THE FRANKENSTEIN THEORY: WHAT IF...

One day the found footage films may run their course. Let's hope that day is sooner rather than later. While it makes for an easy way for a film to be made for less money, it becomes rather annoying after a while. That being said some of these films still work, but not always.

THE FRANKENSTEIN THEORY is one that does work but perhaps not for everyone. This is a movie with a slow build to a crescendo that is short, sweet and to the point. Some will feel ripped off by that, others will enjoy the film for what it is.

Professor John Venkenheim has degrees in history and English language. While this may seem an odd coupling he explains it to a young female documentary maker he has hired named Vicky to film his latest excursion. Displaying some well preserved hand written pages, he tells her that the basis and opening of the story of Mary Shelly's FRANKENSTEIN was a series of letters sent to a woman whose brother was the captain of the ship Dr. Frankenstein took to the frozen north. Venkenheim claims that these are those letters and that they are real and not fiction.

Following news stories and information he has gathered, Venkenheim has hired a guide and intends to track down the creature from the story that he claims is still alive and roaming the vast North Country. While he seriously believes what he is about to do Vicky's crew is less than receptive to his ideas and ridicules him behind his back each chance they get. But they are being paid so off they go.

The film deals mostly with the journey that this group takes than with the actual creature. Their guide is a roughneck with plenty of character to go round. This is someone not to mess with or be taken lightly. When the group's snowmobiles are damaged in the night, it's this man who takes a rifle and sets out to find whoever is responsible. Is it the creature or someone else? The panic and fear in the group plays out well onscreen.

Don't let the cover of the DVD help you decide whether to watch or not. Don't expect a movie filled with the creature roaming the countryside with villagers in hot pursuit, torches raised. He actually has very little screen time. But the movie does offer some slow burn tension. If you like movies that are a little more in your face then skip this one. As for found footage films, this one isn't too bad.

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