Robert De Niro Gothic Thriller Now Streaming on Netflix

Robert De Niro typically portrays complex dramatic characters who shape a film. Travis Bickle defines Taxi Driver (1976), Jake LaMotta anchors Raging Bull (1980), and young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974) gives an iconic role a grounded background.

Conversely, De Niro plays the detached Louis Gara in Jackie Brown (1997) to mixed reactions. His later projects like Righteous Kill (2008) and Dirty Grandpa (2016) rank among his lowest career moments.

De Niro also took on the unusual role of the monster in Kenneth Branagh’s Gothic horror film Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Mary Shelley’s novel has received numerous adaptations, including a recent version by Guillermo del Toro. Branagh’s Frankenstein relies heavily on tropes, but it remains a strange and harrowing interpretation powered by De Niro’s mournful performance. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is currently streaming on Netflix.

The film starts with a North Pole expedition in 1794. Captain Robert Walton (Aidan Quinn) and his crew find themselves stranded when their ship becomes trapped in ice. A cloaked man named Victor Frankenstein (Branagh) then appears and begins recounting his life story. A loud roar echoes in the background, though its source remains hidden for the moment.

Victor explains his childhood, his medical background, and his research into creating life. He builds a creature using notes from these experiments, but he grows horrified by the result and refuses to help or guide the creation. The plot follows the major beats of the novel. The creature tries to protect a blind patriarch after being abandoned, but his terrifying appearance prevents him from forming lasting relationships. Upon discovering his origins, the creature seeks revenge on Victor and starts a trail of carnage.

The creature eventually asks Victor to build a female companion in exchange for leaving humanity alone. Victor agrees to the demand but fails to deliver, leading to further tragedy.

A fantastic Robert De Niro performance

Branagh applies a theatrical style to every scene in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. This approach worked well in his four-hour adaptation of Hamlet (1996) alongside his Agatha Christie murder mysteries Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Death on the Nile (2022).

Not everyone enjoys such a vivid interpretation of a literary classic, but this high intensity highlights the passionate elements of Shelley’s text. Branagh portrays Victor as a man driven by passion, which explains his reckless attitude toward playing god and his habit of running from problems.

The creature is smarter and more world-weary than Victor realizes. De Niro brings deep pathos to the role, helping audiences understand a being rejected by its maker. The creature displays curiosity about the world and questions how and why Victor created him. “What of my soul? Do I have one? What of these people of which I am composed?” he asks, taking a philosophical view of his construction.

Every scene with the creature moves the audience, making Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein a compelling adaptation despite its uneven tone. Victor’s adoptive sister and wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) takes on a more tragic role than in the book, though these script changes lack subtlety. Branagh’s love of melodrama removes any genuine scares, but it creates a striking visual style. The North Pole scenes look stunning and capture the isolation shared by both Victor and the creature.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein does not reinvent the classic story. It serves as a beautiful and spirited adaptation with strong performances for viewers who appreciate period dramas focused on romance and melancholy.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is streaming on Netflix.

Source: Polygon