From dressing up on Halloween, green face paint lathered and fake bolts glued — to countless adaptations complete with spooky music and bubbling labs.
Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel “Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus” has been pushed around and remade enough times that the original is barely there. The same thing is happening again with Guillermo del Toro’s new adaptation of the classic Gothic tale, but this one, I am okay with.
“Frankenstein,” a Netflix film starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and Mia Goth, was absolutely extraordinary. The film tells not only the story of Victor Frankenstein, as adaptations usually do, but the story of The Creature himself.
I was completely captivated by Elordi’s performance throughout the two and a half hour watch. The Creature had such a passionate urge for death, hoping to escape the loneliness Frankenstein forced upon him. That portrayal made my heart hurt whenever he came on screen. This is different from many other adaptations of Frankenstein’s monster, who are as simple as their names – monsters.
What surprised me the most about Elordi’s performance was that he was not the original casting choice. According to People, Andrew Garfield was originally cast as The Creature but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. In an interview with Variety, Del Toro said that Elordi’s eyes are “so full of humanity,” which is what secured him the role. As much as I love “The Amazing Spiderman,” I cannot help but be grateful for the conflicts in Garfield’s schedule.
Elordi’s performance is not the only portion of this film that is worth praise. Del Toro did a beautiful job showcasing survival through innocence, while also providing captivating visuals. From the lab to the Blind Man’s home, every scene was enchanting to the eye.
The only thing I found myself wanting more of during this film was a brotherly relationship between Victor and Felix. After growing up apart, the two are reunited while Victor continues to work on scientifically defeating death. William Frankenstein, played by Felix Krammerer, was great at encapsulating the attitude of a younger brother, but I wouldn’t say Isaac did much for that older brother role.
There is so much to say about “Frankenstein.” From character depictions, plot and cinematography, everything about this film had me hooked. While no one can match Victor Frankenstein’s obsession with success, I might be close to one, too, when it comes to this movie.
