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In 1818, the novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was published anonymously in London. The author was a young girl with famous parents and a scandalous story—and the biography Mary Shelley explores her story while examining the troubled relationship that inspired her famous novel.
Mary Shelley stars Elle Fanning as a young Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, who dreams of following in her famous parents’ footsteps by becoming a well-known writer—but, instead of philosophy, she wants to write horror. Due to a strained relationship with her stepmother, Mary is sent to Scotland, where she meets Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Booth), a handsome radical poet who sweeps her off her feet before turning her life into one of scandal and loss and loneliness, eventually leading her to write a Gothic classic when she was just 19 years old.
The story of Frankenstein and his monster may be a gothic horror classic, but if you’re looking for chilling science-fiction, you won’t find it here. The story behind the story of Frankenstein isn’t a thriller. It’s a tale of romance and grief and family drama—of a lonely young bookworm who, with nowhere else to turn, chose to pour her heart and soul into her writing.
Mary Shelley follows the author through her troubled teen years. In a lot of ways, though—despite the fact that she lived 200 years ago—Mary seems a lot like a modern teenage girl: headstrong and moody, unwilling to listen to anyone else’s advice. And, unfortunately, her attitude won’t exactly endear her to audiences.
The other characters, meanwhile, aren’t much better. Most, in fact, are even worse. They’re spoiled and self-centered and whiny, too. And the endless scenes of seduction and jealousy and self-pity quickly start to feel tedious.
Somewhere in Mary’s history, there’s a fascinating story—because it certainly led to the creation of a memorable novel by an unlikely author. But instead of engaging audiences by building an emotional connection, the film simply rambles from one moment in Mary’s life to another, depicting snippets of experiences that build up to the writing and publication of Frankenstein. The pieces are here, but they just don’t come together in a compelling way.
Of course, if you’ve ever spent hours upon college hours studying poetry and literature, you may still be intrigued by the adventures of these beloved literary figures. But this tale of heartbreak and inspiration isn’t nearly as powerful as it should have been.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
