‘Frankenstein’ review: Guillermo del Toro reinvents the myth in the film of his dreams

Guillermo del Toroone of the best and most beloved directors of recent decades, finally releases his Frankenstein next to Netflix. The Mexican director wanted to bring the monster from the novel to the screen Mary Shelley. Already in 2007, he admitted that this was his dream project. Many years later, thanks to the platform, he was able to make it happen.

For this he has Oscar Isaac (Dune, Moon Knight) as a scientist Victor Frankenstein and with Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) as a creature. The film has generated huge anticipation, to the point that Netflix has already decided to release it in theaters on their streaming service. In fact, awards season is already upon us.

IN Frankenstein, Guillermo del Toro revisits the classic myth of the novel Frankenstein or Modern Prometheus from a poetic point of view. Main character Victora person obsessed with the idea of ​​conquering death, overcoming it. The scientist will devote his entire life to studying human anatomy in order to find out how to breathe life into corpses. A task that will bring him powerful allies, but will also drive him to the brink of madness when he manages to create his creature.

Dazzling movie

It takes so long Del Toro making this film that perfectly shows how measured everything was. Master director and lover of practicality, in Frankenstein He gives free rein to his amazing imagination, focusing on prosthetics, makeup and props, filled with the magical catharsis of style. Each scenario is shocking and stunning, from a doctor’s laboratory. Victor Frankenstein to the alleys of the city or to a hut in the forest.

This film is a true piece of jewelry, a visual feast that exudes gothic cinema from all angles. A captivating graphic presentation, full of artistic references and images that linger in the viewer’s memory. In fact, it screams loudly that if it can be seen, it should be seen in a cinema, on the biggest screen possible. The show is worth it.

Guillermo del Toro turns fear into love

Movie Guillermo del Toro He always showed an extremely humane view of monsters. So it seemed almost destined to offer a new approach to the most famous creature in human history. The story about Frankenstein He always stuck to his moral that the monster is not a cadaveric experiment, but a person who materializes his fears about him. But the Mexican director’s approach to this is without a doubt the most tender and beautiful of all.

The director begins as never before with a true melodrama with a heart of gold. Del Toro He breathes love and tenderness into his fable, full of poetry and compassion for a misunderstood creature. The horror, fear, coldness that gripped the soul was not caused by a monster. Precisely because of loneliness, because of the inability to love and be loved. Faced with all this, the director offers us a warm embrace of empathy and sentimentality. In short, this film is the ultimate reflection of his obsessions.

Jacob Elordi’s Monster

It’s ironic that in a film made over so many years, some of its best successes come from last-minute changes. At first, Guillermo del Toro signed Andrew Garfield play monster Frankenstein. However, the actor later dropped out of the project due to scheduling issues resulting from the 2023 actors’ strike. Thus, the Mexican was forced to quickly find a replacement. Was the chosen one Jacob Elordi. And his work becomes the fundamental basis of the film.

Actor Euphoria took on the role of the creature and shines like no other in Frankenstein. It’s true that both Oscar Isaac How Mia Goth They’re sensational, but it’s Elordi who deserves all the praise he deserves. The role is not at all an easy one as it had to do justice to the character himself as well as his past performances, mainly the legendary Boris Karloff. But it achieves this through outstanding performance.

His being conveys many registers and emotions simultaneously. If you need to look scared, vulnerable, worried, sad or angry, Elordi He wins at everything that is asked of him. To make a monster Frankensteina being who must learn everything about life from scratch, the main thing is to be able to show himself as a blank sheet of paper, which, like a child, absorbs knowledge and experience like a sponge. This is exactly what we see in the film, elevating it to the rank of one of the best acting works of the year.

Great, but with some flaws

Despite its many advantages, it must be recognized that Frankenstein It’s imperfect. While its successes far outweigh its missteps, it’s clear that its nearly two-and-a-half-hour running time weighs down what could have been a much more well-rounded film. Some scenes and dialogues are drawn out to the point of nausea, overloaded with unnecessary elements that make the pacing at times irregular, slow and a little tedious.

Maybe the wish that I had Del Toro since staging his story in such a precise and calculated manner has had the negative effect that in some sections it is noticeable that a bit of scissors is needed. Either way, it’s not anything serious, it’s actually very pleasant and hypnotic. But just as there are some very intense scenes, full of symbolism and meaning, there are others that are dominated by stilted, repetitive and empty dialogue that can be eliminated without anything happening.

As a result, Guillermo del Toro consecrated once again with Frankensteinthe film he had dreamed of all his life. A mesmerizing film that captivates with its magnificent and vibrant form and subtle and delicate background. A story full of love and sadness, although too long, is one of the greatest premieres of 2025. It’s unmissable on the big screen and will make you want to repeat it.

Frankenstein opens in select theaters on October 24 in Spain and Latin America. The film will subsequently arrive on Netflix on November 7th.