Frankenstein

Guillermo Del Toro delivers a refreshing new take on one of the most famous horror stories of all time. Rather than crafting a typical horror film, he presents Frankenstein as an intimate and emotionally layered character study. Del Toro's deep affection for his "monsters" is once again evident - he consistently stands on their side, suggesting that the true monster is, in fact, Frankenstein himself.

The performances are strong across the board. Oscar Isaac offers a convincing, if occasionally a little over-the-top, portrayal of Frankenstein. However, he is ultimately outshined by Jacob Elordi as the Creature. It's a challenging role that could have easily been one-dimensional, but Elordi imbues it with remarkable depth, emotion, and soul - a truly fantastic performance. Christoph Waltz delivers a familiar turn, very much in line with his recent work, while Mia Goth is solid, though it remains to be seen whether she truly lives up to her "next big thing" reputation.

On a technical level, the film excels. The cinematography is stunning, the set design meticulous, and the score beautifully complements the film's emotional tone. The makeup work is exceptional, and while the costumes are impressive, they occasionally verge on being a bit too extravagant.

If there's one major flaw, it's the runtime - the film could easily have been trimmed by at least thirty minutes. Nevertheless, this is a deeply emotional and visually striking experience, and another remarkable addition to Guillermo Del Toro's already distinguished filmography.

It's no secret that talented and visionary director Del Toro has been working up the courage to complete Frankenstein, his biggest inspiration, for decades now. In interviews tailing many years he has told of his admiration for the story and it's effect upon him. Even some of his previous work has inspirations from the classic gothic novel, of course I'm referencing Blade 2 (believe it or not), where one of the reapers finally confronts his maker. And as a movie lover, nothing makes me happier than to see a director get to shoot his dream picture, especially a director who has contributed so much.

Now compared to some other reviewer's my score may seem pretty low, and let me start by saying it's going to be loved by critics and loved by award shows, and deserves the accolades it will receive, but for me personally, I respect it more than I love it.

Del Toro is a incredible director, and that's more than evident in this picture, I enjoyed the story, and his rendition of it, visually it's stunning. But, sorry to say, I'm just not a huge fan of Gothic horror, I never have been. I've tried over the years, and this movie I surprisingly enjoyed more than most, but it's something that's just not always going to be my cup of tea.

There were large portions of the movie I enjoyed, there did come a part in the movie where it headlined the title 'Part 2' which I dreaded, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but I had already felt like I watched a feature movie, yet I was only half way. It was a bit long for me. Which only felt longer because of the pacing.

On the positives, it looks great visually, set pieces are gothic but brilliant, and I loved the cast performances, especially Jacob Elordi as the The Creature. I was not familiar with this actor, but I give credit where it's due, that was a brilliant performance.

Look. If gothic horror is not your thing, still give it a chance, it can be long winded but it's a great rendition of a classic story, I'd be surprised if you hated it even if it's not your favorite genre. If you rated it higher, I'm not going to argue with you, it probably deserves it.

First off, I love a modern gothic horror adaptation, this just made my list of Halloween yearly rewatches along with Nosteratu (2024). There's just something about the visuals of rain flooded cathedral rooftops and blood flowing down cobblestone streets that gives you a faint touch of anxiety that you'll catch the plague while sitting in your theater's recliner.

But I digress, Oscar Isaac is brilliant, no surprise there, from Drive to Ex Machina, his villain arc continues to grow like the hump on Igor's back. I look forward to his next role as usual.

I have to admit, having never seen Euphoria, I didn't know how Jacob Elordi would play out but the dude's got range! He really brought the character to life, killed it, then brought it back to life again.

Mia Goth, great mother of Pearl! I found myself falling in line behind all of the other characters in the film that fell in love with her. She never misses.

Christoph Waltz... need I say more?

Guillermo del Toro delivers once again! The visuals and storytelling kept me engaged, even when scenes would slow down, the emotion picked up. And this film is brutal! The creature does not hold back, he was put together to rip others apart.

Go to the theater to see this one while you can! Every shot is masterfully framed and the grandiose set pieces require eyes to be feasted upon the big screen.

Finally someone came very close to capturing the original story. Del Toro has done an excellent job. Perhaps not for everyone, but I was enthralled. I wish it was playing in main theaters but I imagine they are worried the general superhero and monster movie crowd won't get it. Personally, this was very worth my time.

This film is peak Guillermo del Toro. Stunning cinematography, good story and character development, and stellar performances from Oscar Issac and Jacob Elordi. I went into this film with low expectations, as many films in this genre are so predictable and underwhelming. This was not the case for this film. We got a whole new look at these characters and this story, without compromising the essence of what makes it familiar. Could we have just seen the rebirth of this classic cinematic universe?