Guillermo del Toro has brought a new take on the classic Mary Shelly tale, “Frankenstein,” officially released Nov. 7. He blends his classic dark fantasy style with a bit of horror and goth to explore themes of good vs. evil, as well as the innocence of new life. Del Toro asks and leads the audience to actually consider and empathize with the monster, while staying faithful to the main structure and idea of a scientist creating life and facing repercussions from it. He was able to offer a unique take on the story while perfectly displaying and furthering the philosophical nature of it.
The film follows Victor Frankenstein, played by Oscar Issac, a doctor who dreams of creating life itself, and does so through many questionable actions. When he creates a new life, he is faced with the consequences of what that brings and his own conflict with himself and outward forces around him. It then switches point of view as it does in the novel, by transitioning into the monster’s story, and provides some background on him and his thoughts. It adds more depth to the monster and additional focus on the character for viewers. Differing from the original novel, “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, Del Toro changed some things. For example, Elizabeth is not Victor’s wife, and he added the character Henrich, played by Christoph Waltz. I think these changes actually fit the story well and add to the narrative of Victor being the true monster.
Oscar Issac plays Victor Frankenstein, who in this film is portrayed more than in previous versions as a true villain. His performance was pretty good, capturing the arrogant and mad side of Victor Frankenstein. Although the character himself in this film didn’t feel very complex, sort of just a bad guy who you don’t feel bad for.
Jacob Elordi plays the opposing character, the monster. Exceeding many expectations I had for his performance, Eldordi really brought humanity to the monster that was enjoyable to see. He leaned perfectly into Del Toro’s story, exploring the monster as more than just a creation. Other members of the cast include Mia Goth as Elizabeth and Felix Kammerer as William Frankenstein, Victor’s brother.
Del Toro’s take on Frankenstein felt a little more one-dimensional, only in a “Dr. Frankenstein evil” and “Monster good” way. This is due to how the film leans a lot more on the monster and empathizing with him. That, in turn, makes the character Victor seem like just a plain bad guy.
Despite this complaint, the film is still worth the watch. Unfortunately, it isn’t showing in any nearby theaters. However, it can be found on Netflix. So, no matter your preferred genres or any preconceived notions, put them aside and go watch it.
