Victor Frankenstein is an outlandish and, at times, implausible but thoroughly enjoyable twist on the legendary tale of the man who created a monster. With a rather exaggerated but electrified performance from James McAvoy as Doctor Victor Frankenstein, and Daniel Radcliffe as obedient side-kick Igor, this film tells the story of the man people often forget: the doctor himself.
The narrative of the story is driven by Igor who we find as a hunchback circus clown with an improbably wide knowledge on medical science. The film is very much centred on Victor through the eyes of Igor who narrates throughout – an appropriate choice considering that Shelley’s novel also has a framed narrative.
As the doctor arrives at the circus on the prowl for animals to steal and experiment on (he even creates a terrifyingly dangerous chimp-human hybrid), he stumbles across Igor who miraculously resets the broken collar bone of a fallen trapeze artist. Realising Igor’s talents, the doctor decides to free this circus-hunchback-turned-impromptu-physician to be his accomplice.
Throughout the film, Igor makes several references to the Frankenstein legend: ‘You know the story, a mad genius, an unholy creation’. And while critics have slammed the film’s technical flaws and McAvoy’s crazed performance (mirroring his portrayal of Bruce Robertson in Filth), it is in this spirit of subtext and nods to the viewer that creates an almost satirical, self-aware, fresh adaptation of one of the most adapted stories ever told.
It may not beat Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – the acclaimed 1994 adaptation – but overall, with visual spectaculars, and authentic, rustic costume and set that drops the audience in the heart of 18th century London during a time of unthinkable progress and religious anxiety, Victor Frankenstein is a messy creation much like the original monster himself; with skin barely and clumsily covering the workings of the body underneath. But at its heart, we can still see goodness.
★★★
What did you think of Victor Frankenstein? Let me know in the comment section below.
People are often surprised to hear that I’m a huge fan of gangster films. I love them so much that I even have a huge make-shift canvas up on my wall featuring characters from Scarface, Goodfellas, The Godfather and many more all gathered round a poker table. But one of my all-time favourite gangster movies is The Krays; the chilling and eerie but stunning 1990 film starring brothers Martin and Gary Kemp which tells the rise and fall chronicle of the notorious Kray twins who dominated London in a reign of violence and intimidation in the 1960s.
Considering how much I adore the original film adaptation based on the book ‘The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray twins’, I was a bit precious about the idea of a re-make, but when I heard Tom Hardy would be starring as both Ronald “Ronnie” (“the one man mob”) and Reginald “Reggie” Kray (“the gangster prince of the East End”) – an impressive feat in itself, if achieved – I was intrigued to see how this re-telling of the story of Britain’s most infamous-gangsters-turned-surprising-national-treasures would pan out.
Legend is a revitalised, re-energised take on the Krays twins’ story with impeccably glitzy costume and set design that could easily rival the nostalgic, stunning look of The Great Gatsby (2013). The class, suave style and sexiness of the film is instantly apparent as the movie opens with Reggie (the front) and Ronnie (the muscle) smoking cigars in the back of a chauffeur driven car driving through star-studded, swinging ‘60s London with a Cockney voice over from Reggie’s wife, Frances Kray (maiden name: Shea).
The real Ronnie and Reggie with Frances.
While this indulgence in the glamourized East End folklore of the twins may not be an entirely explicit, graphic and wholly honest portrayal of the Krays – figures who have been mythologized and turned into iconic, nostalgic characters of 1960s Britannia – no critic can deny that this film is still a brutal, spunky, unapologetic adaptation which might make audiences laugh at times but which also ponders sobering questions, particularly regarding the mental health issues and wellbeing of Ronnie Kray, who was eventually certified insane and became a patient of Broadmoor psychiatric hospital (an aspect of his life that the 1990 does not touch on, and instead portrays Ronnie as merely a lover of violence).
Although the narrator of the film, Frances, died from suicide not long after she and Reggie married (a piece of trivia I already knew from the 1990 film), I thought it was an inspired touch on behalf of the director to have the film concentrate on the story from her perspective; the movie is very much focalised on the beloved Reggie Kray through the eyes of Frances, and, essentially, from beyond the grave.
Shown, to a certain degree, as caricature portrayals of each twin, Tom Hardy delivers two engrossing and compelling performances as – similar to the tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – Hardy is able to switch personality from the softly-spoken, handsome, gentlemanly and intelligent yet still violent and not-to-be-messed-with Reggie Kray, into his vicious counterpart: the paranoid-schizophrenic, blood-thirsty, unpredictable and terrifyingly violent yet hilarious, Ronnie Kray.
With subtle characterisations and mannerisms including: Ronnie’s deeper voice; how he breathes heavily and shows his bottom row of teeth more than the top; how he wobbles and swaggers with a fat cigar in his hand; and Reggie’s way of slicking back his hair; placing a protective hand on the small of Frances’ back wherever they go; and his sweet, innocent, butter-wouldn’t-melt voice, Hardy hones the characteristics of these two very similar but paradoxically very different brothers to create two vivid, rich, multidimensional performances.
