Culture

Grade: C

A huge number of people work to produce a film. When I watch a film as horrendously written as I, Frankenstein, this is all I can consider. How is it that a huge number of industry professionals worked on this project and, yet, not one person put up their hand and said “Excuse me, I don’t know if you’re aware, but this script is garbage.”

I, Frankenstein is the adaptation of a graphic novel in which the character of Frankenstein’s monster from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is pulled into a war between demons and gargoyles. Believe it or not, this ridiculous premise actually works quite well in graphic novel-form. However, as a film, it is an abysmal failure.

The script is an unmitigated train wreck. In terms of narrative form, it is all over the place. The first 30 minutes are unadulterated exposition, desperately trying to give the story some form of grounding. The characters themselves are unjustifiably one dimensional, lacking any motivation or conceivable emotion. But, worst of all, is the dialogue. The film had three types of dialogue: blatant exposition; cheesy action-hero catchphrases; and vomit-inducing attempts at characterisation.

As deeply flawed as this film is, it is not entirely without merit. It boasts some impressive stars such as Aaron Eckhart, Yvonne Strahovski and Bill Nighy. These reputable actors did their best with the script, but their credibility has to be called into question on the basis of why they would take on a film like this at all.

I, Frankenstein has some impressive action sequences and, I have to admit, the spectacle of hundreds of enormous stone gargoyles battling even more demons appealed to the action jockey deep inside me. The film also featured some interesting visual moments as the camera slowed in action scenes to reveal detailed sequences of carnage. However, I, Frankenstein also featured some truly terrible prosthetic effects that were painfully reminiscent of C-grade 80s science fiction.

The only reason I could recommend this film would be for its action sequences, but they are not worth sitting through the “story” to get to. How this film got passed the first read I’ll never know. Sigh.