Reminiscent of the Morality Plays
DVD: I, Frankenstein Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Miranda Otto Reviewed by: Samantha Keogh Directed by: Stuart Beattie Revue made possible by: NuMetro
Just when you were getting sick of vampire movies relief comes in the form of a Gargoyle movie – but the genres are very similar.
In 1818 Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus was published and marked the birth of a monster – an empty shell devoid of soul – concocted by Dr Victor Frankenstein from pieces of corpses and brought to life by electricity.
When Frankenstein dies, the monster (Aaron Eckhart) buries him and is attacked by demons that see in him an ideal prototype for legions of soulless bodies that can be possessed by their kind and eventually wipe out mankind.
The creature is saved by Gargoyles who have been put on earth by the Archangel Michael to protect mortals from demons (they don’t just sit on the eaves of cathedrals and look pretty) and is brought before their queen, Leonore (Miranda Otto), who names him Adam and invites him to join them.
Adam refuses and spends the next two centuries battling the demons who desperately want to study him and replicate him.
Leading the bad guys is the demon-prince Naberius (Bill Nighy) who masquerades as billionaire businessman Charles Wessex and has stockpiled hundreds of corpses to receive his minions once his scientists have figured out how to animate them.
An almighty brouhaha ensues as good battles evil.
If you enjoy fantasy movies and were into The Twilight Saga, you should not miss this one.
I, Frankenstein is a fun film. It is easy to watch and fits comfortably into a genre which is reminiscent of the Morality Plays, those allegorical dramas which were so popular in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries
