Warning: This review contains spoilers for Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein.” It also discusses sensitive subject matter. Reader discretion is advised.
Guillermo del Toro brought the tale of “Frankenstein” back to life, and honestly I am obsessed.
It is rare that a movie meets, much less exceeds my expectations, with recent movies often feeling lackluster to me. It is even less common that the more I watch a newly released movie the more I grow to like it.
I love the classic Universal monsters, including their adaptation of Frankenstein’s monster, but I have been longing for an adaptation that truly reflects Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, “Frankenstein” or “The Modern Prometheus.” I have loved this book since I read it during the COVID-19 pandemic, having been a long time fan of both the horror genre and classic novels. Del Toro filled a hole in my movie adaptation heart, and what he made was shockingly beautiful.
Del Toro maintained Shelley’s story, with some key differences. One thing that was important to me is the emphasis on the fact that Frankenstein is the scientist and that the monster is unnamed. I also enjoyed that Del Toro highlighted how central Victor Frankenstein was to the monster, with the monster’s whole world being his creator, yet his creator treats him with nothing but cruelty. The monster was not born, but created, and as it is within the novel, without original sin. The monster in the movie is gentler than the one in the book, emphasizing the cruelty shown by Frankenstein with his treatment of the creature and his eventual attempt to destroy him. The film also deviated from the ending in the novel, deciding to include a reconciliation between Frankenstein and his monster. This allowed for a positive ending instead of the one in novel, where the monster weeps over Frankenstein’s body before leaving to commit suicide. As much as I love the book, I also really liked the idea of forgiving those who have wronged you and the acknowledgement of fault within humanity. It was a beautiful message, especially in a world that can feel as if no one is willing to admit fault anymore.
Del Toro also managed to make gore an art, with the scene where Frankenstein is creating his monster being objectively gross, focusing on the detailed stitching and building of this creature, along with mass amounts of blood. That being said, it is the kind of scene you cannot take your eyes off of, thoroughly emphasizing the care that the scientist had put into his creation. Del Toro is known for his exceptional cinematography, and this film was no different. The scene of the monster’s creation aside, several different shots used in the film were gorgeous, with one that sticks out to me being the fire surrounding the monster after Frankenstein burns his laboratory down.
Overall, Del Toro created a beautiful film that remained true to the source material while creating something unique at the same time. It is for sure one I will be recommending to my other books and film lovers.
