Frankenstein (2007 film)


Frankenstein is a 2007 British television film produced by Impossible Pictures for ITV. It was written and directed by Jed Mercurio, adapted from Mary Shelley's original 1818 novel to a present-day setting. Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, a female geneticist, accidentally creates a monster while growing her son's clone from stem cells as an organ donor in an effort to prevent his imminent death. The film was broadcast on 24 October 2007, to an average audience of 3.6 million.

Plot

Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, a scientist experimenting on stem cells and biotechnology, is working to advance medical science so her eight-year-old child, William, has a chance to receive organ transplants, and possibly a cure. This is the Universal Xenograft Project, overseen by Professor Andrew Waldman and assisted by her friend, Ed Gore. In the process of an organ-growing experiment, Victoria inserts William's blood into the procedure, and the stem cells begin to grow at a rapid rate. The insertion of William's blood is unknown until Ed discovers a tooth within the purpose built tank in which the stem cells are cultivating, and Andrew is then alerted. X-rays within the tank show that an organism is growing, and for the intention of scientific advancement, it is allowed to live. However, a lightning strike cuts the power within the building, and the creature, referred to as "the UX", escapes.
He wanders the sewers and is seen by a small girl when he is close to the exit of the pipes. The UX later kills the girl when she starts screaming. The UX soon returns to the laboratory, however, and kills a security guard. The UX is captured by security personnel, and taken to a different laboratory, in which Victoria's husband Henry is seemingly in authority. Victoria attempts to interact with and calm the UX, but is mostly unsuccessful. In one of these tests, the UX acts similar to William, which convinces Victoria that it really is William. At night, Victoria attempts to free the UX but initially fails, until Henry arrives by helicopter, and they escape to a nearby beach to consider their position. Soon, a team of armed men arrive and request that they hand over the UX. Henry refuses, and is swiftly shot. The armed men then take Victoria and the UX. In the final scene, Victoria is seemingly trying to educate the UX in an unknown facility, where they are being watched by their captors wondering whether it will love or hate Victoria for creating it.

Cast

Serena Davies of The Daily Telegraph called the film "chilling and surprisingly poignant."