I, Frankenstein (2014) - Monster nonsense, thick and bland

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A doom-ish landscape invites on this poster for Stuart Beattie's I, Frankenstein

Frankenstein's monster has survived for more than 200 years up until today, where the scientists around an old man get near to mastering the resurrection technology again, and thus a battle between creatures breaks out.

 

I, Frankenstein is written and directed by Stuart Beattie (Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010)), adapting the digital-only graphic novel I, Frankenstein Genesis (2013) by Kevin Grevioux (Wetworks Mutations (2010)). 

Fantasy fiction as a genre is open to being far out, - but it can also be compelling, if the presented universe is persuasive. I, Frankenstein is regrettably only utterly ridiculous nonsense, and the only thing it has in common with Mary Shelley's 1818 masterpiece Frankenstein is her title character, which it steals without crediting her.

Aaron Eckhart (Midway (2019)) looks resolute in the title part, but that he is supposedly 200+ years old and made of various severed body parts is only revealed through a scar on his face, - which carries through down his pumped up, muscly chest and abdomen... The modern, blond scientist woman (Yvonne Strahovski (The Tomorrow War (2021))) refers to Dr. Frankenstein as if he was a recently passed colleague; while Bill Nighy (Living (2022)) as the film's villain attempts to find new ways of spewing dialog in vicious manners, reminding us of his work in other fantasy films, among them the related Underworld series (2003; 2006; 2009; 2012; 2016), also co-created by Grevioux. Miranda Otto (Downhill (2020)) is a gargoyle queen with attractive male gargoyles Jai Courtney (Jolt (2021)), Chris Pang (Charlie's Angels (2019)) and others, (regrettably none of them take their clothes off.)

The plot also includes blasphemous baloney such as that Satan comes from heaven, and that there is an eternal and holy war between demons and gargoyles. 

This is tiring, very dark and self-congratulatory junk, however in short moments amusing junk, and if you are able to switch your brain very thoroughly off, some of the animated, made-for-3D fight scenes are mildly entertaining. But taken as a film, I, Frankenstein is another example of how comics-based offal litters the silver screens. 

And, by the way, what city are we in in I, Frankenstein? It is filled with ancient buildings, many of them Gothic, including one enormous, Gothic church? Melbourne, Australia? That's where it was shot :-D

 

Related posts:

 

Stuart Beattie: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) - Sommers tries to fire up Hasbro's second, less interesting movie venture (co-writer)

Derailed (2005) - Håfström's pointless romance thriller (writer) 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 65 mil. $

Box office: 76.8 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.18 times its cost)

[I, Frankenstein premiered 20 January (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and runs 92 minutes. Shooting took place in Argentina and Melbourne, Australia. The film opened #6 to an 8.6 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 19 mil. $ (24.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Russia with 11.3 mil. $ (14.7 %) and China with 7.5 mil. $ (9.8 %). Beattie has not returned as a director since the film; instead he has turned to producing and especially writing. Eckhart returned in My All-American (2015). I, Frankenstein is rotten at 5 % with a 3.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of I, Frankenstein?

Henry Poole Is Here (2008) or, Faith in Sunny California

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A cluttered poster for Mark Pellington's Henry Poole Is Here that establishes that the film is set in California

Poole buys a house in Los Angeles, where he intends to drink, be lonely and die in peace from his unnamed fatal illness. But his neighbor sees Jesus on the side of his house; the other neighbor is highly interested in Poole himself; and miracles start to occur.

 

Henry Poole Is Here is written by Albert Torres (The Fugitive (2020, TV-series)) and directed by Mark Pellington (Going All the Way (1997)).

Radha Mitchell (Bird People (2014)) is too good for this film. Luke Wilson (The Skeleton Twins (2014)) as Poole pulls faces and doesn't entirely seem to believe the script, which is also quite hard-pumped with missionizing cliches. Adriana Barraza (Dark Blood (2021)) is, however, wonderful as the faithful Catholic next door.

The film has plenty of music that it doesn't seem to live up to. Henry Poole Is Here also suffers from an inordinate amount of focus shifts as well as unrealistic endings. It has its heart in the right place but is very far from convincing.

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Unknown
Box office: 1.9 mil. $

= Uncertain - but likely a mega-flop (projected 0.38 time cost return)

[Henry Poole Is Here premiered 21 January (Sundance Film Festival) and runs 99 minutes. Shooting took place in California, including in Los Angeles. It opened #16 to an 805k $ first weekend in 527 theaters in North America, where it receded from then on, grossing 1.8 mil. $ (94.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Spain with 29k $ (1.5 %) and UAE with 16k $ (0.8 %). If made on a scant 5 mil. $ budget, the film would rank as a mega-flop with a 0.38 time cost return. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, translating to 3 notches over this one. Pellington returned with a TV movie and 2 music videos prior to his theatrical return with I Melt with You (2011). Wilson returned in Tenure (2008); Mitchell in The Children of Huang Shi (2008). Henry Poole Is Here is rotten at rotten at 40 % with a 5.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Henry Poole Is Here?

