Frankenstein vs. the Mummy
Director: Damien Leone
(DVD)
C-
Anyone expecting the epic battle promised by the title of Frankenstein vs. the Mummy to be an epic battle is in for a rude awakening. Ironically, in keeping the fight confined to one scene toward the end, writer/director Damien Leone is sticking closely to the monster-mash template of the past, à la Universal’s black-and-white classic Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man.
To many, that won’t matter. What will is the time it takes to get to the point where those creatures are ready to rumble. Whereas the aforementioned 1943 film was over and done with in less than 75 minutes, this one takes nearly 120.
As if you needed to be told, leather-jacketed med-school professor Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Max Rhyser, Razortooth) is working on a secret project: reanimating the dead! Meanwhile, fellow faculty member and Maxim-ready archaeologist Naihla Khalil (Ashton Leigh, The Virginity Hit) has brought a rather unique souvenir back from her trip to Egypt: the crusty corpse of a pharaoh!
While Dr. F and Ms. K go on a first date (on which she puts out), her mummy (Brandon deSpain, The Black Water Vampire) spritzes its ancient death curse into the face of an old, bald colleague (Boomer Tibbs, Working Girls) who immediately gets all murdery across campus. Eventually, Victor’s own killer monster (Constantin Tripes, looking like an emaciated Glenn Danzig) gets loose, too.
Okay, so story is not Leone’s bread and butter; the guy sure loves him some old-school monsters, though, and their design is so impressive, it still would be for a picture 10 times the budget. I just wish this picture moved faster. The pacing is off — and consistently, suggesting Leone cannot kill his darlings either in the script stage or the editing phase, or perhaps both. Between the two, the role as editor is the one I would rather see him cede.
Frankenstein vs. the Mummy marks the multitalent’s first true feature, as 2013’s All Hallows’ Eve — a clown-centric and genuinely creepy horror flick I really dig — is an anthology cobbled from his short films. Judging from that and this, I presume he’s not yet accustomed to the differences of long-form narrative. He’ll get there. Until then, somewhat enjoy this graveyard semi-smash.
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This random movie review escaped from the archives of Flick Attack.
