Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein presents a significantly more hopeful conclusion than the original 1818 text, surprising readers familiar with the book. The film was released on Netflix following a limited theater run, with the director’s vision leading to a tone of possible redemption and humanity through the Creature’s final actions.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker revealed that crafting this uplifting ending was not straightforward, as he faced resistance from his producing partner. The core of their disagreement centered on a crucial scene that del Toro insisted was necessary to emphasize the film’s more optimistic message.
The Creature’s Transformation and Final Choice
Del Toro explained that he intended for the Creature’s final moments to highlight his capacity for human emotions: love and hate. In the new ending, the Creature, played by Jacob Elordi, reaches the ice-bound ship carrying his creator, Victor Frankenstein, portrayed by Oscar Isaac, in time for an emotional encounter. This moment is described by del Toro as one where both characters “make each other human.”
Unlike Shelley’s novel, where the Creature finds Victor dead and resolves to end his own life, del Toro’s movie shows the Creature deciding to save the ship and its crew from the ice entrapment. His final act is one of compassion toward those who once attacked him, representing a powerful transformation.
“I had to argue with my producing partner,”
del Toro said, emphasizing the importance of this scene.
“I knew I wanted the Creature to have his only act as a human, meaning, he reacts to love with love, he reacts to hatred with hatred,”
he added.
“He comes out and he decides in a beautiful moment to say, ‘The people that attacked me, I’m gonna free them,’”
del Toro explained.
“Because you’re pushing the ship and looking at it for a second, that gained a lot more weight, I thought. It’s a liberation. And I think that’s the difference with the book. This ends in a note of possible hope.”
A Fresh Take on the Creature’s Creation
Del Toro’s Frankenstein also breaks away from typical film portrayals of the Creature’s creation. Usually, the monster’s assembly is shown abruptly, with dramatic weather effects and little focus on the process itself. Del Toro chose to depict this scene differently by turning it into a lively, almost celebratory sequence.
He compared the creation process to a concert performance, highlighting the energy and passion behind Victor Frankenstein’s work in the laboratory. Instead of emphasizing horror and disgust, the scene conveys a sense of excitement and creativity.
“Almost nobody shows the creation of the monster. Everybody shows thunder, and the monster is already put together. And I thought, if you are following a rock star, you want to shoot the concert. So instead of making it horrible that he is putting all these things together from bodies, I made it into a waltz. I made it into a joyous fun, sort of crazy concert. He’s running around the lab, putting this body together, grabbing this part and placing it together here or there.”
Critical Response and Legacy of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein
Critics have generally responded positively to del Toro’s fresh interpretation, with the film holding an 85% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The $120 million production benefits from stellar performances by Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the Creature.
ScreenRant praised it as “a masterclass in atmosphere,” particularly highlighting the chemistry between the lead actors, though the film’s extended runtime and occasional slow pacing drew some criticism. Since del Toro first announced plans to adapt Frankenstein in 2007, he has cemented his reputation through acclaimed films such as 2017’s The Shape of Water, which garnered 13 Oscar nominations and four wins including Best Picture and Best Director.
The Story and Principal Cast of Frankenstein
The movie follows Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but self-centered scientist, as he performs an experimental procedure to bring a living being to life. The cast features Oscar Isaac in the role of Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the Creature, delivering performances that anchor the film’s intense emotional and thematic exploration.
