Director: Stuart Beattie
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahowski, Miranda Otto, Jai Courtney, Bruce Spence, Nicolas Bell, Aden Young.
Distributor: Independent
Runtime: 91 mins. Reviewed in Mar 2014

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Rating notes: Fantasy violence

In the final credits of this reworking of the Frankenstein Monster story, there is a thanks to Mary Shelley. It is not certain that Mary Shelley would appreciate this expression of gratitude because, while the film does use some of the elements of her classic story, it moves into the 21st century and futuristic science-fantasy.

Aaron Eckhart is, perhaps, the best looking of the cinema Frankenstein Monsters. He says he was made from eight different corpses, and he looks remarkably integrated with a very limited number of scars, especially on his face. He is an intense Monster, speaking out his animosity towards his maker, revenging himself by killing Frankenstein’s wife, Elizabeth, with the scientist pursuing the Monster to the north, eventually freezing to death and being buried by the Monster, while finding his manuscript detailing his experiments.

Attacked by a range of Demons, the Monster finds himself in the 21st century – filmed in Melbourne, utilising some of its landmarks, a tram and tram stop at the top of Bourke Street or Collins Street, a notice, Central Station, on the Arts Centre, something that the locals have found amusing but which other audiences will not notice. It is a strange city, full of decaying edifices, cathedrals and Gothic buildings for the race of Gargoyles, and then suddenly seeing some modern cars and rubbish skips in the streets. Since it is all based on a graphic novel, these imaginings we have to accept.

While the story is serious, there are touches of the absurd, even of the ludicrous, in some of the dialogue and performances. Yvonne Strahowski is the human scientist, along with Nicolas Bell, working on a re-animation program at the behest of alleged entrepreneur, Wessex, who is really the arch Demon, Naberius. He Is played in familiar manner by Bill Nighy, indicating moods and attitudes simply by raising an eyebrow or giving a sideways glance. Also in the cast is Miranda Otto as the Queen of the Gargoyles and Jai Courtney as her henchman.

The colour is dark, the city is sinister, the laboratories modern. There is a reliance on special effects, especially for the explosions of the Demons and the battles with the Gargoyles.

Written and directed by cinematographer, Stuart Beattie, who directed Tomorrow When the War Began.

A variation on the theme, but certainly not the last word or image on the Frankenstein myth legend.