It’s true that John Barrymore wasn’t exactly handsome, but he could genuinely perform, unlike many silent film stars who seemed to just stare at the camera or gaze into someone's eyes. In this movie, he embodies Robert Louis Stevenson’s characters with considerable skill and a palpable sense of threat. The plot centers on the respectable "Jekyll," intrigued by the workings of the human mind, who experiments with drugs that change both body and mind, inadvertently unleashing his darker self, “Mr. Hyde.” A conflict then ensues between these two opposing natures—the virtuous and the monstrous—and those around him find themselves in danger; this includes “Millicent” (Martha Mansfield), whom "Jekyll" loves, and "Gina" (Nita Naldi), who attracts the desires of his other self. Barrymore delivers a strong performance, although some of his transformation scenes brought to mind Richard III acting strangely while seemingly playing an unseen instrument. The film utilizes dark settings, clever shadows, and Barrymore’s own ability to create suspense, making it genuinely unsettling. The visual effects work well, and John Robertson provides a faithful adaptation of this eerie story, which continues to be captivating even today, without sacrificing character development or leaning too heavily on CGI to divert attention from the action. While not my absolute favorite—the 1931 version was excellent as well—it’s one of those narratives that remains relevant and powerful, and this is a truly impressive presentation of it.

Source on TMDB