familiarity with the basic story. I guess we're supposed to “know” the creature is an abomination, therefore after 30 seconds of slipping on birthing fluid on the floor with creature, the doctor realizes it is too.

Yes, earlier I did say “some other stuff happens.” Other stuff is being kind. The doctor goes back to Geneva and prepares to marry. This section is dull and goes on way too long. Oh and the creature meets the old blind guy and remembers how to play the flute and beats up the landlord.

The ending is where De Niro's performance really shines as the creature.

Overall, I can recommend this film thanks to the work of De Niro.