leestoych

"If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" is a stress inducing film. Our protagonist is constantly on edge, and the sound design is loud and unrelenting. There are no moments where the viewer can escape the pressure or take a breath from the relentless atmosphere.

The film carries a simmering tension that always feels like it is about to boil over. What makes this so effective is the incredible performance by Rose Byrne. I genuinely believe this is the best work I have seen from her. She is fully convincing and brings a compelling authenticity to the role.

Technically, the film uses two main methods to create its tense atmosphere. The first is the continual use of tight camera angles. The viewer is given almost no room to breathe as the frame often stays closely focused on Linda. We are placed directly in her situation. It is clever, but undeniably uncomfortable.

The second method is the lack of context. The film offers very little explanation and forces the audience to interpret the situation for themselves. Nothing is spoon fed, which lets us concentrate more on our protagonist's emotional experience.

I mentioned earlier the tension that seems on the verge of boiling over. I felt the film never quite reached the point it was building toward. I expected the character to spiral so far out of control that something unthinkable would occur, but it never reached that moment. The ending was a little disappointing in that sense.

However, the film is still a unique experience. Rose Byrne is exceptional, and she genuinely deserves recognition for her performance.

Del Toro's signature style is unmistakably present throughout Frankenstein. The film is a visual spectacle, from its stunning production and costume design to its moody, beautifully composed cinematography. He perfectly captures that distinct gothic period atmosphere he's so well known for.

Told in parts, the film moves with an ebb and flow. Some moments are genuinely captivating, while others drag a little, and the longer runtime does start to show.

What makes the Frankenstein story so powerful, the monster's search for humanity, feels somewhat underexplored here. I wish there had been more depth and time devoted to such themes. The psychological and moral turmoil experienced by Viktor in the novel was under utilised in my opinion too.

The dialogue also feels unusually heavy handed for Del Toro. He's typically a master of subtlety and implication, but here the film often spells out its themes too directly. With a story as well known as Frankenstein, that kind of exposition wasn't really necessary.

In the end, this adaptation feels somewhat watered down in its thematic approach. The visuals and technical elements are faultless, but the emotional resonance falls short, leaving an experience that's beautiful to look at yet unlikely to linger.