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Rating
Synopsis
After being rescued by Danish sailors, Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) tells his tale to Captain Anderson (Lars Mikkelsen). He lost his mother when he was young, inspiring him to find ways to revive the dead. Despite being rejected by the scientific community, wealthy arms dealer Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz) became interested in his work. He agrees to fund Victor’s experiments and give him unlimited freedom, but tensions rise quickly between the two. Helping them is Victor’s brother, William (Felix Kammerer), who coincidentally is engaged to marry Henrich’s daughter, Elizabeth (Mia Goth). Against the odds, Victor brings his Creature (Jacob Elordi) to life and is overjoyed, but soon rejects his creation. After narrowly surviving an explosion, the monster struggles to find his place in a world that fears him. Soon, the Creature goes after his creator, who has long abandoned his work, seeking revenge for his mistreatment.
Review
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is another masterpiece created by one of the world’s best filmmakers. Much like Peter Jackson’s King Kong, you can see del Toro’s love for the material and his desire to handle it respectfully. The $120 million budget shows through the intricate sets, stunning makeup effects, and Dan Laustsen’s beautiful cinematography. There’s also Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat’s haunting score, which brings a sense of melancholy to the film. It almost feels like watching a grand opera with cinematic elements because everything looks majestic. Having the film split between Victor’s and The Creature’s perspectives gives the story more depth than traditional methods alone. This approach echoes the book’s structure, which was told through diary entries and at least three characters’ retellings. Although the movie differs from the book, as most adaptations do, it remains the most faithful adaptation of Mary Shelley’s work.
Oscar Isaac delivers an outstanding performance as the ambitious yet foolhardy Victor Frankenstein, who is both sympathetic and conniving. While you get drawn in by his charismatic way of discussing his work, you also see his humanity slipping away. Jacob Elordi is the real standout as The Creature, performing exceptionally despite extensive makeup and prosthetics. Until he gains speaking abilities, much of his acting relies on body language and facial expressions, which he excels at. Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth, and Felix Kammerer shine, while Charles Dance and David Bradley effectively utilize their limited screentime. Lars Mikkelsen’s portrayal of Captain Anderson is also worth noting; he acts as the audience surrogate and becomes engrossed in Frankenstein’s story. Though initially skeptical of Victor’s tale, he soon comes to believe it and treats Victor and the Creature respectfully. He, like us, sees the beauty even in the beast.
However, as much as I loved the film overall, some hindrances keep it from being perfect. For one, while there are tons of amazing practical effects and sets, there is, unfortunately, the occasional CGI. Thankfully, the movie keeps these sequences to a minimum, and they add to the film’s hyperrealism. Also, parts of the film feel slowly paced and uneven in tone at two and a half hours. Much of the first half, which is told through Victor’s perspective, explores his backstory in more detail than other adaptations. Thankfully, the movie picks up once the Creature enters the picture, thanks mainly to Elordi’s performance. The film might feel bloated, but this was del Toro’s dream project, and I can’t fault him for that. Overall, Frankenstein is an extraordinary take on the source material that only someone like del Toro could achieve.
Watch Frankenstein on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81507921.
Where to watch Frankenstein (2025)
