Frankenstein: Guillermo del Toro’s captivating rendition pays homage to the classic masterpiece

Upon hearing the word Frankenstein, most of us imagine a frightful creature — ashen green in complexion, sutures holding together its monstrous limbs, and mindless, unintelligible grunts communicating pure malice. But Frankenstein actually refers to the megalomaniac scientist who created a living being in an attempt to transcend the laws of nature in Mary Shelley's 1818 Gothic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Throughout the numerous adaptations of the novel, Frankenstein and his creation have become one, with the forces of popular culture co-opting the tale.

Guillermo del Toro's 2025 film Frankenstein has received an incredible reception upon its global release on Netflix on November 7, boasting an impressive runtime of two hours and 29 minutes as well as a star-studded cast of Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, and many more.

Jacob Elordi's performance as the creature, whose pallid, blue skin resembles that of the corpses which constitute its form, was powerfully delivered. Alongside him, Oscar Isaac's portrayal of Victor Frankenstein brought the ambitious yet tragic scientist to life.

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein takes liberties in the retelling of this classic tale while simultaneously remaining faithful to the inherent message of the novel. Many aspects of the novel have been downsized and replaced with plot points that deviate from the series of events readers are familiar with. However, these changes serve to enrich the story for a film adaptation, demanding the audience's attention from early on.

Despite the divergence from the source material, I believe the film has done justice to the novel thematically. The point of Frankenstein isn't simply a cut-and-dry warning of scientific innovations gone wrong. Rather, it is a heart-wrenching tale of the creature's ostracisation by human society, which he longs to be a part of. A softhearted being, the creature is driven to malevolence upon his kindness being rejected.

At its core, Frankenstein tells the story of a scientist whose own heartache manifests in a desire to conquer death itself. The magnanimity of his own creation invokes fear and envy that consume him entirely, leading both him and his opus down a path of certain doom. That is precisely where del Toro succeeds in rendering a tale already known, without fundamentally altering Shelley's creation.

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As is expected of Gothic cinema, the dialogue in this film is capable of pulling at your heartstrings, made even more riveting by the cast's wonderful performances. The dialogue was one of the standout qualities of the book, and it has carried over to the adaptation in spite of the adjustments.

Elordi's delivery of the line – If you are not to award me love, then I will indulge in rage – resonates every bit as deeply as the book's rendition of the line (If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear). There are nods to the novel's subtitle – The Modern Prometheus – equating Frankenstein's attempt to conquer death to the Titan's defiance of the Olympian gods through dialogues like Harlander's, where he says, "I will be the eagle that feasts on your liver!"

Even though the movie doesn't require too much effort to get through despite its length, it's anything but lighthearted. It exposes humanity in its rawest form — the good, the bad, and the ugly. It speaks of two sides of the same coin – hubris and humility, benevolence and malignance, love and hatred, acceptance and alienation. This movie is a culmination of the haunting words penned by Mary Shelley herself,

"Misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous."

Whether or not you have read the book or are familiar with the tale, Frankenstein is a film that should be on your watchlist. It's quite easy to get engrossed in the movie, and it's a perfect watch for a chilly evening indoors, especially if you're in the mood to be moved.