Legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has finally brought his long-awaited vision of Frankenstein to life, offering a fresh take on Mary Shelley’s classic novel. The film, now streaming on Netflix, stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Mia Goth, and represents a culmination of del Toro’s cinematic journey that began when he first read the novel at age 11.
Speaking at a post-screening Q&A with director Jason Reitman, del Toro described the project as a lifelong dream.
“All my life, I’ve been aiming towards this movie. All 50 years of craft, thought, thematic pondering — everything. It is a fusion of the book, my life and what I know about the Romantic movement,” he shared.
A New Take on the Creature
Unlike previous adaptations that portrayed the Creature as monstrous or grotesque, del Toro presents a gentle and innocent being, played by Jacob Elordi. The director emphasized that the Creature is intended to evoke empathy and curiosity rather than fear.
“By the time the Creature is revealed, [the audience] will have already seen the things that make him unique. He looks like a newborn, not like an ICU victim. And that’s important,” del Toro said.
The film explores deep themes, including the question: Can man play God? Religion and morality are woven throughout, adding philosophical depth to Victor Frankenstein’s experiments.
Visual Storytelling Through Color and Design
Del Toro also used color motifs to enhance storytelling. Red, white, and blue dominate the film, with red specifically worn only by Victor and Elizabeth.
“We follow Victor’s experiments in the lab, which have the language of red and reflect the brutality of Victor as an artist whose musical notes happen to be anatomical,” del Toro explained.
The Creature’s design, including careful stitching and varied coloration, highlights the assembly of body parts from battlefields, yet emphasizes its innocence and vulnerability.
A Masterpiece 50 Years in the Making
Del Toro, known for his visionary works like Pan’s Labyrinth, describes Frankenstein as a deeply personal film, blending the original novel’s themes with his own cinematic sensibilities. Fans of both Shelley’s classic and del Toro’s distinctive storytelling will find a unique and emotional interpretation of the timeless tale.
Frankenstein is now available for streaming on Netflix, bringing a fresh and imaginative perspective to the beloved story.