Frankenstein vs. The Mummy (DVD)
Starring Max Rhyser, Ashton Leigh, Boomer Tibbs, Constantin Tripes, Brandon DeSpain
Directed by Damien Leone
Distributed by RLJ/Image Entertainment
Frankenstein’s Monster met The Wolfman in 1943 but, surprisingly, had never crossed paths with The Mummy. Until now. In 2015. The creature came close in 1942 with Lon Chaney playing dual roles as both Kharis the Egyptian and the monster, but Universal eventually decided to split the difference and make Ghost of Frankenstein and Tomb of the Mummy instead. After all, why make one movie when you can make two for the same price?
Now, in the new millennium, Frankenstein vs. The Mummy – a clash for the ages – is upon us. But WWII-era tweeners that once dreamed of seeing these two icons of fright trade blows are probably all resting comfortably six feet under today.
The Universal pantheon of monsters has been relegated to B-movie status for decades, and Frankenstein vs. The Mummy attempts to take them seriously again. Although the focus is too centered around the human characters, both creatures give good performances when they actually appear on screen. The problem is that there’s just not enough of them. This iteration of Victor Frankenstein (Max Rhyser) is a good-looking teacher with a peculiar hobby, while Egyptologist Naihla Kalil (Ashton Leigh) observes from the sidelines as the sinister Professor Walton (Boomer Tibbs) examines a cursed pharaoh waiting patiently on the slab, dormant until the inevitable blood revival. Tibbs is an unsettling, haunting presence, and his look certainly puts him in the running as a new addition in the spooky actors club that already boasts Julien Beck and Michael Berryman as esteemed members. Rhyser and Leigh are serviceable, but they’re afforded too much screen time in a story that should be showcasing its resurrected stars.
Brandon DeSpain is no stranger to working inside of Damien Leone’s effects prosthetics, and he plays The Mummy with enough bone-creaking personality to keep things somewhat interesting as he ceremoniously dismembers his victims in much the same way as he was offered up in another age. The Monster, played by Constantin Tripes, shows promise as well even if the classic, copyrighted attributes the character has long been associated with aren’t on display. The long hair might draw some criticism, but it was described in the original novel so blame Mary Shelley if you aren’t a fan. She won’t care.
In the end, the battle is over a little too quick to justify the majority of the running time that tries too hard to drum up some drama between its two human leads.
Damien Leone, creator and effects coordinator for the incredible short film Terrifier, steps up dutifully into the director’s chair for the first time; but the subject matter doesn’t necessarily complement his more dramatic, serious approach to horror. Leone’s dedication to crafting a recognizable brand showing darker, more disturbing material is something that’s needed in the genre right now, but Frankenstein vs. The Mummy probably satisfies his inner Jack Pierce more than his desire to create memorable, lasting moments of terror within a full feature.
Just as Leone’s anthology (featuring Terrifier) All Hallow’s Eve was an opportunity to grow as a filmmaker and appeal to a wider audience, Frankenstein vs. The Mummy is a sure-footed stepping stone for a director who will most likely make something a lot more memorable with his next project, a full feature of Terrifier with Art the Clown front and center and nastier than ever.
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