Jacob Elordi as Frankenstein's Monster
By
Atreyo Palit
Published 53 minutes ago
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The long-awaited 2025 adaptation of Mary Shelley's most famous novel, Frankenstein, is finally out, and it feels like a disappointing exercise in hiking through familiar plot points on a journey that's far longer than it needs to be. Frankenstein has set a Rotten Tomatoes audience score record for Guillermo del Toro, but I left the theater desiring more from it.
Frankenstein might usher in Guillermo del Toro's Tim Burton era, and if that happens, I'm glad that we might see del Toro diversifying into a niche that has always felt perfectly suited to his sensibilities as a director. However, Frankenstein feels like him scratching an itch, which makes sense when one considers that it's always been his dream to make it.
Netflix's Frankenstein movie alters certain aspects of the book, as is common in any movie adaptation. However, some of these changes detract from the story's poetic quality and even compromise its ability to convey the message with the same effectiveness as Shelley's novel. Watching the movie may be a visually enthralling experience, but it also reflects on Hollywood's remake culture.
Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein Doesn't Add Anything To The Story
Oscar Isaac's Frankenstein cutting a leg in Frankenstein
The most disappointing aspect of Frankenstein is realizing that it's an emotionally sterile adaptation that feels like a direct transliteration of the source material, robbing it of the sting that makes it such a timeless and powerful piece of prose. It is far too literal for its own good, even spelling out the actual point of the story in dialogue.
Frankenstein follows the titular Victor Frankenstein, who creates a monster by piecing together parts from cadavers because he swore to conquer death after his mother died when he was young. His impatience with the Creature's slow mental development drives him to try and kill him, which locks the two in a fight spanning decades that ends with Victor Frankenstein's death.
The differences between Netflix's Frankenstein and the novel don't make a big change to the story, as it mostly involves making new characters or omitting ones from the book, who are nevertheless rendered narratively unimportant in the adaptation. Anyone familiar with Frankenstein, especially those who have read the novel, might find themselves feeling bored by how long the movie is.
The Movie Makes The Safest Creative Choices
The announcement of the Frankenstein movie was met with unanimous excitement, because a Gothic fantasy horror movie that sympathizes with the monster in it is exactly the movie you'd expect Guillermo del Toro to make. He's proven his expertise as a storyteller specializing in reassessing monstrosity over the years, and so, Frankenstein feels like the natural next step for him.
However, it might fit his style too well, because the movie almost feels like a carnival ride of familiar Guillermo del Toro idiosyncrasies that don't embellish the source material or give us anything to discover. Moreover, Mia Goth stars as the love interest for possibly three different characters, and her experience with horror makes her the most dependable casting choice.
However, Goth doesn't get to do anything interesting with the character, despite having a significant chunk of the screen time. Frankenstein is an easy movie to recommend to fans of Jacob Elordi as well, because he's given his career-best performance in the film. However, replacing Andrew Garfield with Elordi seems like the studio and the producers making the safest choice.
Frankenstein Is Expected To Win Big At The Oscars
Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein adjusting a lighting rod in Frankenstein© Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection
While it remains to be seen if Frankenstein can expect nominations in any of the big five categories or the other acting categories at the Oscars, it is rightfully being predicted that it will be a major contender at the Oscars. Production design, costume design, makeup and hairstyling, visual effects, and cinematography seem like guaranteed nominations.
Frankenstein and last year's Nosferatu are horror movies that feel like they were always meant to be made by del Toro and Robert Eggers, respectively, but unlike Nosferatu, which chooses to focus on an entirely different aspect of the original material, Frankenstein doesn't take many creative risks. Despite being a run-of-the-mill remake, it has already become a hit with critics.
Remakes Are Dominating Both Critical And Commercial Circuits Now
Frankenstein's box office success, high praise from critics, and the potential Oscar success just reflect the way we have been made to expect, respect, and appreciate remakes as significant expressions of creativity today, even if they don't contribute meaningfully to any existing discourse. Mary Shelley's novel has been analyzed and referenced too much for anyone to need a crash course.
And yet, Frankenstein feels just like watching a summary of plot points presented in the form of gorgeous frames in an intoxicating color palette that intends to hide its shallowness behind its beauty. It's disappointing to note that the biggest box office winners this year have been remakes or other kinds of IP movies, and Frankenstein might just join them.
While original films will be significant Oscars contenders, some categories seem like a lock for Frankenstein. Despite being an emotionally distant and literal adaptation, it will be rewarded critically, too, and that explains why studios prefer to play it safe with such remakes instead of funding costly original movies like One Battle After Another, which ultimately may not break even.
Frankenstein
R
Drama
Horror
Science Fiction
7/10
16
7.6/10
Release Date
October 17, 2025
Cast
Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, David Bradley, Lars Mikkelsen, Christian Convery, Burn Gorman, Ralph Ineson, Cullen McFater, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Joachim Fjelstrup, Sharon Canovas, Charles Dance, Lauren Collins, Roberto Campanella, Stuart Hughes
Runtime
149 Minutes
Director
Guillermo del Toro
Writers
Guillermo del Toro, Mary Shelley
Producers
J. Miles Dale, Guillermo del Toro, Scott Stuber
Genres
Drama, Horror, Science Fiction
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