Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein hews closely to Mary Shelley, for better and for worse. It is a long running passion project, and it makes sense that he resists drastic changes to a story that already matches his gothic sensibility. After the more adventurous reworkings of Nightmare Alley, Pinocchio, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon lineage in The Shape of Water, this feels cautious. The craft is elegant, the discoveries are limited.
The production design is ornate, full of candlelit corridors, stitched leather, and gleaming lab contraptions. Del Toro shoots to show every inch of it, and the vigor is undeniable. The emphasis on architecture and texture can crowd out the people inside the frames, which leaves the film feeling like a meticulously curated diorama more often than a living story.
Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein with intelligence and controlled fury, but he rarely sheds his star persona. Mia Goth appears as Elizabeth and Claire, a dual turn that never quite takes off, more concept than character. Jacob Elordi brings sudden pathos as the creation, strong in short bursts that arrive late. By the time his presence starts to land, the movie has already spent a lot of time watching Victor contemplate the implications of his science.
The faithfulness brings clarity, and it also brings predictability. Del Toro’s usual balance of man made evil with traces of hope and love is present in outline, yet the film rarely finds the fresh angle that made Pinocchio and The Shape of Water feel personal. The synergy between source and filmmaker is so tight that you can imagine the film before you see it, and the finished version stays close to that safe shape.
There is also the modern sheen that comes with a large scale Netflix production. The digital effects often look goopy and weightless, which undercuts the masterful practical work that is clearly on the screen. The contrast can be jarring, the CGI pulling attention away from the tactile makeup and the handcrafted sets that are built to be admired.
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On first pass, Frankenstein cools off a hot streak for Guillermo del Toro. It is handsomely staged and occasionally stirring, especially when the creation searches for a place in the world. It is also one of his weaker efforts, a faithful, finely upholstered rendition that rarely risks a new idea.
Score: 5/10
Frankenstein (2025)
- Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Charles Dance, David Bradley, Lars Mikkelsen, Christian Convery
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Genre: Drama, Horror
- Runtime: 152 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: November 7, 2025
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