Jekyll

I recently read the original novel by Stevenson, so I (foolishly) thought to give this rather obscure modern twist a try. It turned out to be pretty awful. The character of nerdy doctor Jekyll is still reasonably acceptable, although his invention of some kind of remote-control sized retainer that can channel upgraded DNA into another person by pressuring two bulbs on antennas to the person's eyeballs, looked just as silly as the wannabe scientific mumbo jumbo to explain it all. Anyway, in the flick of a wrist this device turns friendly Jekyll into the supposedly formidable, evil Mr. Hyde.

Unfortunately this Hyde looked as unscary as someone dressed up for Halloween, a bit like a crossover between a 19th century circus ringmaster and a character in an Oscar Wilde play, complete with cape, top hat and whiskers, and an accordingly silly British accent. Apart for some rough handling of women, an occasional violent tantrum in a bar and throwing some people against the wall, his only serious evil feat was shoving his cane through the throat of Jekyll's to-be father in law (I admit: he deserved it!). It's all totally unconvincing, or, to put it more frankly, downright ludicrous.

The rest of the movie exists of Jekyll and Hyde alternately turning into each other, accompanied by lots of turmoil and screaming, and also, for reasons unknown, a fair amount of naked girls. Add to all this some far below par acting of all concerned, and you can understand why I heaved a sigh of relief when the story at last provided a definitive end of these Jekyll and Hyde. So to sum it all up: lame and superfluous. Don't bother!!