Frankenstein

Director: Guillermo Del Toro 

Genre: gothic fiction, horror fiction, science fiction 

Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Dr Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation. 

Frankenstein, notoriously written by Mary Shelley in 1818, is no stranger to a screen adaptation. From the very first classic released in 1957, to Guillermo Del Toro’s release in November of this year, the literary work has been known by many names and many faces and has continued to be a world-renowned story. Frankenstein, a story about the consequences of wielding too much power and trying to play god, has found resonance with audiences of all ages and has currently found a home in the hearts of the younger generation. 

Guillermo Del Toro offers a fresh twist to this story, offering a more emotional and familial look into the story between creator and creation, exploring in depth the father-son relationship shared between the two, focusing on the creature's humanity and incessant need to be loved rather than exploring the horrors of an experiment gone wrong. This adaptation showcases the creature's human nature and explores the subsequent themes of love, loss and the generational trauma passed down from Victor and, most importantly, driving home the importance of forgiveness. 

As an avid reader, former literature student and fan of the original book, this adaptation truly warmed my heart and was done in such a beautiful and delicate way that truly honours the original text. The cinematography alone was breathtaking, the way every scene was carefully crafted and edited together, creating such a seamless and effortless look to the film, truly taking the gothic inspirations from that time and creating such a masterful world. 

One thing that stood out to me with this adaptation, something that truly differentiates it from the rest under the same name, is the striking maternal instinct that this movie invokes. I found that, whilst watching, there was a need to want to take care of the creature. To show him the love and humanity he deserves, which is where Mia Goth’s Elizabeth comes in. Goth played two roles: that of Victor’s mother and that of Elizabeth, the fiancée of Victor’s brother and her performance in both is truly award worthy. She is near recognisable in both roles. Amongst such a star-studded cast, with the likes of Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, Goth really has such a career defining and stand out performance. 

Elizabeth is a trusting and sympathetic character, which is shown most in the relationship she forms with the creature, showing him the meaning of what is is to be loved and giving him the one thing e so desperately longs for, a friend. She is the driving force in the creature's story, the one who shows him what he truly deserves, and she pays the ultimate price for it, sacrificing herself for a creature she did not know to be immortal. 

One of the many things that stood out to me was the use of colour within the characters' costumes and the costumes themselves. Victor is always associated with the colour red and is frequently seen to be sporting red gloves, symbolsing the blood on his hands. Elizabeth is always seen to be wearing some sort of green or blue dres, with beetle-like details, to symbolise her characters connection to the natural world, as well as her perhaps etheral and otherworldly nature. Her wedding dress includes bandage detailing along the sleeves as a direct reference to the bride of frankenstein. The creature is surrounded by a world of black and grey, even his skin is made up of neutral colours, to symbolise his lack of warmth and humanity, the lack of blood coursing through his veins. 

The only critique I seem to have in regards to this film is that it needed to have a wider theatrical release, instead of going straight to Netflix. This is a film that deserves to be marvelled at and celebrated on the big screen, not a film that exists only on a streaming platform. But, if there is any film you watch this year, it should be this.