The highlights and shining moments lie solely in those belonging to William Hurt and Donald Sutherland ... and even they aren't given much that's new to work with.
The film starts out so similar to the version done by Kenneth Brannagh that one thinks it might just be that film they're getting ready to watch. Only until we see Donald Sutherland do we realize that it's a newly done remake. Yet with few exceptions to the plot, it's not hard to mentally replace each character with those done in the version that had DeNiro as the patchwork monster of Dr. Frankenstein.
Lacking the passion of the lovers that is needed to believe that the young doctor has lost everything to live for when his young bride is murdered, the film is fraught with slow moments, stiff dialog and a monster that looks like a rock star and sounds like a polished English gentleman.
However, the photography is marvelous but this can't save a film that has been done too many times and brings nothing new to this version. The supporting cast of Mrs. and Mr. Frankenstein and Victor as a child are weak and often done over the top. Henry, sadly, has little to contribute and seems to be there only because he was written into the script.
Television is the best venue for this production as it's simply not worth the cost of a movie ticket if it were playing on the big screen.
The film starts out so similar to the version done by Kenneth Brannagh that one thinks it might just be that film they're getting ready to watch. Only until we see Donald Sutherland do we realize that it's a newly done remake. Yet with few exceptions to the plot, it's not hard to mentally replace each character with those done in the version that had DeNiro as the patchwork monster of Dr. Frankenstein.
Lacking the passion of the lovers that is needed to believe that the young doctor has lost everything to live for when his young bride is murdered, the film is fraught with slow moments, stiff dialog and a monster that looks like a rock star and sounds like a polished English gentleman.
However, the photography is marvelous but this can't save a film that has been done too many times and brings nothing new to this version. The supporting cast of Mrs. and Mr. Frankenstein and Victor as a child are weak and often done over the top. Henry, sadly, has little to contribute and seems to be there only because he was written into the script.
Television is the best venue for this production as it's simply not worth the cost of a movie ticket if it were playing on the big screen.