Director: Larry Fessenden
Writer: Larry Fessenden
Stars: David Call, Joshua Leonard, Alex Breaux
Run Time: 1 Hour, 54 Minutes
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2uT8N02
Synopsis
Alex and Lucy talk about having a child, but they both agree that it’s not a good time to do that. It quickly devolves into a fight, because he feels that he’s let her down. It’s his birthday, and she gives him a necklace. On his way home, Alex is stabbed repeatedly and dies in the street. Credits roll.
He wakes up in what looks like a home lab. His arm is made of various pieces sewn together. He gets out of bed and looks at himself in the mirror. He is a collection of spare parts. Henry comes in and looks really surprised, then he names the created man Adam. Henry shows Adam around and tells him he wants to keep Adam safe. Adam still dreams about his life as Alex.
He has to take various drugs, including one that keeps him alive. Henry tries to teach Adam various things, but Adam is in his own little world of memories. Eventually, they figure out that music helps Adam learn. His education proceeds quickly after that.
We get Henry’s backstory about being a doctor in Afghanistan and some of what he did over there, and his decision put people together back home. Henry’s girlfriend, Liz, stops by and talks to Adam. She claims Henry has PTSD, but he denies it.
We also meet Polidori, who came up with the magic drug, and he expects to become rich and famous because of it. Henry is starting to have second thoughts about the whole thing. Polidori takes Adam outside to see the museum, and he points out that humanity is “utterly depraved.” They run into Lucy, Alex’s former girlfriend. She doesn’t recognize him at all, but he has a spark of recognition.
Henry discontinues Adam’s medication, something that Polidori specifically warned Adam about. Henry gives Adam his old necklace back. Then he finds some videos that explain far more than Adam really wanted to know…
Commentary
It was an interesting choice to have Alex and Adam played by different actors; only Alex’s brain was used in the new creature. All the acting here is excellent, and the story is fascinating from start to end. Unlike 98% of Frankenstein-like films, people here all act relatively like real people would. At no point does anyone say “There are some things men were not meant to know,” my own personal gripe with Frankenstein movies.
That said, after an interesting and very different first hour, the second half goes about as one would expect with this kind of film, but still manages to do it very well. At one point, Adam stops taking the red pills, and nothing really comes of that. Apparently, he didn’t need them after all, but no one ever really brings it up.
Overall, yes, this is a slow burn, but it’s really good.