I, Frankenstein: Similar to the Underworld Movies?

Another Clash Between 2 Immortal Clans

The theme of an eternal clash between two separate species seems quite familiar. It was the core element of the Underworld movies that starred Kate Beckinsale, where Vampires and Lycans (werewolf like creatures) fought for centuries. And now, Aaron Eckhart stars as

Frankenstein’s monster in ‘I, Frankenstein’ having taken his creator’s name for his own. Eckhart is then caught in a war waging between 2 immortal clans, much like the one between the Vampires and Lycans in the Underworld franchise. Then, it comes as no surprise to learn that the creators of this movie were behind the Underworld series as well, Lakeshore Entertainment.

 

Nowadays, Hollywood studios are keen on expanding franchises, because sequels and the like are easy money. The established goodwill and reputation of a brand makes it easy to rake in the big bucks. Just consider Despicable Me 2. The animated film is the 2^nd highest grossing film in the USA this year, only behind Iron Man 3, another established franchise offered by Marvel. So for the creators of Underworld to display another thematically and visually similar movie makes sense financially. Lakeshore and distributor Lionsgate can easily tap into the Underworld fans market to make the feature a financial success. 

But personally, I’m put off by the whole premise of the movie. A trailer serves as the main selling point of most movies and watching the ‘I, Frankenstein’ trailer reminded me of just the first Underworld movie. Eckhart and female lead Yvonne Strahovski resemble Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman. The latter couple was caught between two clans and Eckhart and his girl seem to be going through a similar rendition. Repetition may serve well with an audience that is nostalgic about the Underworld movies, but to me, it’s simply vapid. 

There was treasure to be discovered in this movie with just Frankenstein’s monster, alone. But now, with this war among 2 races, the story of Frankenstein’s monster and how he claimed his creator’s name will be lost, or merely reduced to a 5 minute opening sequence. An interesting character would simply be relegated to a shallow role. To add to my disappointment, the dialogue in the trailer was also uninspiring, serving a cold platter of clichés. 

Of course, it may be too early to predict the fate of ‘I, Frankenstein’ but if it is trying to build on the success of Underworld, the movie will crumble, given that Awakening, the final Underworld installment, didn’t do exceptionally well at the box office. For now, I remain largely underwhelmed by the movie because it doesn’t seem to deliver anything fresh, despite tackling one of Mary Shelley’s most significant creations.