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Category:    Home > Reviews > Horror > Monster > Frankenstein Vs. The Mummy (2015/Image Blu-ray)

Frankenstein Vs. The Mummy (2015/Image Blu-ray)


Picture: B- Sound: B- Extras: C- Film: C



The Epic Battle Has Begun!


This modern update on two famous monsters is not as shamefully bad as it could have been but an at times brutal and oddly entertaining direct to video genre feature. Using the same formula as Freddy Vs Jason (the two monsters don't battle it out until the end), the film centers on two young professors Victor Frankenstein and an Egyptologist named Nela who has just gotten back from an expedition where a mummy has been brought back to be studied at the university.


Young Victor strikes a dirty deal with a night Janitor to get a living human brain for his top secret experiment. It's not until he goes on a romantic date with Nela and returns to his secret laboratory to see the Janitor has returned with a fresh brain... of a homeless bum! One thing leads to another and the infamous Frankenstein monster is born!


The Mummy is brought to life by entrancing an older and respected College Professor under an ancient poison gas who, much like Renfield was to Dracula, lures victims to be sacrifices to help regenerate his undead master. The first act was surprisingly well paced though things get a little cliche when the writers dive in to focus on the troubled relationship with Nela and Victor that could have been better with more talented actors. The weaker moments of the film deal with the Frankenstein monster himself, whose makeup is a little underwhelming and who becomes too powerful too quickly.


The Mummy makeup was surprisingly not aided by any digital effects that I noticed, which I think was kind of a brave move after the success of the Stephen Summers series a few years back. One moment I did enjoy was the Mummy [SPOILER] pulling a victim's brains out through his nose! Moments like these in the film are strong for The Mummy character - to whom is usually not perceived as so brutal.


The climax of Frankenstein Vs. The Mummy (2015) does have a clear winner between the two monsters but ultimately the poorly written love story again dominates over the moments of horror that could have been. With a little more gore, better makeup, better score, a few celebrity names, perhaps a black and white version, and better production design this film would've been better.


Picture and sound on the disc aren't half bad for the DVD format but would benefit from a Blu ray upgrade. Several scenes with high contrast blacks come across as pixilated and grainy and some of the makeup details are lost from compression. The standard definition image is in anamorphic widescreen with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, while the sound mix is not terrible with a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. The extras are seriously lacking in this release with merely a Audio Commentary track by writer/director Damien Leon and Cinematographer George Steuber.


If you are a classic monster fan like me, then this film may peak your interest. I say give it a watch and enjoy it for what it is: a low budget creature feature with a terrible love story.



- James Harland Lockhart V

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