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Frankenstein reborn:reborn: Elordi, Isaac andand Goth deliverdeliver perfectionperfection
I decided to take a break from my usual reruns of nostalgic favourites to tackle Guillermo Del Toro’s new horror, Frankenstein (2025). I did this with considerable caution; Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is one of my all-time favourite books. It is a classic novel of the Romantic period that champions themes at the very core of the human experience. Not least among these are the nature of good and evil, the pursuit of personal identity, and how far we will go to achieve our will.
I was utterly mesmerised from start to finish. This film doesn’t just succeed in every aim it sets out to achieve. It redefines and raises the bar on each of them in turn. And so, without further ado, grab your blankets and a loved one, because this horrifying movie is about to chill you to the core.
WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!
Characters discussed in order of first mention:
- Jacob Elordi plays The Creature
- Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein
- Mia Goth plays Elizabeth Lavenza
Frankenstein: An Instant Horror Classic
In creating this film, Del Toro birthed his own monstrous creation. A long-time fan of Mary Shelley’s novel, he brought the full extent of his directorial powers to this project. He created his own dark world, one which shocks and horrifies us as much as it captures and attracts.
Such a cinematic vision has seldom been achieved; Del Toro has succeeded in crafting a fantastical, immersive and comprehensive world. The set design, imagery and camera angles convince you that you’re dreaming.
Jacob Elordi blew my expectations away and delivered an outstanding performance as the sympathetic, primal, almost religious creature. We follow him as he grows from a mere experiment into a fleshed-out character, one with passions, values, and ideas. Equally compelling is Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, his selfish, wounded, arrogant creator. He exerts his will over all those around him and follows his greatest achievement with his most disastrous failure.
Human or Monster?
Special mention goes to Mia Goth for her portrayal of Victor’s love interest, Elizabeth Lavenza. She brings a grace and much-needed source of quiet amazement and spirituality to the film, alluring both creator and creation with her ethereal beauty. With her passionate challenging of their assumptions and respective worldviews, she brings out the best in The Creature and exposes the worst in Victor.
The film beautifully portrays The Creature’s struggle to come to terms with his own existence. As he learns about the world and develops beyond a mere vanity project for Victor, we realise that there is more of the ‘monster’ to be found in the soul of his creator than within this pure being. The horror and carnage that he inflicts stems from Victor’s failure to be a father and embrace his ‘son’. Both ultimately only reconcile and find peace as the latter faces his mistake. As The Creature himself surmises in the novel, ‘I ought to be thy Adam’.
Frankenstein: Finally, A Faithful Adaptation!?
I cannot resist mentioning that my favourite detail from the original book was included: the monster’s reading of my favourite book, Paradise Lost by John Milton. It is this book which allows him to relate to the character of Satan, as he, too, was rejected and cast out by his creator, God. Paradise Lost was also a major influence on Romantic writers like Mary Shelley and her husband, the poet Percy Shelley, so its inclusion in the film pays homage to literary legacy, enriching this adaptation.
Not only did this film deliver a genre-defining horror which can stand alone, it proved so unexpectedly faithful to Mary Shelley’s masterpiece that it reminded me of scenes from the book! The art of adaptation can be a difficult balance to strike, and Del Toro does it perfectly. I will not soon forget this film, but I will re-watch it soon!
Frankenstein (2025) is available to stream on Netflix.
Image credits: Ken Woroner/Netflix.
