Guillermo del Toro is a director, born in Mexico, who released a new version of Frankenstein with the help of Scott Stuber and J. Miles Dale. Frankenstein has recently gained popularity. The film premiered in theaters on Oct. 17, 2025, shortly before arriving on Netflix. Frankenstein is rated R. It is a gothic and science-fiction version of Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel. With a runtime of 2 hours and 29 minutes, the movie stars Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, the scientist, and Jacob Elordi as the monster. Both actors are well known, boosting the movie’s overall appeal. Del Toro created this version to bring a more modern look, which highlights the monstrous character of Frankenstein. The emotional aspects included resulted in nominations for awards. The film is performing well with an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film has already made an impact on its audience through its modernized spin of the original novel and by including an emotional ending. Many viewers were moved by the way the story humanized the monster, making his journey feel personal. When interviewed, Kelsey Breslin noted that she enjoyed “The ending, because it was very emotional; the monster confronting his future and coming to terms with it”. This suggests that del Toro made the creature a relatable character rather than just a scary monster. This added to the success of the movie because it allowed the audience to engage more with the character, therefore increasing attentiveness. The visuals of the movie also stand out because the modern costume design and scenery played a major role in the storytelling. Hannah Godshall, who has previously taught the original book, praised the aesthetic choices. “The costumes and the color of the costumes went well with the film.” These quotes show how the film uses both writing and design to make the movie a big hit among audiences.
When looking at the movie’s feedback, it is receiving a lot of praise and is a contender for the upcoming awards season. It has gotten five Golden Globe nominations and earned a spot on the AFI top films of the year list. The film is being recognized for its cast, which also includes Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth. Two additional actors are very popular. The film stays true to the plot of the novel, a scientist bringing a creature to life with tragic results, but it adds unique details that make it stand out. These details include being up to date and involving emotion. While some viewers stated the creature’s physical strength was a bit distracting, most agreed that the movie is a masterpiece and was produced extremely well. Hannah Godshall summed it up when she said that while the story is a lot like the original, del Toro “put his own spin on it”. The modifications that he integrated into the story were a good idea based on how it’s gone over since its release. Many can agree that these advancements were for the better and that del Toro did an amazing job at reinventing a classic tale.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Frankenstein
https://goldenglobes.com/articles/nominations-announced-for-the-83rd-annual-golden-globes/
