Every generation knows — or at least has heard of — the name of Frankenstein because year after year, a new adaptation will either debut on a spotlight-lit stage, hit the shelves or make its way to global television.
Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel transcends time; the philosophical questions she brings to light in her gothic horror plot about a creator and his creation remain relevant, even as society evolves. Guillermo Del Toro is Shelley’s representative in 2025.
“Frankenstein” follows the story of Victor Frankenstein, a narcissistic, intellectual genius who, after his mother’s passing, becomes obsessed with cheating death. His relentless pursuits result in the creation of an immortal humanoid who exhibits both the curiosity of an adolescent and the existentialism of a young adult yearning for freedom and identity.
Like Shelley’s book, the plot covers the creator and the creations’ individual perspectives. For the first half, the audience follows Victor as he ascends to a God-like position, then spirals after failing to establish that power with his creation. In the second half, the unnamed monster embarks on a journey of self-discovery, watching and learning from an old man and his family before facing his creator once again.
Del Toro is well-renowned for his imaginative fantasy works, which frequently focus on the dynamics between humans and monsters. Notable examples include a mute woman and an amphibian man from “The Shape of Water;” a mythological faun and a young girl living during the Spanish Civil War in “Pan’s Labyrinth;” and an old carpenter and a wooden boy who possesses his lost son’s soul in “Pinocchio.”
Monsters, del Toro concludes, are a representation of the human soul, an interpretation of our imperfections, questionable morality and depth of emotion that define and drive our decisions.
Del Toro’s viewpoint aligns with Shelley’s Miltonian tragedy. Along with its timeless narrative, this is why his version of “Frankenstein” succeeds. Del Toro adapts the narrative to resonate with modern audiences while remaining faithful to Shelley’s complex messages about mortality and morality, control versus freedom, and the correlation between intelligence and suffering.
Although del Toro identifies as agonistic, he notably alters the ending to fit spiritual themes and emphasizes the importance of forgiveness — a more moving conclusion to Victor and the monster’s story, respectively, than Shelly’s version.
The performance worth noting in this film was Jacob Elordi’s, who played the monster. Elordi’s performance is an acting turnaround comparable to Robert Pattinson’s after playing Edward Cullen in the “Twilight” saga. This was not the same guy who played the toxic Noah Flynn in Netflix’s “The Kissing Booth” trilogy.
His monster carries a range of emotions with the subtlest of movements, despite his limited vocabulary. He evokes fear, but his journey from creature to human wins the audience’s attention after the first act, which reaches the limit of a person’s attention span.
This film’s Victor Frankenstein is a bit one-dimensional and struggles to garner sympathy. Nevertheless, Oscar Issac’s performance as the mad genius succeeds in conveying to the audience that a monster can take on multiple forms, illustrating what happens when the line is crossed before developing moral awareness.
Then there is Elizabeth, a character del Toro altered significantly from her literary counterpart. Instead of her sole purpose being Victor’s narrow love interest — in this version, she is Victor’s brother’s fiancée — Mia Goth portrays a complex woman who belongs in the 21st century; her compassion, independent nature and wit make her stand out on screen, although she deserved way more of it. Goth draws out a couple of chuckles amid the dark premise.
There are CGI moments that will remind audiences that this is a Netflix production intended for streaming, but the adaptation proves itself worthy of an extended theatrical release.
The design, between the production, costume and composition, is unsurprisingly stunning. Del Toro’s impact on the fantasy genre is incredible. His earlier films seem to have led to this adaptation: his first and long-awaited filmmaking goal, which was 50 years in the making.
Del Toro’s “Frankenstein” is not meant to be a typical horror flick, with an ugly creature whose only mission is to kill seemingly innocent victims — sorry, James Whale fans. A viewer’s interest will not be maintained through scares, but rather through the fantastical world and his modern take on a story about personal philosophy and finding purpose.
