Hello, peeps! I'm back after a long break to pour out my thoughts on one of the most brilliant films I've seen in a long while: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Christoph Waltz. I literally sat through it twice (yes, I loved it that much), and thought slightly different things both times, so I have a lot to say!
Let me preface this by saying I'm generally a staunch purist when it comes to film adaptations of legendary texts. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, which I studied in my first year of BA, is one of my favourite novels. She has imbued the book with so much love and intelligence and layered thematic imagery that more than 200 years later, it's still super relevant. So when I found out that the film deviated from the book in some ways, I wasn't pleased, but decided to sit down and watch it anyway, even if just to criticise it, lol. Once I finished it, though, I had to admit I was absolutely blown away.
Frankenstein is the type of adaptation that pays the novel a very respectful tribute, but also breaks away from it to be seen as its own work, which is something I really appreciate. This is del Toro's passion project, something he's wanted to make since he was ten, and one can tell. It's a very immersive and atmospheric film-- I didn't even realise when it ended because I was so engrossed-- and there's a lot of love in every shot. It's visually stunning and there's a lot of interesting imagery to unpack here, which hooked me at once, as I love analysing visual media. The film is graphic and morbid, yet strangely beautiful, just like the novel (and the most intriguing bit about the visuals is the very intentional usage of colour. Red, black, white, and green recur throughout the film).
The film picks up a lot of the novel's themes-- man playing God and symbolising the modern Prometheus, the Creature functioning as an abandoned Adam, the hubristic nature of the man who would transgress into God's boundaries, and the consequences of this. It's a grotesque, tragic tale of Creation gone wrong, very Miltonesque. But it also introduces some themes Mary didn't include: familial trauma and the cycle of generational abuse. I think these themes work quite well in the film and are handled with care, lending it a very poignant touch.
The performances are great across the board. Isaac really slips into Victor Frankenstein's skin, playing him in a way that's simultaneously fascinating and revolting. The classic "mad scientist" vibe is combined with a dramatic flair akin to a stage magician's-- but there are layers of trauma and remorse to him that emerge from under the swaggering exterior. He's so excellent, I forgot it was a performance; he has oodles of charisma and is very compelling, infusing Victor with complexity and really making one empathise with him (and I'll say this: the man is a stunner. Truly).
Elordi portrays the Creature's childlike innocence, vulnerability, and eventual rage quite well-- his eyes are expressive, and the changes in his body language as the character evolves are praiseworthy. This, too, is an empathy-evoking portrayal; however, I thought the film dragged significantly when Victor was absent during the Creature's Tale (a minor nitpick, but this isn't something I've seen most people mention. Victor is, by far, the more intriguing character of the two).
The changes made to the character of Elizabeth (played by Mia Goth) are interesting, as she's the first one to show the Creature affection, and is therefore instrumental in teaching him about empathy and kindness, but more could've been done with her character arc (also, some of her dresses are so beautiful!). Special shoutout to Christoph Waltz, who plays Elizabeth's uncle, Henrich Harlander (an original character): some of the best and most meme-able lines in the film come from him.
The film may not come off as complex as the novel-- for one, it's not subtle with some of its themes and sometimes outright tells the audience what to think. However, I disagree with those that say the film strips the tale of all complexity. There's certainly nuance in the film as well, and I like how it follows the novel's narrative structure, allowing us to delve into the minds of both Victor and the Creature. In particular, the central theme of the film-- the dynamic between different generations of fathers and sons-- is beautifully handled.
I like the novel's ending because it's realistic, although deeply tragic-- but I slightly prefer the more hopeful note the film ends on. I won't spoil it further, but it's a tear-jerker, in the best possible way. It's an unexpected but very poetic conclusion, and it's beautiful. It's cathartic and powerful, and effectively wraps up what the film set out to accomplish (and I love happy endings!).
All in all: this isn't really Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, but it's so well done and the vision is so clear that I truly admire it. It's a gorgeous work of art, and it's helped me realise that creative liberties don't necessarily do the original work a disservice-- they can open up new avenues of thought and interest.
... Whew, that was long! I hope you liked it, and let me know what you think of the film! I'm off to watch it for the third time, hehe!
