Frankenstein 2025 Movie Review

Del Toro reimagines the iconic Mary Shelly Novel into gothic heartbreaking but uplifting masterpiece.

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. Guillermo Del Toro reinvents the beloved classic infusing it with heartbreaking tragedy, gothic horror, and a fairytale structure that gives this version a unique way of telling the story that makes it feel fresh. Technically the film is off the charts from the cinematography, production design, costume design, and the combo of CG and Practical effects make this the most immersive cinema experience of the year for me.

Guillermo does a phenomenal job directing this film the choice of telling this film from both Frankensteins and the monster’s point of view make this version of this story stand out it gives it this fairytale structure and feel that is so unique from the other adaptations. The tone and the pacing of the film is so well done I never felt the run time once when I saw the film in the theater Del Toro takes you on this heartbreaking emotional story and the performances he gets from the cast is fantastic even when they go big Del Toro finds a way to ground them so they never go cartoony in a way that harkens back to the early days of cinema when acting was a little bit bigger when sound was introduced.

Let’s Talk about the cast starting with Oscar Isaac as Dr Frankenstein is fantastic, he is charismatic, narcissistic, full of ego and hubris, and this need to prove something to himself and his father that he is worthy of being his son like his brother along with this lack of accountability for what he has created. I love that Issac can convey his curtly towards the monster then by the end accept accountability for what he has done and asks his creation his son for forgiveness you believe it and are deeply moved. Jacob Elordi as the monster is amazing in this film the amount of range he has to have is a lot he has to convey the baby like curiosity when he is first brought to life in the basement of Frankensteins lab, the terrifying power he has when taking out the crew of this ship that found Dr Frankenstein, his vulnerability when he gets to know this family from the barn without them seeing him is maybe my favorite sequence in any film this year especially when the blind old guy asks him to come out the friendship that forms is beautiful to see Elordi convey the monsters desire to be loved and when he is killed by wolves its devastating.

Like every Del Toro movie the production design is incredible the attention to detail is off the charts like when Frankenstein's lair is being built or the ship that Frankenstein ties to escape on they have that reach out and touch it feel that you want as a viewer that for me MCU films don’t a lot of the time. The score by Alexander Desplat is another character in the film and one I have been listening to nonstop since seeing the film it has that fairy tale quality when the monster is discovering himself and the world, when Frankenstein brings the monster to life it heightens that moment so powerfully and the final moment between the monster and Dr Frankenstein has a beautiful piece of music that enriches that moment.

Thematically this film is topically to say the least the exploration of hubris by man trying to play god and the consequences that follow, the humbling that needs to happen for all people like this which is why my favorite moment in the film is when the monster does exactly that by breaking him down by chasing him to this boat that we saw he got to in the beginning. Another scene I loved is at his brother’s wedding when the monster confronts Frankenstein about wanting him to create another like him so he can have a companion it is enthralling to watch these 2 actors go back and forth about creation, love, Frankenstein's disgust of his creation, the monsters desire for love and when he denies him what he wants the monster rightfully in my view go nuts because he didn’t ask to be created but now his creator will not give just the one thing he wants or what any of us wants which is companionship and love.

Final thoughts is I adored this version of Frankenstein it is as of now my favorite film of the year I think it’s a masterpiece and the first film of the year I will give a 5 out of 5 to please go see it as soon as possible