INTRODUCTION
This is a quick review of the newly released film Frankenstein. Please note that this is just one of the many movies I will have watched each year, and my initial grade for this film may change over time, for better or worse. To stay up to date on my thoughts about other movies and any potential changes in my opinion on this one, follow me on Letterboxd.
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PLOT
Via Letterboxd: Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
REVIEW
Next to the Bible and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Mary Shelley’s iconic 1818 novel Frankenstein would be my choice for the greatest story ever written. It’s a horror tale that has withstood the test of time through countless adaptations, from the original novel to stage plays and numerous film versions, many of which admittedly deviate from Shelley’s text. That includes the infamous 1931 film starring Boris Karloff as the Creature and 1957’s The Curse Of Frankenstein featuring Christopher Lee.
It only makes sense that Guillermo del Toro, the modern master of gothic visuals, a filmmaker who loves his monsters, and who won an Oscar for a story about a woman falling in love with a fish creature, would be the perfect artist to take on the next great adaptation of Mary Shelley’s masterpiece. His Frankenstein arrives at an exciting moment for the genre, we just saw a stunning remake of Nosferatu last year, Universal is revisiting its classic monster lineup though modern imaginings, and next year Warner Brothers will release a new reimagining of The Bride of Frankenstein titled The Bride!
As both a GDT fan who’s loved most of his works, and a longtime admirer of Frankenstein and its many screen incarnations, this was easily one of my most anticipated films of the year. Thankfully, I caught it at a local theater during Halloween week, just before it hits Netflix next weekend.
If I had to describe del Toro’s vision for this new 2025 version, I’d compare it to Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 take on another gothic classic, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Like that film, this Frankenstein closely follows the spirit and throughline of the original novel while adding its own flavor, and yet still finds room to pay homage to moments from earlier screen adaptations. There’s no famous “It’s alive!” scene, but several sequences evoke 1931’s Frankenstein, 1935’s The Bride Of Frankenstein, and 1957’s The Curse Of Frankenstein.
If you’ve come for the familiar story of an egotistical scientist trying to play God and the “creature” he assembles from the dead, you’ll get exactly what you came for. Victor Frankenstein, played by Oscar Isaac, is every bit as sympathetic yet arrogantly self-absorbed as the character should be. The supporting cast, which includes Charles Dance, Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth, and Felix Kammerer, all deliver strong performances in their respective roles.
But what truly gives this film its heart and soul is the Creature himself, played by Jacob Elordi with such empathy and quiet sorrow that he gives new life to this infamous “monster.” His performance captures the essence of Shelley’s original creation of a tragic, lost soul cursed by existence it didn’t ask for. It’s probably the most moving and humanistic portrayal of the Creature since the 1935 masterpiece The Bride of Frankenstein, and one that would surely make both Karloff and Lee proud.
On a technical level, the film is outstanding, del Toro’s direction is confident and deliberate, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the production design, costumes, and makeup are all lavishly detailed. Its few shortcomings lie in a screenplay that occasionally feels bloated and some visual effects that don’t quite measure up to the rest of the film’s artistry.
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is ultimately a story about what it means to take life for granted, to play God, to inflict cruelty, and how hurt people hurt others. Yet it also finds light amid the darkness through empathy and understanding. It’s one of the greatest gothic tales ever told, adapted by one of our greatest modern gothic storytellers.
Not only is it one of the best horror films of the year, it’s one of the best films of the year, period. After my first viewing, I’m giving it a solid A–. This film stands proudly alongside the greatest Frankenstein adaptations ever made, and in terms of faithfulness to Mary Shelley’s original vision, it might even be argued to be the most pure adaptation put to film yet.
“TL;DR”
Pros: Provides that gothic aesthetic that Guillermo del Toro has mastered; Amazing cinematography and crafts; Jacob Elordi delivers a performance as Mary Shelley’s creature that would make Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee proud; Homages and references to multiple previous onscreen adaptations while still being its own specific vision
Cons: Screenplay is trying so much that its bloat shows; Visual effects are very wonky and stand out as a glaring weakness compared to its other amazing crafts
GRADING