Following the twins rise as they buy and run clubs in London (gained largely through intimidation), make contacts with the big boys of Las Vegas and become socialites and even celebrities of 1960s pop culture, we then see their empire begin to crumble around them as Ronnie’s side-splitting one liners (“I prefer boys. Mostly Italian but I’m not prejudiced. And I’m the giver, not the receiver. There’s a different, you know – I ain’t a faggot.”) fade and he becomes increasingly violent, paranoid and unable to be controlled by anyone other than his brother and with rival gangsters and the police baying for Kray blood, Reggie, too, begins to crack under the pressure and violently lashes out on poor Frances with the audience watching on in horror as he comes more and more like his psychopathic brother.
With an explosive, ferocious and climactic scene towards the end of the film as Reggie snaps and repeatedly stabs fellow notorious gangland figure Jack “the Hat” McVitie to death in a crowded room at an East End party, we see Frances’ beloved Reggie turn into a monster while his ‘evil twin’ brother remains calm and asks him “what’d you do that for?” – a surreal, role-reversal exchange spookily similar to an earlier one in the film between the brothers, but this time Ronnie is the sensible voice of reason and Reggie is the wild animal covered in another man’s blood.
For the critics who sneer and have been slating Legend because of its slightly cartoonish, embellished and perhaps a little generalised portrayal of the Krays, I can partly understand their aversion. But I, like many others, thoroughly enjoyed this sophisticated, violent, art-house-with-a-big-budget depiction of London’s most infamous criminals and it is definitely a film I would recommend to gangster-film-virgins and dire-hard-fans alike.
Legend is out in cinemas now.
Have you seen the film? Let us know what you thought of it in the comments section below.
Here is my pick of the best films coming out in the coming months. Make sure you pop down to the cinema and snuggle up with some popcorn and a Tango Iceblast and see…
Legend – Certificate 18 – Release Date: September 9
Following the superb telling of the lives of Kray twins portrayed by brothers Martin and Gary Kemp in the 1990 film, the story of the infamous identical twins and gangland figures Reginald and Ronald Kray is being interpreted in film once again but, this time, with a twist.
Rather than having brothers or, better yet, identical twins, playing the dangerous duo, the writer and director of Legend, Brian Heldgeland, has instead opted to have one actor alternating between both roles. Enter: Tom Hardy as the notorious gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray.
The British crime thriller is based on the book ‘The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins’ by John Pearson which tells the chronicle of the deadly brothers’ intense relationship and childhood up until their reign of terror over East End London in the 1960s and their downfall.
Legend will focus on the life of Reggie Kray and his struggle to control his brother Ronnie’s psychotic and violent tendencies while maintaining the Krays’ mobster status, dodging the police and dealing with their enemies.
For fans of The Godfather, Goodfellas, Scarface and other gangland epics, Legend should be top of your list of films to see at the cinema this month.
The Visit – Certificate 15 – Release Date: September 9
‘The Visit’, an American horror comedy film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, follows siblings Rebecca and Tyler as their mum leaves them with their grandparents for the first time. But as time goes on, the brother and sister begin to notice that there’s something strange and grandma and grandpa as they are warned not to leave their rooms after 9.30pm but when they do, they find sweet ol’ grandma frantically scratching a door until her hands are bloody, as you do.
As they plead with their mum on video chat to come and get them, they are met with the typical “you’re imagining it, everything is fine” horror movie response and have to endure their grandparents increasingly disturbing behaviour. Both horror and comedy buffs will love this film!
Victor Frankenstein – Certificate PG-13 – Release Date: 4 December
‘Frankenstein’ is a legendary tale that has been retold and adapted in film over and over again. But, this time around, American filmmakers have interpreted contemporary adaptations of Mary Shelley’s globally renowned 1818 novel and shifted the perspective from the doctor to his helper. Starring James McAvoy as the title character and Daniel Radcliffe as the doctor’s faithful helper, the film is told from Igor’s perspective, showing the troubled young assistant’s dark origins and motives, his loyal but conflicted relationship with the young medical student Victor Frankenstein and his eyewitness account of how Frankenstein managed to animate death back into life and succeed in his mission to create a man after his own image.
The pair’s unethical experiments eventually come back to haunt them as they are hunted down by monsters and police alike as they lose control of the creation they ignited with life.
The tale warning of the dangers of scientific experimentation and ‘playing God’ is a timeless classic that always seems to contain elements that are relevant to modern science and life today. This revamped take on a gothic horror classic will no doubt by a huge hit with Frankenstein fanatics.
Shown, to a certain degree, as caricature portrayals of each twin, Tom Hardy delivers two engrossing and compelling performances as – similar to the tale of 
sophie. 