Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” Finds Beauty in the Broken (Review)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — “Frankenstein” breaks down the legend we thought we knew into three raw, human chapters. The man, the monster, and the fallout. It starts with Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a scientist haunted by the expectation of perfection his father insisted on for him growing up. He decides to take on the ultimate challenge, death itself, by trying to create life. What follows is a horrific yet sincere mix of guilt, love, and revenge from a father and son, and is Guillermo del Toro’s magnum opus to the monster genre.

It’s often confused in the discussions for Frankenstein, in particular, about who the actual monster is. In this version, we clearly know it is the creator, not the creation. Oscar Isaac delivers a brash, violent, and narcissistic Doctor Frankenstein who is horrified by the thing he’s brought to life. Jacob Elordi plays the monster, and you cannot look away from him. The physicality, his voice, the design of his body with makeup and prosthetics could all be removed, and we’d still be left with an amazing portrayal of someone who only wishes to know why he was made, and to find someone to spend his life with. At the end of the day, this is a family drama hiding as a monster movie, and it was very effective.

From the incredible, enormous-looking set designs to the beautiful costumes and practical effects, Guillermo del Toro reminds audiences that AI can never replace the art and craft of people working on a singular vision. This was obviously a passion project of his, and you feel that. The writing is Old English dialogue that will make you wish for a Frankenstein-Nosferatu crossover event.

Only Guillermo del Toro could take “Frankenstein” and make it feel this tender, this terrifying, this human. A gothic family drama stitched together with heart and horror.

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