BruceTimm:

I think the biggest problem with the (Mary Shelley´s Frankenstein) reviews was the the critics weren't familiar with the novel, and didn't realize how faithful Branagh's film was to it, in all its weird narrative choices. Aside from one single bold plot change during the finale (which I think works quite well), it's incredibly close to the book.

However, it's nothing like the older movies, which are really nothing like the book. I think critics expected something like the old black-and-white film, and were shocked by what they got, without realizing they were getting the novel, almost word-for-word.