Raw, guttural, devastating and retrospective, Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” fires from all angles. del Toro’s rendition of Mary Shelley’s monumental 1818 novel of the same name serves to satisfy both die-hard fans of the novel and more ignorant viewers to the world of the Gothic masterpiece, and does so flawlessly.
Before getting into the meat of the film, it’s crucial to note the stellar performances by Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as The Creature. Isaac taps into the insanity and unnerving nature of the titular character in a refreshing way that truly pulls the viewer into his world of madness. In a similar fashion, Elordi encapsulates The Creature’s loneliness and eternal suffering, giving an unforgettable performance that will personally stick with me for years to come.
Speaking of The Creature, what del Toro’s film does especially spectacularly is the portrayal of the infamous creature. A choice that I found incredibly touching and impactful is the decision to alter the original novel’s storyline of The Creature’s murderous revenge plot against its creator, Victor, to a storyline where The Creature is never at fault for any murders it encounters, and either accidentally harms others or is falsely accused of their deaths. This switch ultimately conveys a stronger message than the original source material, with The Creature’s innocence on full display — and the world’s cruel punishment at the forefront — further highlighting The Creature’s turn towards violence to be innate within what makes a living being a living being: response to stimuli.
As a superfan of the original novel, this film simply makes me giddy. It just looks fantastic, like what I had envisioned the world of “Frankenstein” to look like when first reading it. The frozen waters of Antarctica look impeccable, the ostentatious clothing, while not completely historically accurate, looks fantastic and intricately detailed, The Creature’s makeup makes Elordi look unrecognizable in the best possible way. del Toro is known for his signature style which shines here and, even if at some points the Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) is noticeable, it is not in a way that is at all distracting.
An aspect of Shelley’s novel that stuck with me was the emotion behind the relationship between Frankenstein and The Creature. It’s not super present within the words on the pages of the book, but the potential for a grand emotional conclusion was palpable. Del Toro’s film, however, completely leans into the emotional nature of said relationship, ending with devastating dialogue that had the theater whimpering and sniffling. Elordi and Isaac completely sell it, with what I argue is one of the best ending scenes of the year.
Isaac, Elordi, Mia Goth and the rest of the ensemble all brought their A-game, and everyone involved in the production brought Shelley’s world to life with vibrant colors and so much soul it’s electrifying. “Frankenstein” isn’t just here: it’s alive.
