This adaptation of "Frankenstein" significantly deviates from Mary Shelley's original story. At its heart, her novel serves as a warning about humankind’s overreaching scientific ambition, challenging both divine authority and the natural order. The film is generally quite good. The performances are largely excellent, and the creature effects are impressive, but it must be acknowledged that this movie shares very little in common with Shelley's work. A strained father-son dynamic forms a central element of the plot, reflecting Victor Frankenstein’s own troubled relationship with his parent through his harsh and occasionally brutal treatment of the creature he brings to life. Does that make it flawed? Perhaps it depends on what you're looking for. As someone who greatly appreciates Shelley’s novel, I was actually rereading "Frankenstein" when this film came out, and I found it somewhat wanting. The bond between the creature and Frankenstein feels considerably less intricate. The creature in the book is a tragic figure, ultimately deserving of sympathy, but also possessing cunning and cruelty. These qualities are largely missing from this version. Victor Frankenstein comes across more as someone who made a terrible mistake and doesn't know how to fix it, rather than as a callous individual. Ultimately, "Frankenstein" only superficially resembles Shelley’s exceptional novel. It is an enjoyable film, certainly, but it should be considered separately from the source material; its core message takes a different direction. The depth of the connection between Frankenstein and his creation isn't quite there. Still, it’s worth seeing.

Source on TMDB