FRANKENSTEIN
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, and Lars Mikkelsen
Director: Guillermo del Toro
NICK
Frankenstein is director Guillermo del Toro’s heart laid out on screen. The director’s passion for this story is evident in every scene, and I truly think this is some of his best work to date. The world building and appearance of the film are exceptional, as del Toro's unwavering use of practical effects shines through. Jacob Elordi as The Creature blows away all expectations while del Toro continues to succeed in finding humanity within a monster. It’s not perfect, mind you – Mia Goth is miscast and the script could be a touch tighter – but much like Frankenstein’s monster, it rises above any of its imperfections.
ADRIANO
Writer/director Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein is long. There was never a moment when I wasn't engaged, but I'll admit there's some fat that could've been trimmed. But the ends justified the means here. As expected from a del Toro film, the crafts are magnificent, from set design to Dan Lausten's cinematography that fully immerses us into this world. But it's the compassionate writing that accurately brings Mary Shelley's book to life, pondering the difference between man and monster with a stunning performance from Jacob Elordi as The Creature. This Frankenstein is another stunning creature feature from the master del Toro!
QUENTIN
Truth be told, I’ve long considered director Guillermo del Toro to be overrated, but my tune has changed with Frankenstein. Although long-winded and somewhat tonally disjointed, I can’t deny that this immaculately crafted and lavishly designed adaptation hooked me almost immediately through its terrific performances and grand scale. Del Toro’s gothic sensibilities are perfectly aligned with Mary Shelley’s poetic story of loss and guilt, creating everything I wanted and failed to get from Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (a slog of a movie). I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece like some have, but the Hollywood machine is doing cinema and cinephiles a disservice by releasing Frankenstein on Netflix.
AMARÚ
From the first swooping action scene in Frankenstein, you can feel that director Guillermo del Toro was aiming for his epic. The visuals and cinematography, coupled with an imposing score, make for a grand retelling of this well-known tale. However, I’ve never experienced it like this. Its grandiose scope clears the way for Oscar Isaac’s strikingly arrogant portrayal of the titular creator, and Jacob Elordi’s magnificent depiction of his creation’s vast loneliness. The three artists’ boundless marriage gives life to a surprisingly simple and straightforward story, so while the emotional resonance may not connect, the presentation and performances keep you fully engaged.
BODE
Guillermo del Toro has wanted to make his version of Frankenstein for forever. Now that it’s finally made it to the screen, does the long wait pay off? Well…sort of. His emotional connection to the source material is tangible, the performances (especially Jacob Elordi as The Creature) are solid, and, as always with a del Toro project, the technical aspects are top-notch. But it’s undeniably overlong, and the increasingly literal themes of “who’s the real monster?” (not new for GDT) kept me from embracing it further. Perhaps another viewing will smooth some issues over, but for now, I can only admire this.
PAIGE
While Guillermo del Toro’s take on this classic monster tale may not bring anything particularly new to the table with its story, it still is an exquisitely grotesque, atmospheric, and enthralling experience. Surprisingly, its weakness doesn’t lie in the humanization of the monster, as Jacob Elordi’s portrayal of the creature is actually my favorite part of the movie; it’s the character of Victor Frankenstein, played by Oscar Isaac, that is lacking here. Elordi brings so much depth and vulnerability with his performance, while Isaac’s character felt emotionless and somewhat stale in comparison. Despite its tragic yet hopeful ending, it’s missing a charm that would have made it feel complete.
KATIE
I enjoyed every minute of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. It’s a very del Toro film in the best way, with gorgeously detailed set design, a humanistic story that’s full of heart, and that crafty, theatrical yet lavish sheen. It’s romantic and darkly gothic, and the practical effects are fantastic and wonderfully squishy. The focus on the obsessive relationship between Victor Frankenstein, played with scene-chewing gusto by Oscar Isaac, and his monstrous creation, played by an impressively sympathetic yet imposing Jacob Elordi, is very compelling, and del Toro’s reverence for the story is evident in every frame.
ROBERT
When Frankenstein opened in the Arctic, I thought to myself, “I’ve seen this once upon a time”. As it continued, I kept being transported to previous iterations of the story I’ve seen, and while interesting to look at, I didn’t understand how this was specific to Guillermo del Toro. The production design with some of the practical sets was breathtaking, and the makeup and costumes filled out the aesthetic of 19th-century Europe spectacularly. However, the film drags in multiple areas, and while Jacob Elordi as The Creature is sympathetic, I can’t root for or connect with any other character; the seams here are exposed.
This film was reviewed by Nick, Adriano, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2025 Zurich Film Festival, respectively.