What I'm Watching: I, Frankenstein
Oh look, it is another review in my series of "I finally got my ass out to see it on the last day in theatres!" reviews!
This time out is I, Frankenstein, from some of the same folks who gave us the underrated Underworld movies.
And knowing that going in, you can *kinda* guess how you're going to feel about this movie, since it is very much in the same style.
Now, I loved the Underworld series, and quite enjoyed this movie. It follows a Frankenstein monster more familiar from the original story, and how he winds up involved in a war between demons and gargoyles, fighting over his creator's lost journal and ultimately his own body.
Yeah, the movie is a bit crazy!
But that's easily one of the reasons I liked it. The acting is solid, with a fun cast who are enjoying what they do, the action is good, and the story is pretty damned unique.
The movie isn't great though, and it's got some huge flaws, mainly in maybe being a bit too crazy and high concept, throwing too many crazy ideas onto the screen at once. It walks a tightrope between solid action movie and over the top action with gargoyles and demons and Frankenstein's monster. It almost works, but that's a tough chasm to cross.
Still, despite its flaws it IS entertaining and fun, and I can't ask for more than that from a 90 minute movie. It kept me entertained, made me smile, and was just plain good fun. Is it as good as an Underworld movie? Nah, I wouldn't even say it's as good as Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, but it's still not bad, all the same.
My biggest problem with it was the world building. I never QUITE buy into this world where gargoyles who can turn into humans wander around a GIGANTIC cathedral in the middle of a bustling city and have gone unnoticed for hundreds of years. And the demons aren't much better. Everything seems to exist in a bubble all of its own, with no real regard to the world outside what this movie is doing. That can be problematic, but again, if you're willing to go along with the movie, you are in for a hell of a fiery ride.
It's not a classic, it might not even become a cult classic (But I hope it does!), but it falls squarely into 'big dumb action movie' that is definitely a popcorny adventure. And there's nothing wrong with that. If nothing else, I'm happy to support something that is pretty unique in voice, tone, and story in the theatres, even if it is kind of an adaptation of existing works all the same.
