Frankenstein (2015 film)

Frankenstein (stylised as FRANK3N5T31N) is a 2015 updated adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, directed by Bernard Rose.

The film is told from the monster's point of view as he is created, escapes into the modern world and learns about the dark side of humanity.

Plot
Victor Frankenstein (Danny Huston) and his wife, Elizabeth (Carrie-Anne Moss), are scientists who bring to life Adam: a fully-grown, handsome, young man (Xavier Samuel) with the mind of an infant. Adam's cells fail to replicate correctly and he soon develops deformities on his face and body. Dr. Frankenstein attempts to euthanize his creation, but he is difficult to kill and abnormally strong.

Adam escapes into a nearby wilderness and lives by scavenging in the forest. He adopts a friendly stray dog, with whom he travels to the city. In a park he meets a little girl (Mckenna Grace) and they play a game of throwing sticks into a lake. Adam, still thinking it's a game, picks up the girl and throws her into the water as well. She starts to drown, so he jumps in and saves her. When he brings her to shore, however, two policemen try to arrest him and shoot his barking dog. Adam assaults one officer and kills the other. A vigilante mob chases Adam down.

Adam is taken to a police station where he is put into a straitjacket. Almost completely non-verbal, he gives them Elizabeth's ID badge and calls her his mom. Elizabeth is brought to the station and denies knowing Adam, effectively abandoning him.

Two vengeful policemen drive Adam to an empty lot beat him up and shoot him in the head. He awakes hours later and wanders until he meets a blind, homeless man named Eddie (Tony Todd). Recognizing a childlike soul, he kindly takes Adam under his wing. Adam's deformities worsen, but he continues to learn about the world and his ability to speak improves.

Some time later, Eddie convinces a friendly prostitute named Wanda (Maya Erskine) to take Adam to a hotel and have sex with him. After he emerges from the shower, Wanda realizes how extensive his deformities are and tries to leave. The distraught Adam snaps her spine while trying to make her stay. Eddie, having heard Wanda's screams, discovers her death and beats Adam with his cane. Adam ends up accidentally killing Eddie as well.

Feeling hopeless and angry, he uses the GPS on Wanda's phone to guide him to the Frankensteins residence. Along the way, Adam comes across Officer Banks, the police officer who shot him in the head and he vengefully murders the officer.

When Adam arrives at Victor and Elizabeth's luxurious home, he encounters them. At first Adam attacks Victor, but Elizabeth calms him down, and they show Adam his true origins. Adam is angry to learn that he was created by the Frankensteins and that Victor was already attempting to replace him. Victor knocks down Adam as he is distracted and then attempts to decapitate him with a saw. When Elizabeth tries to stop Victor, he swings the saw and accidentally slices her neck open. Victor flees and Elizabeth quickly bleeds to death.

Adam takes Elizabeth's body into the nearby woods. He solemnly builds a burning funeral pyre that he then carries her into it, engulfing into flames as he then screams to the skies, "I AM ADAM!"

Cast

 * Xavier Samuel as Adam
 * Carrie-Anne Moss as Elizabeth Frankenstein
 * Danny Huston as Victor Frankenstein
 * Tony Todd as Eddie
 * Maya Erskine as Wanda
 * Mckenna Grace as Molly
 * Matthew Jacobs as Dr. Marcus
 * Jeff Hilliard as Officer Banks
 * Jorge Luis Pallo as Officer Lincoln
 * Ron Roggé as Officer Woodcock
 * Rob Mars as Officer Crawford
 * Mary Gallagher as Amy Johnson
 * John Lacy as Mark Rubin
 * Jeordie Osbourne White as Skid Row Man

Release
The film premiered April 12, 2015 at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, followed by the Louisiana International Film Festival on May 9, 2015. The film was released on home video on February 23, 2016.

Reception
Rotten Tomatoes has the film at 100%. Pat Torfe for Bloody Disgusting said "A strong central performance by Samuel, with some great modern reimaginings of scenes from the novel that perfectly mirror the original story, make for an emotional and dramatic horror tale." Louis H.C., also writing for Bloody Disgusting, said of the film "Rarely have we seen the Modern Prometheus translated so earnestly on the big screen" and "If you’re a fan of the original story or just in the mood for some stellar storytelling, give this one a shot." Gareth Jones writing for Dread Central gave the film four and a half stars writing "Melodramatic at turns, Bernard Rose’s Frankenstein is nonetheless a remarkably affecting piece of filmmaking sporting some wince-inducing gore and extreme violence."