Shadows on the Wall | Frankenstein

Frankenstein

dir-scr Guillermo del Toro
prd Guillermo del Toro, J Miles Dale, Scott Stuber
with Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Christoph Waltz, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Charles Dance, Christian Convery, Ralph Ineson, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Burn Gorman
release US/UK 17.Oct.25
25/UK Netflix 2h29

VENICE FILM FEST
TORONTO FILM FEST

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Made on an epic scale with lavish sets and costumes and a gorgeously textured Alexandre Desplat score, Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of the Mary Shelley classic is both involving and entertaining. This is a big, beefy movie with complex characters that the actors can properly sink their teeth into. And because of the way it's structured, it also has something intriguing to say about the nature of storytelling.

In the middle of the 19th century, Victor Frankenstein (Isaac) has been so driven by his strict scientist father (Dance) that he now wants to conquer death by creating life. He sets up his passion project with help from his younger brother William (Kammerer) and financier Harlander (Waltz), foraging for parts from bodies on local battlefields. He's also distracted by Harlander's ethereal niece Elizabeth (Goth), William's fiancee. Some things go wrong, but Victor's creature (Elordi) comes to life. It too is fascinated by Elizabeth, but its main concern is understanding its relationship with its creator.

Of course, this gentle giant's true quest is to work out who he is. The narrative unfolds as Victor and then the creature recount their stories to Anderson (Mikkelsen), the captain of a ship stranded in the Arctic ice. This is where they have ended up after years of pursuing each other in an effort to define and confront the true meaning of what Victor has accomplished. Along the way, the creature has learned to speak and read thanks to a blind grandpa (Bradley). Because he's something new, the books have encouraged him to question his identity.

Elordi brings remarkable physicality to this over-sized, re-assembled man. His curious eyes take in everything he sees, learning kindness as well as violence. The link between him and Victor is magnetic, played with riveting complexity by both Elordi and Isaac, whose full-bodied performance as Victor brings out the doctor's soul, including its uglier aspects. Between them, Goth has terrific presence in her majestic gowns, making Elizabeth a force to reckon with.

The enormous narrative sweep is cleverly broken into chapters as Victor and the monster recount their tales, providing a key shift in perspective from creator to creation. Del Toro is grappling with seriously momentous issues here regarding the nature of humanity, as well as attitudes toward anything or anyone who is different. The approach is punchy, and also surprisingly thoughtful. And this is what makes the story's more emotional moments properly wrenching.

themes, violence 15.Oct.25 lff

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