Guillermo del Toro has brought new life to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with his latest adaptation, infusing the story with his signature blend of visceral horror and deep empathy for outsiders. This Guillermo del Toro Frankenstein adaptation explores the original novel’s themes through a lens that emphasizes complex family dynamics and raw emotional struggles, set against a backdrop of grotesque body horror.
Exploring Victor Frankenstein’s Troubled Past
The film opens by focusing on the life of Baron Victor Frankenstein, played in his youth by Christian Convery. Victor experiences a loving bond with his mother but suffers under the harsh and distant hand of his father, a demanding surgeon portrayed by Charles Dance. The death of Victor’s mother during childbirth leaves him engulfed in grief and intent on conquering death, a vow fueled by the emotional wounds inflicted by his father’s cruelty.
Victor’s Obsession as a Medical Student
As Victor matures into a passionate medical student in Edinburgh, Oscar Isaac takes on the role with intense energy, portraying the character’s descent from manic enthusiasm into exhaustion. Victor challenges the medical establishment with his radical view that doctors should prevent death altogether rather than merely postpone it. His grisly experiments on reanimating dead tissue highlight del Toro’s eagerness to delve into body horror, packing the film with unsettling imagery that may not be suitable for sensitive viewers.
New Patrons and Familial Strains
Victor’s controversial work attracts a wealthy patron, Harlander, played by Christoph Waltz, who provides funding and a gothic laboratory for his experiments. At the same time, Victor’s younger brother William (Felix Kammerer) returns to the narrative alongside Elizabeth (Mia Goth), Harlander’s niece and Victor’s fiancée. Elizabeth’s melancholic presence resonates with Victor’s unresolved grief and complicated feelings toward his family, introducing tension into their relationships. Her ambiguous role challenges Victor’s motivations as both lover and scientist.
Interweaving Cycles of Abuse and Emotional Trauma
Del Toro reshapes the story to emphasize the parallels between fathers and sons, highlighting how Victor replicates his own childhood suffering by mistreating his creature. Victor’s complicated emotions extend to Elizabeth, whose resemblance to his deceased mother raises questions about his true intentions. The director balances sympathy for Victor as a flawed, broken individual with a clear-eyed portrayal of his increasingly obsessive and destructive behavior, conveyed powerfully through Oscar Isaac’s changing demeanor.
The Creature’s Emergence and Identity
The second half of the film centers on the creature, played by Jacob Elordi, whose performance conveys both physical strangeness and emotional depth beneath an elaborate prosthetic suit. Elordi captures the creature’s awkward, infant-like movements and emerging self-awareness, evoking a being both pitiable and unsettling. This section adheres more closely to Shelley’s original narrative, revealing the creature’s growing intellect and his yearning for connection, first sparked by Elizabeth’s gentle kindness.
The Creature as a Tragic, Byronic Figure
Unlike traditional portrayals that focus on Victor’s tragic role, del Toro elevates the creature as the story’s Byronic hero: a somber, outcast soul striving for love but condemned to loneliness. The creature’s rage is tinged with heartbreak as he comes to understand his place outside human society, neither fully man nor beast. This nuanced characterization invites viewers to reflect on themes of identity, rejection, and the nature of monstrosity.
Visual and Auditory Craftsmanship
This adaptation of Frankenstein excels visually and aurally. Alexandre Desplat’s musical score supports the film’s emotional range, while Paul Germann’s sound design, especially for the creature’s voice, adds haunting texture. The cinematography by Dan Laustsen, marking another collaboration with del Toro, captures the detailed, lush production design that the director is known for. The creature’s design, blending beauty and decay, echoes del Toro’s previous works like The Shape of Water, making for a striking and memorable presence on screen.
Del Toro’s Unique Narrative Direction and Its Impact
True to his style, del Toro’s Frankenstein leans into darker themes including cruelty, loss, and human monstrosity, portraying a story more about fractured family relationships than mere horror. His interpretation explores the creature as Victor’s rejected child, weaving together motifs of abandonment and betrayal inspired by literary classics but told through a uniquely personal vision. The film stands as one of del Toro’s most cohesive achievements, seamlessly fusing story and cinematic craft to create an evocative exploration of broken bonds and loneliness.
Release Details and Anticipation
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein will be available for limited theatrical release starting October 17, 2025, before premiering exclusively on Netflix on November 7, 2025. This highly anticipated adaptation offers a fresh and intense experience for fans of horror and literary adaptations alike, inviting deeper reflection on themes of family, identity, and the cost of obsession.
