Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ — A Beautiful Monster Brought to Life
Guillermo del Toro has finally done it. After dreaming for decades of bringing Frankenstein to the screen, the Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker has unveiled his own haunting, poetic vision of Mary Shelley’s classic tale. Released in limited theaters before arriving on Netflix, Frankenstein has already captured attention for its emotional depth, striking visuals, and an unexpectedly tender portrayal of the creature — played by Australian actor Jacob Elordi.
Interestingly, Elordi wasn’t Del Toro’s first choice. The role originally belonged to Andrew Garfield, who exited just weeks before filming began. Rather than delaying the project, Del Toro and his longtime collaborator, makeup artist Mike Hill, reshaped the concept of the monster entirely. And the result? A deeply moving performance that has become the heart of the film. Elordi’s creature isn’t just terrifying — he’s tragically human. His sadness, loneliness, and curiosity bring an emotional weight that lingers long after the credits roll.
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Oscar Isaac stars as Victor Frankenstein, the obsessive scientist whose experiments to defy death spring from childhood grief and a fractured relationship with his father. In Del Toro’s vision, Frankenstein’s act of creation is not born from arrogance alone but from pain — an attempt to fill a void left by loss. That sense of wounded humanity runs through every frame of the film. Mia Goth plays Elisabeth, a luminous figure of compassion and love, while Christoph Waltz appears as Henrich Harlander, a munitions manufacturer whose war-driven ambitions fund Frankenstein’s research. Their partnership hints at the darker side of progress — how human cruelty often fuels invention.
The film unfolds in two halves: the first told from Victor’s point of view, the second from the creature’s. This shift in perspective is brilliant — it gives voice to the voiceless. Through the creature’s eyes, the audience sees humanity’s hypocrisy, its fear of difference, and its capacity for cruelty. Del Toro doesn’t just remake Frankenstein ; he reframes it as a tragic meditation on the monstrous nature within us all.
Visually, the film is grand and immersive — a gothic masterpiece filled with fog, candlelight, and cathedral-like laboratories. But beyond the spectacle, it’s a story about forgiveness, loneliness, and the desperate search for connection. Like The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth , it’s another chapter in Del Toro’s lifelong fascination with misunderstood monsters.
At its core, Frankenstein isn’t about creating life — it’s about understanding what makes us human. Del Toro’s compassion for his creature, Elordi’s heartbreaking performance, and the film’s haunting spirituality turn this adaptation into something far greater than a horror story. It becomes a mirror, reflecting the beauty and the brutality that coexist in the human soul.
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