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The story of Frankenstein has been around since 1818, and since then, there have been several adaptations of the horror classic. It follows a scientist named Victor Frankenstein, who gets fascinated by death and decides to conquer it. Using all his knowledge, he creates a creature from the lifeless bodies. However, as soon as the creature awakens, Victor abandons him because he doesn’t want to take responsibility for his actions.
Over the years, the story has captivated a massive fandom, and one among those die-hard fans was Guillermo del Toro. The filmmaker said it a hundred times that Frankenstein’s story had been his childhood love and a ‘would kill to make’ project. He had wanted to make the movie for several decades, but every time he approached a production house, he was left disappointed because no one would take the risk. However, Netflix finally agreed and went on to create this masterpiece under del Toro’s direction.
Del Toro’s Frankenstein Breathes New Life Into The Centuries-Old Tale
You might agree that the changes made in the new Frankenstein film fit perfectly into the universe created centuries ago because it came from someone who loved the original story since childhood. The 1818 novel and the films portrayed the creature as more monstrous and deadly, while the Netflix film portrays him more as a human with his own feelings. Those who have read the novel already know that after being abandoned by his creator, the monster decided to take revenge. So, it ended up killing someone really close to Victor. Yes, we are talking about Elizabeth, who was Dr. Frankenstein’s fiancée in the books, unlike the 2025 film.
The love angle between Elizabeth and Victor was an integral part of Mary Shelley’s story. However, del Toro envisioned it differently, making Elizabeth Victor’s sister-in-law. He also cleverly showcased Victor’s feelings towards her, but she let him down after realizing what kind of man he was. Even though Elizabeth initially loved William, after meeting the monster, she developed feelings for him. These changes weren’t minor, so if not executed properly, they would have caused a blunder. So, del Toro indeed came with a new light and illuminated the entire film community with his vision.
The Lead Duo Carries the Entire Film On Their Shoulders
While I have no complaints from the supporting cast, I would also say that it is the lead duo who carry the story of the film on their shoulders. I have been an Oscar Isaac fan since watching him in Moon Knight, where he played the main superhero with multiple alter egos. So, I obviously had higher expectations for Frankenstein 2025, and I am glad he surpassed them. No offence, but it seems no one other than him could have played the role so beautifully. Apart from him, Jacob Elordi as the ‘Monster’ made me believe that he was born to play this role.
Elordi and Isaac went through several tonal shifts. For instance, Victor was driven by his ambition to conquer death, so he created the monster. The man, who looked extremely egotistical, was horrified when he saw his creation standing before him. After that, when he followed the monster to kill him, he adapted the rage element. Later, when he realized that his obsession had made him lose his humanity, his eyes revealed his guilt.
On the other side, it’s Jacob Elordi, who emerged as an innocent creature who wanted to be accepted by his creator, and that’s why he only remembered one name at the start, and that is Victor. Later, in a scene when he feeds a deer, before the poor animal is shot dead, his eyes are filled with pure love. Following that, when wandering alone in the unknown world, he watches a family and the bond between them; there was a desperation in his eyes for belongingness. When Victor was about to shoot him and mistakenly killed Elizabeth, Elordi’s monster became full of rage. At the end, when Victor seeks forgiveness from him, he doesn’t take the time to shift from a vengeful creature to someone who wants to be loved. So, of course, the actors couldn’t have brought the fictional characters to life more perfectly than this.
Final Thoughts
According to me, Frankenstein couldn’t have been reimagined in a better way. This was the perfection that I wanted from the much-awaited 2025 film. However, the one thing I would have asked for is that it would have been longer. Yes, but I know that stretching it unnecessarily would have been a bad idea, as the 2-hour 20-minute movie has everything that makes it a great deal. But still, I would have loved to see a little bit more of the Monster exploring the world. Apart from the above-mentioned elements, the film’s cinematography deserves every bit of appreciation, especially Victor’s dream sequence, in which he sees the guardian angel come to life. That’s spooky yet beautiful enough that I didn’t want to take my eyes off that slo-mo sequence.
Should You Watch Netflix’s Frankenstein?
Yes, you should definitely watch Frankenstein on Netflix. The film is released on a weekend, so it wouldn’t ask you to take time out from your busy weekday schedule. Also, if you are a del Toro fan or someone into this genre, trust me, you wouldn’t want to regret missing this film.
