Being obsessed with cheating death, Dr Victor Frankenstein experiments and brings to life a creature that condemns both their fates.
Like rewatching Kenneth Branagh’s Frankenstein (1994), the opening sequence captivates and gets your undivided attention. Following a similar structure, the master of storytelling, Guillermo del Toro, uses a narrative that goes back and forth in time, explicating in words, images, and sounds a story we already know. But is that truly a concern? Most definitely not.
Victor Frankenstein will always be the symbol of brilliance, arrogance, hubris… and the true monster behind his creation. An inevitable hint that we are not monsters, but the God who made us… in His image. A creator who does not know what to do with his creation upon completion and does not understand the consequences… until it is too late. Mary Shelley’s masterpiece will always remain diachronically relevant for that reason: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” – Jurassic Park (1994).
From a filmmaking point of view, directing, photography, editing, visual effects, and sound effects work together like a Swiss watch. The creature itself, though, could have been more appalling in appearance. Robert DeNiro’s natural prosthetics were phenomenal, making it, arguably, the most suitable creation to date. Having said that, Jacob Elordi does a fantastic job as the creature whose story is nothing short of inspirational, heartbreaking, and forever imprinted in our hearts and minds. Despite the comparison above, the make-up department did an excellent job.
Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Christopher Waltz are amazing, and Frankenstein will be another great addition to del Toro’s filmography – but Branagh’s will always remain the classic for me, as I was a kid when I first saw it. Huge congratulations to all cast and crew for making such a great film.
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