The Human Stain (2003) - Stellar cast drives Benton's Roth adaptation

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Two major stars drenched in sensual blue make up this poster for Robert Benton's The Human Stain

 

Coleman is a college dean who lectures in classical literature, until he is one day accused of racism and decides to quit. His wife passes away, but he finds a young, exciting woman - with a heavy personal baggage. It turns out that he is also carrying around quite a load himself.

 

The Human Stain is written by Nicholas Meyer (Medici (2016-18)), based on the same-titled 2000 novel by Philip Roth (Exit Ghost (2007)), and directed by Texan master filmmaker Robert Benton (Bad Company (1972)), whose 10th feature it is.

Anthony Hopkins (Chaplin (1992)), Ed Harris (Virginia (2010)), Gary Sinise (Bruno (2000)) and Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole (2010)) is a tremendously strong cast, and they carry this stained drama home. Kidman's character suddenly evolves to an incredible degree; and the entire storyline with beautiful Wentworth Miller (Underworld (2003)) is mysterious and may seem overly American to some audiences.

Related posts:

Robert Benton: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) - Benton's amazing, truthful divorce drama

What's Up, Doc? (1972) - Screwball comedy revived for a wonderful show (co-writer) 

Watch the 2-minute 'accusation' scene from the film here

 

Cost: 30 mil. $

Box office: 22.9 mil. $

= Huge flop (returned 0.76 times its cost)

[The Human Stain premiered 29 August (Venice Film Festival) and runs 106 minutes. Shooting took place from March - May 2002 in Massachusetts, Illinois, including in Chicago, and in Québec, including in Montréal. The film opened #15 to a 1 mil. $ first weekend in 160 theaters in North America, where it widened to 388 theaters but never attained a higher position, grossing 5.3 mil. $ (23.1 % of the total gross). The film's biggest market was Italy with 6 mil. $ (26.2 %); North America was the 2nd biggest, and Spain was 3rd biggest with 2.4 mil. $ (10.5 %). The film won an AFI award. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. Benton returned with Feast of Love (2007). Hopkins returned in Shortcut to Happiness (2003); Kidman in Cold Mountain (2003). The Human Stain is rotten at 42 % with a 5.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Human Stain?

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) or, The Court Case Against Emily Rose's Exorcist

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A misty, chilling poster for Scott Derrickson's The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Rose is a possibly possessed young woman who dies during an unsuccessful exorcism. Now her Catholic priest exorcist stands accused of causing her death. - But what really killed her?

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is written by Paul Harris Boardman (Deliver Us from Evil (2014)) and co-writer-director Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange (2016)), based on a true story. The story is told through a mix of choppy, flickering flashbacks of Jennifer Carpenter (Battle in Seattle (2007)) as the demonically possessed - or merely psychotic - Emily Rose with the post-death present plane, wherein we get Laura Linney (The Details (2011)) and Tom Wilkinson (Snowden (2016)) injecting integrity into the tale with fine performances.
The film surprises as more of a court room drama than the horror we are led to expect from the title and poster. SPOILER The ending is an incomprehensible misfire, as Father Wilkinson is found guilty but still simply gets to walk away. Still, The Exorcism of Emily Rose is fairly entertaining.

Related posts:

Scott Derrickson: 2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

Sinister (2012) - Derrickson's genuinly unpleasant horror

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) - Unduly bashed sci-fi drama

Listen to a track from the film's soundtrack here

Cost: 20 mil. $
Box office: 144.2 mil. $
= Huge hit
[The Exorcism of Emily Rose premiered 1 September (Venice International Film Festival) and runs 119 minutes. The film is based on the story of German Anneliese Michel, who passed away in 1976 after 67 exorcisms at a weight of just 68 lbs. Comparisons of film and the real and disturbing story can be found here. Filming took place in Los Angeles and in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from November 2004 onward. The film opened #1 to a stellar 30 mil. $ opening weekend in North America, where it stayed in the top five for another two weeks (#2, #5) and grossed 75 mil. $ (52 % of the total gross). The film's 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Catholic: Mexico with 7.1 mil. $ (4.9 %) and Spain with 7 mil. $ (4.9 %). Roger Ebert gave the film 3 stars, translating to one notch higher than this review. The same story has inspired a much greater German film by Hans-Christian Schmid, Requiem (2006). The Exorcism of Emily Rose is rotten at 45 % with a 5.5 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Exorcism of Emily Rose?