Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited film “Frankenstein” premiered on Netflix on Nov. 7 and both disturbed and captivated audiences. The “Frankenstein” adaptation stars Jacob Elordi as The Creature, Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Mia Goth as Elizabeth and brings forth standout performances from them as well as everyone in the cast. Writers of The Daily Campus’s Life section Maleena Muzio and Noa Climor watched the film and are ready to share their thoughts with you. Spoilers ahead!
Maleena Muzio – Life Staff Writer
“Frankenstein” by Guillermo del Toro was a pleasant surprise amidst the plethora of adaptations and remakes that have been pushed by Hollywood in recent years. Despite some notable distinctions from the original novel by Mary Shelley, which I am a fan of, the film may be the most accurate Frankenstein adaptation to date, using new artistic and plot choices to encapsulate the original themes and messages of the story.
A few notable differences between “Frankenstein” (2025) and the novel are Elizabeth’s plotline, the introduction of the character Herr Hallander and spoiler warning: the reconciliation of Victor and The Creature at the end of the film. The film took bold risks in altering the original plot but was able to successfully retell the story.
My favorite distinctions were those pertaining to Elizabeth, who was played gracefully by Mia Goth. The choice to eliminate the romance between Victor and Elizabeth but rather portray these feelings as one-sided desperation on Victor’s end helps to further illustrate Victor’s obsessiveness. While I do not want to spoil Elizabeth’s death scene, I will mention that her killer in the film also differs from the novel, and the image of her blood turning her white wedding dress red, surrounded by snow is one that stands out in the film and is hard to forget. This may have been my favorite scene in the movie altogether.
The film begins at the end of the story, and honestly, was not super enticing. Audiences are guided through the present-day conditions of Victor before delving into “Part One: Victor’s Tale.” “Part One” falls short of part two but provides necessary context to the film and the creation of The Creature, who finally opens his eyes after about an hour of runtime.
The latter portion of the film is called “Part Two: The Creature’s Tale” and picks up exactly where Victor’s story left off, only from the point of view of The Creature. This portion of the film is more emotional and beautiful to watch, as The Creature explores nature and the sublime, which is a heavy theme of the original novel.
Despite the film’s slow beginning, it picks up intensely halfway through. The beauty of the cinematography is evident yet parallels nicely with grotesque violence. I also found it refreshing to see Jacob Elordi depart from his traditional “tough guy” role and play a character vastly different from anything audiences have seen before.
Rating: 3.75/5
Noa Climor – Social Media Outreach Coordinator
“Frankenstein” (2025) stands out as a masterful retelling of Mary Shelley’s novel and a lesson in the art of creating a unique, yet authentic narrative based on the source material. Shelley’s original “Frankenstein” is one of the most adapted books, with films such as “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” (1994) and a more inventive twist, such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975). I find del Toro’s perspective of it refreshing: It might not be word-for-word, but it captures the heart of the story, which is so much more important to me.
His films have always struck me as beautifully constructed, and “Frankenstein” was no different. The lighting in each shot was a narrative of its own, with Elizabeth and the creature existing in darkness and shadows, illuminated only when they met each other.
Even in the end, the creature weeps at the sight of the sunrise, closing his eyes and existing in the sunlight, mimicking the embrace of the light shown to him by his creator, his father.
In an interview with Tudum, del Toro explained the truth behind the story. “Frankenstein is about somebody accepting life in the absence of death,” del Toro said, “being blissful any moment you’re alive. The Creature is alive. Now it’s time for it to live.”
Finding the joy in existence, in living, is the soul of del Toro’s “Frankenstein.” Elordi’s portrayal of The Creature shows the audience someone who seeks life, whose actions are gentle and curious, up until his creator treats him with violence and disgust.
And yet, The Creature forgives.
His humanity is nonexistent to those around him, but in Frankenstein’s final moments, he speaks his soul into existence by accepting the apology and allowing his creator, his father, a final moment of peace.
The father-son relationship between Frankenstein and his creature is a highlight of an already brilliant film, and the creation of The Creature in this movie, which is done with passion and joy rather than pain and regret (which comes later) differs from many of the other adaptations, making it a one-of-a-kind retelling.
From the costumes to the dialogue, del Toro has added yet another masterpiece to his resume. The message I understood from “Frankenstein” that I hope reaches everyone who sees the movie is that there is such beauty in living. The experiences that make you human are the ones that might be the most painful, and yet, they teach you the most.
“And if you have it in your heart, forgive yourself into existence,” Frankenstein said in the film. “If death is not to be, then consider this: my son, while you are alive, what recourse do you have but to live?”
Rating: 5/5