Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein Review: A Masterpiece Born of Madness and Humanity

Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi bring humanity to horror in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein feels like destiny fulfilled. After years of dreaming about bringing Mary Shelley’s classic to life, del Toro delivers a film that is as operatic as it is intimate. It is a cinematic hymn to creation, loss, and the haunting beauty of imperfection. As he’s said, Frankenstein has lived in his soul since childhood, and this version — set against the backdrop of the Crimean War — feels like the work of a man finally confronting his lifelong ghosts.

Returning to the gothic textures that made Pan’s Labyrinth and Crimson Peak so unforgettable, del Toro crafts a story that is at once colossal and deeply personal. Every frame feels handmade, haunted, and holy. It is a striking reminder that cinema can still be crafted with real sets, real light, and human hands, rather than algorithms.

The Monster and His Maker

Oscar Isaac delivers a career-best performance as Victor Frankenstein — a man both creator and destroyer, driven by hubris and haunted by guilt. His portrayal is raw and magnetic, a mix of genius, madness, and unrelenting sorrow. Seeing Victor’s backstory come to life through Charles Dance as his father, Leopold Frankenstein, and Christian Convery as Young Victor, adds powerful emotional weight. Their performances help us understand why Victor is the way he is — a product of grief, obsession, and impossible expectations. The loss of his mother becomes the spark that propels him toward his dark destiny, shaping his fatal need to control life and death.

Isaac’s Victor isn’t a cold scientist; he’s a tortured artist whose ambition consumes him. It’s one of his most emotionally charged roles to date.

Jacob Elordi’s take on the Creature is equally mesmerizing. With minimal dialogue, he conveys oceans of pain and yearning through subtle gestures and wounded eyes. His transformation from a state of reborn innocence to that of a tragic philosopher is astonishing. Elordi plays the Creature like a newborn learning to breathe and love for the first time, only to be met with rejection. If audiences didn’t have their eye on him before, they will now.

Mia Goth brings warmth and depth to Elizabeth, a luminous soul who bridges the line between science and sanctity. Her chemistry with Isaac and Elordi anchors the emotional core of the story. Christoph Waltz’s addition to the ensemble is also a smart one — his sharp and charismatic presence fits perfectly within del Toro’s world, and he plays his part brilliantly, adding an extra layer of sophistication. Together, this cast gives Frankenstein a pulse — fragile, fierce, and unforgettable.

A Bold Structure with Flawed Pacing

Del Toro takes a major creative swing by dividing the film into three sections — a Prelude, Part I: Victor’s Story, and Part II: The Creature’s Story. It’s a bold and powerful way to explore both sides of this mythic bond, giving each character their own emotional and philosophical arc. However, this storytelling approach comes with noticeable pacing issues.

At two hours and thirty minutes, Frankenstein often lingers on mood and atmosphere rather than momentum. Some sequences stretch long enough to test your patience — especially if you’re not comfortably seated. But even at its most indulgent, you can feel del Toro’s commitment to his true vision. He’s not making a crowd-pleaser; he’s making the Frankenstein he’s carried in his heart for decades, and that passion burns through every frame.

A Feast of Practical Craftsmanship

Del Toro’s production is a love letter to old-school filmmaking. The towering lab sets, elaborate prosthetics, and mechanical effects give Frankenstein a tangible soul. Cinematographer Dan Laustsen’s painterly lens captures Gothic grandeur and human vulnerability in equal measure, while production designer Tamara Deverell fills each frame with details that feel lived-in, sacred, and mythic.

The costume design by Kate Hawley deserves Oscar recognition on its own — from Victor’s rebellious red gloves to Elizabeth’s ethereal gowns inspired by beetles and natural patterns. And Alexandre Desplat’s sweeping score feels like an elegy written for both God and his creation — lyrical, mournful, and thunderous all at once.

The Most Brutal and Beautiful Retelling Yet

This Frankenstein is the most violent, emotionally brutal, and spiritually profound adaptation yet. Del Toro doesn’t shy away from the blood, bone, and agony of creation — but he also finds tenderness in monstrosity. His film swings for the fences, taking massive creative risks that mostly land.

It’s a film that redefines what a “monster movie” can be — not horror, but human tragedy dressed in Gothic majesty. Del Toro reminds us that to make something beautiful, one must first confront the ugly.

Verdict

I give Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein 4.5 out of 5 stars. It might be the greatest cinematic telling of Mary Shelley’s story ever made, and it may never be topped. Ambitious, soulful, and sometimes exhausting, it’s a film that demands patience but rewards it with awe.

Watch Frankenstein in theaters on October 17, 2025, or stream on Netflix starting November 7.

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