I just watched this for the first time, and I was very impressed with the direction, set design, and acting. Every shot was amazing. It had genuine suspense, even for an older movie, along with some really humorous moments too. Give it a watch!

Good atmosphere, good performances (Rathbone, Karloff, and Lugosi especially), and a fairly intriguing plot (surprising for a contrived second sequel). Rathbone is a worthy successor to Colin Clive, playing the son of the original mad doctor. Karloff... (read more) Good atmosphere, good performances (Rathbone, Karloff, and Lugosi especially), and a fairly intriguing plot (surprising for a contrived second sequel). Rathbone is a worthy successor to Colin Clive, playing the son of the original mad doctor. Karloff once again makes the monster believable and sympathetic, although for some reason he has lost his ability to talk (he spoke and delivered possibly the best line of the film in Bride of Frankenstein). The real problems are the discontinuities with the previous films, and the fact the nothing will ever measure up to the original film.

Not up to the standard of the previous two, but, it still has Karloff, Basil Rathbone & Lionell Atwill, as well as Bela Logosi. What a cast!! It looks fantastic as well, superb impressionist sets. A worthy addition.

I thought after Bride, the Frankenstein sequels would just drop off into naffness. How wrong I was. Son of Frankenstein does an incredibly good job of continuing the Frankenstein storyline far beyond how long it deserved to last. Whilst not even clos... (read more) I thought after Bride, the Frankenstein sequels would just drop off into naffness. How wrong I was. Son of Frankenstein does an incredibly good job of continuing the Frankenstein storyline far beyond how long it deserved to last. Whilst not even close to the same level of Frankenstein or even more so Bride of Frankenstein, there is alot to like about Son of Frankenstein.
Firstly, the acting is all-round pretty top-notch featuring the likes of Basil Rathbone, Bela Lugosi and of course Boris Karloff in his swansong to playing the monster.
It's also shot beautifully and manages to capture that morbid poetic nature that can be found in many old black and white horror movies, albeit less than many.
The main flaw is the lack of emotion you can feel coming from the film-makers. Bride of Frankenstein was a labour of love for James Whale and as such dicks all over the first film (which was great to begin with). This film doesn't have that. It feels like it was made by big fans of the original, but big fans who didn't quite get what made the original two so special. That's topped off with a major drop in scale from Bride which was really quite an epic film for the 30s. Son of Frankenstein is much more intimate, and whilst that would be fine if it was a film on it's own terms, it feels like a step backwards from the others.
That all said and done, Son of Frankenstein is a typical threequel. A very good film but one that doesn't live up to the standards of the first two. It's certainly worth a look if you're a fan of classic horror movies though.

Personal enjoyment: 7/10
Actual quality as a film: 7/10

classic scary... although rathbone a bit too rigid... colin clive was indeed mad in the original
but does have an ygor... which is always good

Great stuff. Classic performances from Basil Rathbone as Wolf Frankenstein, son of the original Henry Frankenstein, Bela Lugosi as Igor, Boris Karloff as of course the Monster, and last but not least Lionel Atwill as the inspector. The film is extre... (read more) Great stuff. Classic performances from Basil Rathbone as Wolf Frankenstein, son of the original Henry Frankenstein, Bela Lugosi as Igor, Boris Karloff as of course the Monster, and last but not least Lionel Atwill as the inspector. The film is extremely influenced by German expressionistic films like that of "Nosferatu" and "Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". Many wide shots are used and it's a beautifully-photographed piece of art. The ending is lackluster, and the score is almost nonexistent, but other than that, this film is a definite cornerstone of Universal classic horror.

Third of the Universal FRANKENSTEIN series and, though not as good as BRIDE, still delivers. Nice seeing Sherlock Holmes still get work.

Was interesting to see how much Mel Brooks referenced this more than the original Frankenstein in his 1974 spoof and this kinda added to the viewing experience. Well acted, dialogue over-ripe with exposition but still a fun watch.

I liked this movie, especially the climactic scene- I just wish the VHS I was watching it on wasn't horribly screwed up; the sound kept coming in and out.

The third (and should have been final) installment of the classic Frankenstein series from Universal. No where near the classics of the first two, but Basil Rathbone is a more than worthy replacement for Colin Clive, playing his son and reviving his... (read more) The third (and should have been final) installment of the classic Frankenstein series from Universal. No where near the classics of the first two, but Basil Rathbone is a more than worthy replacement for Colin Clive, playing his son and reviving his father's work. Also, the first appearance of the class Egor character.