Victor Frankenstein - C-

James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe

Rated PG-13, 109 minutes

The ineffective, unmemorable new science fiction horror film "Victor Frankenstein," loosely based on Mary Shelley's iconic 1818 novel "Frankenstein," is akin to spending hours building a model airplane, becoming disgusted with it and throwing it in the trash, wasting all that time spent. Modestly entertaining, "Victor Frankenstein" still feels like a waste of time, it starts with an interesting backstory and a few compelling moments, though the sum of its parts doesn't add up to much, particularly its baffling, clunky last act. The film is actually told from Igor's perspective and shows the troubled young assistant's (Daniel Radcliffe) dark origins and his redemptive friendship with the young medical student Victor Frankenstein (a scowling James McAvoy). Eventually, their experiments get them into trouble with the authorities, and Dr. Frankenstein and Igor become fugitives as they complete their goals to use science to create life from death. "Victor Frankenstein," directed by Paul McGuigan ("Push") and written by Max Landis ("Chronicle") is a slick, well-cast but pointless re-imagination of Shelley's story, and in the end it rather misses the point: it blathers on about God, the creation of life and the pain it brings, though the monster itself, so memorable in other versions, seems largely an afterthought here. The sets, costumes and visuals are all first-rate, and the McAvoy-Radcliffe chemistry is palpable, yet the messy narrative is all over the place; all this serviceable build-up comes to such a disappointing, anti-climactic ending that it makes you wonder what its true meaning is - maybe sequels - the story certainly leaves it open for more though I can't imagine this being a huge hit. The unsatisfying, unwieldy "Victor Frankenstein" has a few good moments, but overall it simply isn't well-constructed; for a better (and much more enjoyable) treatment on this story, watch Mel Brooks' 1974 classic "Young Frankenstein," its "Puttin' on the Ritz" musical number is a highlight.