History YMMV / MaryShelleysFrankenstein

* BrokenBase: The decision to have Victor [[spoiler: revive Elizabeth as the Bride]]. Those who wanted this to be a TruerToTheText adaptation call foul on something that does not appear in the book at all -- and there are fan edits removing that sequence. However, others think this is a great added touch, acting as an even better HeelFaceDoorSlam for Victor -- not to mention [[spoiler: Elizabeth choosing to die]] gives the character a bit more agency.

* MagnificentBastard: [[FrankensteinsMonster The Creature]] is the creation of Victor Frankenstein who, having been mistreated by everyone, seeks revenge on his creator for giving him a life he didn't want. Killing Victor's brother William and framing Justine for the act in order to get to him, the creature asks him to build him a companion. When Victor & his wife Elizabeth leave to try and get away, the creature tracks them down while evading the police and murders Elizabeth. When Victor reanimates her, the creature manages to win her over to his side before she kills herself after realizing what's happened to her. After Victor dies, [[AntagonistInMourning the creature mourns him]] before lighting a fire, [[DrivenToSuicide killing him]] as well as burning Victor's body.

* TookTheBadFilmSeriously: Creator/RobertDeNiro of course, despite people being shocked at him of all people playing The Creature. He studied stroke victims so he could get a sense of The Creature's developing speech patterns.
%% ** Helena Bonham Carter is a close second, turning in a very layered performance as Elizabeth.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Many complaints were directed at [[PragmaticAdaptation the Creature now having the ability to talk]]. [[OlderThanTheyThink Said complainers were unaware]] that the Creature did in fact learn how to talk in the book, and would [[CharacterFilibuster monologue for chapters pondering its existence]].

* TheWoobie: This version really amps up how horribly Justine is treated by her mother, and yet she's one of the kindest characters in the movie. Just look at the scene where she's out searching for Willy. And even worse than the book, where she falsely confesses to the murder and gets executed, the townspeople break into the jail before the trial can even happen and hang her in the street!

* HarsherInHindsight: The scene where the patient who later provides the body for the creature kills Professor Waldman while refusing to take the vaccination during a plague in the city feels much harsher after the anti-vaccine culture that sprung up during the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic.

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/RobertDeNiro as The Creature raised a lot of eyebrows when it was announced. Though now many will say his performance is the best part of the movie, and even the movie's harshest critics agreed that he was giving it his all in his performance.

* WTHCastingAgency:
** Creator/RobertDeNiro, who is typically typecast in gangster/cop flicks, plays The Creature, which raised a lot of eyebrows at the time. However, a great chunk of movie-goers consider him to be the best thing about this film, if not even the ''only'' good thing.
** Creator/JohnCleese in a completely serious role as Professor Waldman was a touch jarring, though he, too, is considered surprisingly brilliant in such a part.

* BrokenBase: The decision to have Victor [[spoiler: revive Elizabeth as the Bride]]. Those who wanted this to be a TruerToTheText adaptation call foul on something that does not appear in the book at all - and there are fan edits removing that sequence. However, others think this is a great added touch, acting as an even better FaceHeelDoorSlam for Victor - not to mention [[spoiler: Elizabeth choosing to die]] gives the character a bit more agency.
* HamAndCheese: Everyone is really over-doing it. Even De Niro's performance, as appropriately subdued in a [[WorldOfHam world where everybody else, including the movie's soundtrack itself, hams it up]] gives us the line: "I will have ''REVEENGE!'' '''Frankensteiin!!'''". But averted by ''Creator/JohnCleese'' of all people.
* JerkassWoobie: Mrs Moritz is a horrible nag, treating Justine horribly throughout the whole film. Her HeelRealization comes however when an angry mob hangs her daughter in the street. She's crying hysterically and trying to pull her down, all while the mob is still throwing things at the body.

* NarmCharm: From the abrupt tonal shifts to the campy dialogue, the movie invites a lot more laughs than the creator probably intended. That said, it does have genuinely unsettling moments because of the histrionism of the medium.

** Victor's waltz [[spoiler:with dead and revived Elizabeth who not only has grotesque stitches, but also parts of skin from her head burned off, showing parts of her bloody skull.]]
* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Many complaints were directed at [[PragmaticAdaptation The Creature now having the ability to talk]]. Said complainers were unaware that The Creature did in fact learn how to talk in the book, and would [[CharacterFilibuster monologue for chapters pondering its existence.]]
* TookTheBadFilmSeriously: Robert De Niro of course, despite people being shocked at him of all people playing The Creature. He studied stroke victims so he could get a sense of The Creature's developing speech patterns.

** Creator/JohnCleese in a completely serious role as Professor Waldman was a touch jarring too. Though he too is considered surprisingly brilliant in such a part.
* TheWoobie: This version really amps up how horribly Justine is treated by her mother, and yet she's one of the kindest characters in the movie. Just look at the scene where she's out searching for Willy. And even worse than the book - where she falsely confesses to the murder and gets executed - the townspeople break into the jail before the trial can even happen and hang her in the street!

* TookTheBadFilmSeriously:
** Robert De Niro of course, despite people being shocked at him of all people playing The Creature. He studied stroke victims so he could get a sense of The Creature's developing speech patterns.
** Helena Bonham Carter is a close second, turning in a very layered performance as Elizabeth. Blog/UnshavedMouse felt she ''improved'' the character from the source material.

* UglyCute:
** The revived Elizabeth, played by a young Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. Short fluffy hair, one very sad eye, and a trembling lower lip. Aww, sweetie.
** The Creature, who's given enough sympathetic human qualities to be endearing, and Robert De Niro's features are still quite pleasing underneath the make-up.

* {{Narm}}: Most of the acting, especially given the tonal mismatch in regards to the [[Literature/{{Frankenstein}} the source material]] that the film's adapting.
** The Birth Scene. It's supposed to be scary, but the sight of Victor struggling to pick up the Creature in ''placenta'' and constantly slipping is absolutely hilarious.
* NarmCharm: From the abrupt tonal shifts to the campy dialogue, the movie invites a lot more laughs than the creator probably intended. That said, it does have genuinely unsettling moments both in spite and because the hystrionism of the medium.

* HilariousInHindsight:
** Though Igor never appears, as he was a CanonForeigner for the Universal movies, Tom Hulce plays Henry, who takes the role of Victor's friend and partner. Two years later, he actually would play a [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame famous fictional hunchback]].
** Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter spends the movie as an upper class period female and then ends it as essentially the Bride of Frankenstein. Oddly symbolic of how her typecasting would change - from {{English Rose}}s in period dramas to dark nutcases.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Both inverted and straight. On one hand, the film was expected to get at least some good critics given its casting, respected source material and reportedly good visuals and soundtracks, but it ended up becoming a fest of goofiness instead. On the other hand, De Niro was thought to be awfully miscast as The Creature, but he ended up giving the best performance in the entire film.