Like most people right now, I haven’t been able to escape the buzz surrounding Guillmero Del Toro’s Frankenstein
And honestly? I don’t want to. It’s been on my Letterboxd watchlist since I heard it was coming out. Del Toro adapting one of the most distinguished gothic novels of all time—starring Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Oscar Isaac—is the kind of cinematic event you’re obligated to experience in theatres. Sadly, with my busy schedule (aka school), I wasn’t able to view the film in a theatre, so I took to the old-fashioned way all university students are familiar with—finding an empty lecture hall and watching it on the big screen.
Unsurprisingly, the film is visually stunning. Del Toro’s signature touch is everywhere: from cold, desolate winter fields to warm, dreamy golden-hour lighting that looks like a painting come alive. Every frame feels carefully curated, textured, and emotionally loaded, elevating the film’s richness. Elordi brings a raw vulnerability, Goth is effortlessly magnetic, and Isaac delivers the kind of performance that lingers long after the credits roll. With a team like this, the movie was never going to fall short on artistry.
However, once the excitement settles and we peel back the layers of atmosphere, we start to see just how far this film wanders from Mary Shelley’s original story. For some viewers, that’s a point of contention, but here’s the thing: this was never meant to be a faithful retelling. Del Toro, in my opinion, isn’t adapting Shelley’s novel so much as he’s responding to it, interpreting the themes through his own creative lens. It’s Guillmero del Toro’s Frankenstein, not a page-to-screen reproduction.
That said, where the film falters is in its pacing. The emotional beats sometimes feel uneven, lingering too long in certain moments while skipping too quickly through others. The buildup is ethereal, yes, but it occasionally drags, making the narrative feel heavier than it needs to be. It’s almost as if the movie is torn between honouring the novel’s philosophical weight and delivering a streamlined modern story—and that tension shows.
Overall, I’d give Frankenstein (2025) three out of five stars. It’s undeniably gorgeous, filled with strong performances and breathtaking visuals, but it doesn’t quite reach the mind-blowing potential that its premise promised. Perhaps, that’s the risk of adapting a classic. No matter how creative the approach, some stories are simply too monumental to recreate without losing something along the way.
Still, if you’re a fan of Del Toro’s artistry or you love a fresh take on a beloved classic, it’s definitely worth the watch!