On M List of Movie Reviews

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Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 7/03, 12/12

12/12: More than anything, it's Kenneth Branagh's stylish direction that makes Mary Shelley's Frankenstein a pretty good adaptation of the famous novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

I know I'm being entertained when everything is fast-paced and to the point; that's how it's been for this film. The casting of Kenneth Branagh, Robert De Niro, Helena Bonham Carter, and Tom Hulce is more than sufficient to meet the demands of a period picture.

However, the plot feels somewhat empty for not trying to attempt to answer the crucial questions about the meaning of it all. Instead, the creator dies at the end, and that's about it. At least, Kenneth Branagh gives a better acting performance than he did in Othello.

All in all, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein needs a bit more of substance to tie up everything.

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