'Frankenstein' Movie Review
Image Source: Variety
YouTuber Cosmonaut Marcus once said that if you’re a filmmaker, don’t make your dream project first. Why? Because you can only make it once.
Guillermo del Toro’s storied career is filled with unrealized projects to the point where it has its own Wikipedia page. His adaptation of At the Mountains of Madness, a planned Hellboy III, a solo Jabba the Hutt Star Wars film, a Justice League Dark movie, and his two-part adaptation of The Hobbit are just a few examples of projects that never came to be. Despite all the projects that never got off the ground, del Toro has made a name for himself as one of the most talented filmmakers alive. Starting with cult horror hits such as Cronos, Mimic, and The Devil’s Backbone, del Toro has remained a constant fixture of the film world. The Hellboy duology, Pacific Rim, and Crimson Peak also have devoted cult fanbases since their initial releases. And who can forget del Toro’s acclaimed, award-winning hits such as Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Pinocchio, and Nightmare Alley. Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water are hailed explicitly as among the greatest fantasy films of the 21st century and of all time. And then there’s Frankenstein.
Based on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, a film adaptation of the influential book has been a glimmer in del Toro’s eyes for 18 years. Despite the many film adaptations of the book over the last few decades, of varying quality, mind you, del Toro always felt he could put his signature spin on the material. And after years of false starts, casting rumors, and “Maybe some days”, it’s finally here, and it’s masterful. Frankenstein is a much-needed reminder of why Guirellemo del Toro is obligated to be called a “visionary director” at every turn. An ambitious amalgamation of everything that makes del Toro who he is, it was more than worth the 18-year wait for this film to finally come out.
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Image Source: The New York Times
A universal constant of every film directed by Guillermo del Toro is that you’ll find yourself rooting for, or even relating to, what we would call monsters. Guillermo del Toro sees beauty and humanity in things that society tells us are ugly. Even a film like The Shape of Water has us rooting for a mute woman and a fishman to fall in love. At their core, del Toro’s films are by outcasts, for outcasts. The son of immigrant parents, Guillermo del Toro, frequently tugs on our heartstrings without ever becoming forced or schmaltzy. Giving equal screentime and narrative importance to both Victor Frankenstein and The Creature, del Toro shows us the dark side of life, whether it comes from the world or from within ourselves. Every single scene in this film feels like something out of a dream, and that dream is often not warm or pleasant. To compare Frankenstein to del Toro’s last live-action feature before this, del Toro took what he learned on Nightmare Alley and cranked them up to 11. Meaning, Frankenstein is not a movie about good people. Victor Frankenstein is not supposed to be a protagonist we’re supposed to root for, but rather, he’s a protagonist worth following. Guillermo del Toro’s portrayal of the scientist who attempts to play God adds to the film’s never-ending feeling of the supreme gothic fairy tale. The strong direction also gives The Creature one of his most heartbreaking and human portrayals in the centuries he has existed.
Guillermo del Toro’s distinct visual style is all over the movie, but never veers into self-parody or overindulgence. The way del Toro focuses squarely on the humanity of The Creature and the hubris of Victor makes the film engaging at almost every turn. While the film may be a tad slow in parts, it never makes the journey boring or pointless. Guillermo del Toro’s direction is also complemented by cinematographer Dan Lausten (who has been del Toro’s regular since Crimson Peak), the breathtaking production design, and the hauntingly beautiful musical score by Alexandre Desplat. Desplat, specifically, delivers the best score of his career at least since Greta Gerwig’s Little Women. The film is filled with constant visual splendor, but never becomes just eye candy. The film is filled with haunting musical cues, but never so much that it feels cheap. Guillermo del Toro’s love of practical effects and his use of CGI as a tool rather than a crutch make every frame feel like a painting.
Image Source: The Hollywood Reporter
What can be said about Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi that hasn’t been said already? Isaac, who has delivered remarkable performances in Inside Llewyn Davis, A Most Violent Year, the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Ex Machina, and Dune, gives what is easily a career-best performance as Victor Frankenstein. Perfectly dramatic and perfectly pathetic all at once, Issac does a lot of leading man heavy lifting that he hasn’t been given the chance to do since his TV work, such as Show Me a Hero and Moon Knight. Jacob Elordi, however, steals the movie. Hitting the mainstream with his performance as Nate Jacobs in Euphoria and appearances in the widely panned The Kissing Booth franchise, Jacob Elordi has broken away from his role as a heartthrob and taken on more interesting parts. His turn as The Creature is so beautifully tragic that you can’t help but feel a swell of emotion whenever he has to overcome a new challenge. The Creature is you, The Creature is me. It’s not at all hard to find the humanity in a creature who didn’t ask to be born and yet is still forced to live in a world where everybody hates him. Who can relate, right? The rest of the cast is also phenomenal, with Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth, and David Bradley measuring up to Issac and Elordi’s performances in every scene.
All in all, Frankenstein is a visually orgasmic marvel that only del Toro could pull off on this scale. While other directors would’ve focused too much on spectacle or bogged the movie down with story beats and cheap scares in a misguided attempt to be different, del Toro is a lot more imaginative than that. In an increasingly hostile world, it’s nice to have artists on del Toro’s level feel that it’s necessary to have stories that teach us valuable lessons about each other and ourselves. Yes, the visuals are gorgeous, the sets are remarkable, the score is heavenly, and the cast is stacked. However, if not for Guillermo del Toro’s understanding of the source material and his unrivaled direction, Frankenstein is more than just a pretty movie with a couple of good performances. Frankenstein is a harrowing tale of self-acceptance, fear, ignorance, and loss, and del Toro tells it in a way that only he could. And like with Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, and Nightmare Alley, the very medium of film is a better place because movies like this exist. Once del Toro decides on his 14th feature film, one thing is for sure: It’s gonna be another reminder as to why he’ll forever be known as “Visionary Director Guillermo del Toro.”
Rating: 9.5/10
Frankenstein is now streaming on Netflix. Rated R
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