Director Guilllemo Del Toro’s newest film, “Frankenstein”, is retainly a movie made with details and characters in mind.
Released Nov. 7 on Netflix, the movie retells Mary Shelley’s classic story of a man by the name of Victor Frankenstein and his undead humanoid creation. It follows the two characters both sharing their individual sides of the same story. From the huge practical sets, the beautifully crafted costumes, and to the way the characters act, speak, interact, and show their dynamics with each other. This is not just another adaptation, but a definitive and profoundly moving cinematic achievement that stands among Del Toro’s finest work.
Though after effects were used for the film, most scenes in the movie take place on real life sets; the most impressive one being the Horisont, which was a ship made for the scenes that took place in the Arctic Sea. The ship was mounted to a mechanical gimbal, which gave it the ability to rock back and forth. This was truly a feat to behold considering the boat’s large size.
One of the most compelling choices in Del Toro’s “Frankenstein” is the expanded role of Elizabeth, played by Mia Goth. Unlike many adaptations where she is simply a victim, this Elizabeth is curious, resilient, and morally complex. Her fascination with insects, shown through delicate embroidery on her dresses and a collection of pinned beetles, becomes a metaphor for Victor’s own treatment of The Creature: both are collectors who see life as something to control, study, or preserve. Yet Elizabeth shows empathy to The Creature, something he never receives from his maker.
In a basement meeting, she doesn’t scream or flee; she sees the being behind the scars. This moment makes the audience question who the real monster is. A question that adheres to the heart of Shelley’s original novel, rendered here with fresh emotional intensity.
The film did a wonderful job not just visually but also thematically with dark and real themes like loss, parenthood, and the cycle of abuse.
These themes are especially present with the two main characters Victor and The Creature. In the film, it is revealed that Victor’s mother passed away when he was still a child and that his father would regularly abuse him. After Victor creates The Creature, he locks him in the basement of the laboratory where he aggressively handles and even physically abuses The Creature; the same way his father did to him. Elizabeth also plays an important role in the story with these themes. When she first meets The Creature she isn’t afraid of him, but curious instead. She has a gentle and maternal demeanor towards The Creature, which is a direct contradiction of Victors with The Creature.
Ultimately, Guillermo del Toro has created a Frankenstein that is as heartfelt as it is haunting. It is a film that understands that the original novel’s tragedy does not come from the fear of a monster, but in the tragedy of its creation and neglect. Through masterful practical filmmaking and performances, this adaptation becomes a powerful, visually stunning meditation on creation, cruelty, and the fragile hope for empathy. It is a reminder that some stories, like some wounds, never die. They simply ask to be retold in a new light.
