It's All About Igor..."Victor Frankenstein"

Victor Frankenstein (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy

Directed by Paul McGuigan

The Story:

This is the story of how Victor Frankenstein (McAvoy) met a circus freak (Radcliffe) with a brilliant mind and the two became friends and even contemporaries. Be ready for a twist on the relationship that you thought you knew.

Also, be ready to be rather bored while watching it.

:)

Okay, maybe not bored. It's not that it's bad or anything, it's just rather plodding in how it goes about everything. It's a period drama that hopes to be something more, but really isn't.

By the time they get around to building the creature, the movie is just about over.

However, since this isn't really supposed to be THAT story... it's already been told a number of times.

Instead, the relationship and dynamic between Igor and Frankenstein is the focus of the movie, and their scenes together  is the highlight of the movie.

McAvoy does everything at hyper speed, making his Victor the crazy one in the movie.

Radcliffe brings soul and heart to the role of Igor who winds up being much more than just a lab assistant to Victor's plans.

Of course, when it ventures into Igor's potential love interest, I found myself happy for Igor but otherwise, didn't really care.

My guess is, they were hoping to make this feel like the updated Sherlock Holmes series starring Robert Downey Jr. by breathing life and style into a centuries old franchise.

Nice idea, but it doesn't come off as well this go round.

Final Grade:  C

Friday Archives... "Push"

Push (2009)

Rated PG-13

Starring Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans, Camilla Belle, Corey Stoll, Cliff Curtis, Ming-Na Wen, Djimon Hounsou

Directed by Paul McGuigan

The Story:

In a world where people with abilities are utilized as weapons, The Division is looking to create a drug that will enhance these abilities. Until today, all test subjects died when they received the drug. However, Kira (Belle) is the first patient to survive, and she has escaped. Now being tracked by Henry Carver (Hounsou) and his cohorts, her only hope seems to be a young girl (Fanning) who can see the future and Nick (Evans), a telekinetic who she can't remember.

I think I last this film in 2009, so watching it again was almost like watching it again for the first time.

I remembered little bits and pieces, but that's like watching a trailer for a movie, and then seeing that part played out in the movie itself. A little deja vu, but nothing that ruins the experience overall.

Had this movie starred anyone other than Chris Evans, I likely would not have watched it the first time, and since I own it, apparently I liked it enough to pick it up from Blockbuster in the previously viewed movie sale.

Sidenote: I miss being able to pick up used DVDs at Blockbuster for a good deal.  ::sigh::

So this takes place back when Evans had already been Johnny Storm, wasn't yet Captain America and seemed to be taking parts in movies that had a superhero feel to it.

The man has been typecast, but I'm grateful for it, because he plays the parts very well.

Amusingly as we watched the film last night, it was fun to see how many actors would go on to the Marvel Universe in the future.  Apparently, they were just testing the waters for it on this film.

Taking place in Hong Kong, the city itself gives the movie a gritty, crazy comic book feel.

The special effects themselves aren't too bad, and really for a modest budget B movie, this film succeeds on that level.

Worth a look if you missed it the first go-round, or if you vaguely remember it from 7 years ago.

Final Grade: B-/C+ range