Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein 2025 Review

As a Gothic literature and cinema fan, I have been spoiled in the last few years. Not only did we get Robert Eggers 'Nosferatu' but now the Master of Monsters, Guillermo del Toro, has gifted us with a new adaptation of Frankenstein. On Monday I was fortunate enough to watch Frankenstein on the big screen and I am here to share my thoughts with you...

History of the Beast

For the ghouls out there who have read my blog posts before, it is no surprise that I would cover the new Frankenstein release. I have previously covered my thoughts on the original Mother of Monsters , Mary Shelley, and I was not shy about sharing my undying love for her work. Frankenstein has always been a tale that clung ferociously to my black heart, ever since I read it for the first time as a teenager. In fairness, Frankenstein is tailor made for brooding, self-described misunderstood melancholic teens- which described me perfectly at the time (I have divorced parents obviously). Before I read the story I remember being aware of Frankenstein through pop culture, we all know the iconic image of Boris Karloff playing Frankenstein's monster and references to this portrayal could be seen everywhere. For a while Frankenstein's monster was giving Dracula a run for his money when it came to iconic Halloween figure-heads, so even though I had not read the tale for myself, as a child I thought I had a pretty good grasp on the narrative. You can imagine my surprise on my first read-through when I was moved to tears about this poor Monster's misfortune. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein had an unexpected tenderness that pierced through my teenage bravado, and although I enjoy the classic Frankenstein adaptations I have longed to have that tenderness captured on screen. When it was announced that Guillermo del Toro was working on his own Frankenstein adaptation, I thought if anyone could give me what I wanted that it would be him.

Heart of the Monster

Guillermo del Toro is known for creating well-rounded and heartfelt Monsters, and if any monster candidate meets this brief, it's Frankenstein's Monster. We still see the domineering and intimidating stature of the Monster, but we also get to spend more time getting to know his soul. If you have an eye for detail then you will not be disappointed, you get to know him not only by how he interacts with the new world around him but how the world interacts to him.

The Monster is played by Jacob Elordi- originally Andrew Garfield was set to play the role but was unable to due to other commitments. I was surprised to learn that Elordi was chosen to portray Frankenstein's Monster, not because I doubted his acting ability but that his name didn't come to mind when I pictured a classic gothic monster. After seeing the film I understand why he was a great choice for the role. Elordi was able to bring such an emotive softness to the character, even under copious layers of makeup, which allowed me to connect with the Monster's pain on a deeper level.

The most fascinating and exciting aspect of the film, to me, was watching the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and his creation unfold. As a big fan of the original novel, I found the portrayal of Victor to be more loyal to the ambitious but overall cowardly and somewhat pathetic man we get to know and loathe in those pages. Oscar Issac made me believe I was seeing a man blinded by his own selfish ambition, complete with the reckless abandonment that only leads to destruction and corruption. As Victor is hunted across the world by his self described 'abomination' we see him grapple with the consequences of his actions, still clinging desperately to the blame he extends to his creation. At every turn Victor decides to opt for the most self-serving option, no matter the outcome to the people around him. His inflated ego allows him to float away from one bad situation to another, until the self aggrandising air that bolsters him up can no longer hold his weight. Frankenstein and his Monster embody the paradox "what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?".

Beauty In The Monstrous

Going into Frankenstein, I knew the film was going to look incredible, but I was enamored with the level of detail. Everywhere you look there is something to feast your eyes upon. The laboratory was my personal favorite set because it felt so grand- it matched the enormity of the challenge Frankenstein faced in beating death. The set design made me think back to Guillermo del Toro's 'Crimson Peak', with it's focus on grand gothic features that were elevated to a fantastical level.

One of my favorite aspects to any gothic film is the costume design, it is such an integral part of storytelling in any film but particularly in gothic narratives. Kate Hawley has worked with Guillermo del Toro as a costume designer in some of his previous works, such as Crimson Peak, so I knew these costumes were going to be something to look forward to. It goes without saying that Elizabeth's (played by Mia Goth) wardrobe was incredible, I loved the jewel tone aspect to her clothing and the overall operatic feel to her outfits. In contrast, Victor Frankenstein's clothes were indicative of a man possessed with his torn shirts and dirt stained boots. For me the costume design was 10/10 and I have no notes.

My Rating:

4.5 / 5 Ghouls

I would highly recommend watching Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, now streaming on Netflix. The only reason it was not 5 Ghouls is due to the story not being original, I do think this was a beautiful adaptation but knowing the main beats of the story took some of the tension and anticipation away for me.