Guillermo del Toro’s latest film, Guillermo del Toro Frankenstein, presents a fresh take on Mary Shelley’s classic novel by focusing on themes of forgiveness and what it truly means to be human. Premiering with a companion immersive exhibit in London, the film offers an intense exploration of the dynamic between creator and creation through both visual artistry and storytelling.
Del Toro’s Deep Connection to Frankenstein’s Story
Growing up in Mexico, Guillermo del Toro first encountered the story of Frankenstein as a child watching James Whale’s 1931 film adaptation. That early experience profoundly shaped his understanding of faith and humanity, resonating with him more deeply than his religious sermons. Nearly 60 years later, del Toro revisits the narrative by rewriting the story’s focus on who the monster really is and why forgiveness plays a crucial role.
New Perspectives on Victor and the Creature
The film stars Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, an obsessed scientist determined to defy death by creating life, and Jacob Elordi as the Creature. Del Toro depicts the story from both Victor’s and the Creature’s points of view, offering a layered exploration of pain, trauma, and identity. Mia Goth plays dual roles, portraying Victor’s mother and Elizabeth, who becomes a significant figure fascinated by science and nature. Elizabeth’s connection to the Creature is portrayed through symbolism in her wardrobe, which reflects purity and the natural world.
Oscar Isaac’s portrayal of Victor captures the complexity of a man shaped by his domineering father, Charles Dance. Isaac channels the inherited burden and ambition of his character, bringing emotional depth to a role driven by obsession and loss. Del Toro explains that the shadow of the father is a central theme, one passed down from Dance’s character to Victor, influencing his actions and psyche throughout the film.
The Artistry Behind the Visual Storytelling
An immersive exhibit titled Frankenstein: Crafting a Tale Eternal opened in London’s Old Selfridges Hotel alongside the film’s release. This free exhibit features rare editions of Mary Shelley’s novel, including the original 1818 text, and showcases the craftsmanship behind the movie’s production, including costumes by Kate Hawley and prosthetics by Mike Hill. Del Toro’s team explains that costumes are deliberately intricate and meaningful rather than merely decorative, described by the director as “eye protein” rather than “eye candy.”
The Creature’s appearance was carefully designed to evoke a sense of a newborn rather than a grotesque monster, using subtle coloring and stitching to reflect its construction from different body parts of battlefield casualties. Del Toro emphasizes the importance of avoiding traditional monstrous imagery in favor of humanizing the Creature. His prosthetics and makeup artist Mike Hill worked to create a character with nuanced expression and vulnerability.
Symbolism and Visual Motifs in the Film
Del Toro uses recurring circular motifs throughout the film to represent the cyclical nature of the story. Circles appear in key visual elements such as Victor’s laboratory windows and the ship’s design. This imagery bookends the narrative, reflecting the film’s beginning at dawn and concluding with the Creature’s liberation when the circular pattern breaks.
The giant Medusa head seen by the Creature also serves as a powerful symbol of mythological misunderstanding and monstrous transformation. Del Toro selected this image to remind viewers of the epic scale and tragic dimension of the story, linking the Creature’s experiences to broader mythic themes.
Reframing the Monster: Themes of Forgiveness and Humanity
Unlike previous adaptations that often portray the Creature purely as a monstrous antagonist, del Toro’s version challenges viewers to reconsider who the real monster is. Victor Frankenstein’s emotional abuse of the Creature mirrors his own trauma inflicted by his father, creating a cycle of generational pain. The Creature, despite being vilified and wrongfully blamed for Elizabeth’s death, ultimately forgives Victor. This powerful act of forgiveness breaks the cycle and serves as a poignant conclusion to the film.
Del Toro frames this narrative choice as central to the work’s enduring philosophical inquiry. He states,
“The question of the book is, what makes us human and why are we here?”
The Creature’s final forgiveness is described by del Toro as a rare statement that is needed more in today’s world, one that encourages compassion and acceptance.
Immersive Experiences and Craftsmanship Highlight the Film’s Depth
The exhibit in London allows audiences to engage directly with the layers of meaning embedded in the film’s design and production. Alongside rare editions of Mary Shelley’s novel, visitors can see the detailed costumes inspired by nature and early scientific imagery, such as Elizabeth’s white wedding dress referencing purity and the Bride of Frankenstein. The blue dresses patterned with X-ray motifs hint at the merging of natural and scientific worlds.
Production designer Tamara Deverell was instrumental in creating the expansive environments seen in the film, scouting locations across Scotland and Toronto to construct Victor’s lab and other epic set pieces. Her work supports del Toro’s vision of a grand, mythic tale grounded in intimate human emotion.
Del Toro’s Frankenstein: A Provocation for Modern Audiences
Guillermo del Toro Frankenstein is not just a period piece or a retelling of a gothic novel; it is a deeply emotional and philosophical meditation on pain, identity, and forgiveness that resonates with contemporary conflicts. The story confronts the toxicity of inherited trauma and the possibility of release through empathy. By giving a voice to both creator and creation, del Toro invites viewers to question traditional notions of humanity and monstrosity.
The film’s powerful conclusion, with the Creature’s forgiveness of Victor, challenges audiences to reconsider the meaning of mercy and acceptance in a fractured world. Del Toro hopes this reinterpretation provokes strong emotion and reflection on a text that continues to be relevant more than two centuries after its inception. He remarks,
“The movie hopes to provoke emotion from a text that is 200 years old because it’s telling us we should know better,”
and highlights that
“It’s the one we don’t hear often enough.”
