Frankenstein (2025) Dir: Guillermo del Toro

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Exquisite, is it not? This Netflix original adaptation of Mary Shelley's legendary science fiction novel, directed by the master of monsters and fantasy; Guillermo del Toro, was at the very top of my list of new releases I wanted to watch. I adore Shelley's most cherished novel, and I am always interested in seeing a new interpretation of it, even if many fail to live up to the novel's majesty. My expectations for this particular adaptation, considering the man making it, were fairly high, although I had slight concerns about some of the casting choices.

As I suspected it might be, del Toro's film was aesthetically delicious. The set design and props were immaculate - akin to those of the classic Hammer horrors of the Fifties, but on a far more elevated level. It must also be said that the costume designs were stunning. The dresses adorned by Mia Goth's character were particularly marvellous, both in terms of general aesthetic and in regards to their attention to detail. The film also featured a wonderfully fitting and original classical soundtrack, composed by Alexandre Desplat, which was beautiful to listen to.

It should not be so hard to adapt Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein', but so few films have done so successfully. In this instance, there were certainly some changes to Shelley's original tale, but each one worked for the version that del Toro was telling. I adored this adaptation - I thought it was able to explore the tragic tale in such a nuanced, yet impactful way. Occasionally, the dialogue was slightly more on the nose, but it was easy to look past for me. I was so enamoured with the rest of the film that it really didn't affect my enjoyment all that much.

Oscar Isaac proved to be the ideal casting choice that I thought he would be for the role of 'Victor Frankenstein' - the man has so much range, and always commits so determinedly to his roles. I was so impressed with the versatility of this performance. The emotional range that Isaac exhibited, as he explored Victor's tragic and deeply ironic tale, was just so satisfying. I was most confident about Isaac's role coming into the film, and it was so good to see that confidence was so well placed.

I must admit, when I saw the cast list for this film, the name Jacob Elordi stood out to me for all the wrong reasons. I did not believe that he could provide a compelling depiction of 'The Monster', but I was sorely mistaken. Elordi's pained, emotional, and vulnerable perfirmance was absolutely beautiful. He was the heart and soul of this wonderful adaptation. His performance in the second half of the film was utterly magical.

I was actually slightly underwhelmed by the acting of Mia Goth, who I usually enjoy more. I think there was just something slightly off about her dialogue delivery - it just didn't quite sound right. I think it may have been something to do with the intonations she put on words. Dialogue aside, though, her physical acting was still very strong. More mentions go to a very solid supporting cast, headlined by the extraordinarily talented Christoph Waltz, as well as the likes of Felix Kammerer, Charles Dance, David Bradley, and Lars Mikkelson.

Overall, I was expecting to enjoy this film, but I was surprised and thrilled by just how much I adored it. I have yet to see a better, more faithful feeling, adaptation of one of literature's greatest works. It was so satisfying to watch a film that was approached with such a delicate and obviously passionate hand. I really believe that most people will enjoy this film a lot, particularly if they enjoy the book. Is this the best Netflix original film ever? I think there's a fair case for it.