Immediately after burying the doctor (Young) in the family crypt, the creature (Eckhart) is attacked by demons and rescued by two gargoyles (Jadu and Stasey), angelic protectors of humanity. Taken back to the gargoyle lair, he meets Queen Lenore (Miranda Otto), who gives him the name Adam. But her second-in-command Gideon (Courtney) isn't so willing to trust him. Adam spends the next two centuries honing his demon-killing skills, then rejoins the gargoyles when the demon Prince Naberius (Nighy) turns up with a nefarious plan to unleash hell on earth.

Naberius is trying to recreate Frankenstein's reanimation work with the help of hot young scientist Terra (Strahovski), who of course falls for Adam on sight. This romantic sideroad isn't remotely convincing, and thankfully writer-director Beattie doesn't push it. He's too busy wallowing in cliches like overcoats, flickering candles and grimy-grey walls. The action scenes are frenetic and occasionally coherent, but at least the animation effects are whizzy and sometimes thrilling as the cartoonish gargoyles "descend" flaming demons.

Amid this nonsense, there isn't much actual acting to do. Eckhart tries to be meaty and non-human, but ends up looking wooden (and his raspy monotone narration is just dull). But he does manage to find some emotion in Adam's eyes, especially in scenes with the superbly watchable Strahovski. Otto does some great glowering, while Courtney continues to waste his considerable on-screen presence in simplistic parts. At least Nighy has fun in a role he's played before (yes, this movie is reminiscent of Underworld on several layers).

As the mayhem continues, the only hint of depth is in the religious themes. Beattie fills the screen with churchy icons, but more intriguing are the ideas about the meaning of the human soul, and whether a man who wasn't created by God can have a soul at all. This is far too profound for a movie like this, but at least it provides a whiff of something to cling to when things get loud and corny.

themes, violence

29.Jan.14