The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a goofy, improbably entertaining horror film.
Dr. Henry Jekyll (Tony Todd of "Candyman" fame) is a research scientist conducting experiments on chimpanzees, hoping to find a cure for heart disease, and eventually, every disease known to man. His area of expertise is in nanotechnology and he is injecting nanobots into the chimps that are able to repair whatever defects they find on a molecular level. He has tired of the laborious process of applying for permits to test it on humans so he injects it into himself. The horrifying side effects include transforming into a vicious alter-ego, Mr. Hyde, a half-human half-beast monster who kills without remorse, ripping female college students to shreds. It isn't long before the cops are investigating Jekyll. What Mr. Hyde does in response is definitely not pretty...
No doubt about it, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is not a polished, classy horror film by any stretch of the imagination. The cinematography is rough around the edges, the acting aside from Todd ranges from passable to abominable, and the special effects, when used, are below the level of a Sci-Fi Channel Original Movie. Not to mention all the logic mistakes. For instance, how no one managed to notice that Jekyll and his "assistant" Hyde never worked at the same time is befuddling. Also, how Jekyll manages to keep Hyde a secret for so long when Hyde consistently stalks his victims out in the open is a question better left not belabored.
That said, the film is still surprisingly a lot of fun to watch. The chief reason is a fun, sometimes hammy performance by Tony Todd in the title role(s?). He does a nice job as the intelligent, subdued Jekyll but that's not what makes his performance fun to watch. When playing Hyde, his performance closely recalls that of Robert Englund's Freddy Krueger as he cackles and makes smart-alecky quips as he hunts and/or does in his victims. The actor is so clearly enjoying himself that the viewer can't help but want to share in that same enjoyment.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde may not always be pretty but as long as Tony Todd is on-screen, it promises to be lots of fun.
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