There are more adaptations of Frankenstein than most other horror books combined. That’s why original takes on Mary Shelley’s vision of mad science and reanimated corpses are so interesting, as we’ve already seen countless iterations on this nightmarish premise before. And when it comes to remixing something as familiar as Frankenstein into a brand-new experience, one of my favorite examples has to be Richard Raaphorst’s underrated 2013 creature feature Frankenstein’s Army – a movie that I believe deserves to be reevaluated as a memorable example of neo-exploitation cinema.
Not to be confused with the similarly-themed Army of Frankensteins (which came out the same year), Raaphorst’s Found Footage period piece began life as an incomplete horror-comedy titled Worst-Case Scenario. Telling the story of a FIFA World Cup match gone terribly wrong when Germany is invaded by Nazi zombies, this ill-fated production began shooting all the way back in 2004. A series of financial setbacks led to the movie being cancelled in early 2009, with Raaphorst being left with a collection of cool ideas and freaky monster designs instead of a completed feature.
However, instead of giving up on his dream of directing a feature-length horror film, Raaphorst ended up using the cancelled project as a jumping-off point for a more serious zombie story that could be shot for less money in more remote locations. This is how Frankenstein’s Army was born, with the director soon securing just enough funding to shoot a guerilla-style Found Footage flick in the abandoned industrial complexes of Eastern Europe.
In the finished film, which was released in July of 2013, we follow an ensemble of Soviet soldiers accompanied by a government-sponsored videographer during the final days of World War II. After receiving a mysterious distress signal, the team makes their way towards a war-torn village only to discover that it has become the testing ground for a cybernetic army of undead ubermensch created by a deranged descendant of the original Doctor Frankenstein.
SO WHAT WENT WRONG?
Securing a mere 56% on Rotten Tomatoes after an extremely limited theatrical run, it’s fair to say that Frankenstein’s Army was mostly overlooked upon its initial release. While quite a few critics conceded that the film’s monsters were a disturbing sight to behold, most of them thought that the scare-factor couldn’t quite make up for a narratively flawed experience.
After all, despite an undeniably interesting premise, the film is remarkably light on plot. It also suffers from severe pacing issues due to the fact that the first half of the story is almost entirely setup. And while things eventually pick up once we reach Doctor Frankenstein’s laboratory, we still haven’t really gotten to know the squad as three-dimensional human-beings despite long, quiet stretches of what should have been character development.
Of course, but what really bothered me back when I first saw the film was its overall lack of authenticity. While I understand that the low budget means that it’s unfair to expect complete historical accuracy, the film’s loose approach to diegetic filmmaking means that we’re viewing full-color/high-definition footage of the 1940s in modern-day widescreen with crisp sound and perfect lighting – and that’s not even mentioning the ridiculous number of close-calls involving our inexplicably immortal cameraman. As if that wasn’t enough, viewers also have to contend with the fact that these Soviet comrades are speaking in perfect English (an attempt by the native Dutch director to make the movie more marketable).
A 4:3/monochrome re-edit of the film with a proper grain filter and Russian dubbing (we could call it a “Historian’s Cut”) would remedy most of these issues, but I still find it strange that a filmmaker would choose to partake in POV cinema without wanting to engage with the inherent limitations that make this kind of movie so immersive in the first place.
THE SILVER LINING
Frankenstein’s Army may not be a very cohesive cinematic experience, suffering from budgetary constraints and illogical presentation, but there’s no denying that the individual parts of this undead monster are still incredibly interesting to behold.
For starters, you can tell that Raaphorst’s real goal here was to showcase a veritable smorgasbord of disturbing monster designs. And if you judge the film by those merits, it’s a categorical masterpiece. Creatures like the long-limbed Mosquito Man and the Bride-of-Frankenstein-inspired Eva are the stuff of undead nightmares, and I’d recommend that even non-fans check out the director’s unused designs if you’d like to see how far he could take these ideas on a bigger budget.
The practical effects that bring these monsters to life are also insane, with Raaphorst really punching above his weight as he mixes animatronics, makeup and weaponry for freaky results with only a minimal reliance on digital trickery. And while the general lack of resources means that the action isn’t quite as polished as it is in something like 2018’s Overlord, Frankenstein’s Army will still make you feel like a panicked visitor at an unusually gruesome edition of Halloween Horror Nights.
In fact, the POV terror on display here sometimes reminds me of the frenetic chase sequences of videogames like Outlast and even the recent first-person Resident Evil titles. I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so, as fans almost immediately noticed when Capcom appeared to “borrow” the Propellerhead Zombot design for a boss battle in the Heisenberg section of 2021’s Resident Evil Village. Then again, there’s always the chance that this was just an unfortunate case of convergent design.
Regardless, Frankenstein’s Army’s continued cult following proves that the film is much more than the sum of its parts. While it’s not exactly the most convincing piece of Found Footage cinema out there, it can still be a great time if you can turn off your brain and accept that these misshapen monsters are more important than the fact that our magical cameraman is never seen changing film rolls or even adjusting for exposure.
At the end of the day, there’s no other zombie film (or war film, for that matter) quite like this one, and I sincerely hope that Raaphorst gets the chance to direct another bloodthirsty creature feature in the near future.
You can stream Frankenstein’s Army on SCREAMBOX now.
Watching a bad movie doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad experience. Even the worst films can boast a good idea or two, and that’s why we’re trying to look on the bright side with The Silver Lining, where we shine a light on the best parts of traditionally maligned horror flicks.