Frankenstein

by Tyler Glover

Photo: Netflix

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi & Christoph Waltz
Rated: R (bloody violence & grisly images)
Runtime: 2 hours & 29 minutes

​One thing about the movie industry that can be annoying is the overreliance on reboots, sequels, retreads and telling the same stories repeatedly with little to no imagination. Most of these films miss the mark entirely by forgetting what made audiences fall in love with these stories from the beginning. However, sometimes, the right director becoming attached to one of these stories sparks genuine excitement. This is how I felt when I first heard that acclaimed Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro was bringing his version of “Frankenstein” to Netflix. del Toro is truly a visionary filmmaker who has proven to us all that he can transport us into worlds that feel like experiences we have never had before. “The Shape of Water,” “Pinocchio” and “Pan’s Labryinth” are proof that del Toro has clear visions for the stories he tells and can execute his vision in a way that truly dazzles audiences everywhere. The question remains: was del Toro able to bring us into his own world of “Frankenstein,” or did he miss the mark?  

Based on the 1818 novel by Mary Shelley, “Frankenstein” tells the story of Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Issac), an egotistical, arrogant scientist who has become obsessed with death and immortality. The loss of his mother, whom he was very close to, sparks this interest. Frankenstein catches the eye of arms merchant Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz), who decides to fund his project, hoping for a favor one day in return. Victor’s brother, William (Felix Kammerer), and his fiancée, Elizabeth (Mia Goth), get entangled in the chaos when Frankenstein successfully creates his Creature (Jacob Elordi). The movie really explores many interesting questions: What is life? Is life merely existing or having purpose? Is life anything if being forced to spend it alone? Does immortality have any value if some aspects of life are missing? The film makes us ponder what life truly is. 

This movie really highlights just how underrate Isaac has been throughout his career. He does have one Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film for “Show Me A Hero,” but it is criminal that he has not received an Oscar nomination. I feel he was robbed of one for Best Supporting Actor for “Ex Machina” back in 2014. Isaac also delivered a spectacular performance in “Inside Llewyn Davis” that deserved a nod. In “Frankenstein,” Isaac gives a standout performance as a man who has dealt with the devastating loss of his mother, his father's rejection and being considered the black sheep compared to his brother. He has fueled this into a passion to achieve immortality and is slowly going mad trying to achieve the greatness he feels he was destined for but never appreciated. Isaac shows us the hopefulness, the devastation, the excitement, the disappointment and the longing of this man to matter in a world that never made him feel wanted. It is in these moments that Isaac truly makes us see Victor Frankenstein’s humanity. It is a very crowded year for the Best Actor race, but I would love to see Isaac sneak in.  
 
Someone a little more likely to be nominated is Elordi for his portrayal of The Creature. This performance reminds me of Emma Stone’s in “Poor Things,” if it were much more reserved. Like Stone’s Bella, The Creature is learning all about this new world. While it may appear to those around him that he does not understand the world because he can only use the word “Victor,” the Creature gains lots of knowledge about the world but cannot voice it with the proper communication, which frustrates his Creator, Frankenstein. Elordi’s performance is genuinely engaging, making us all feel the Creature’s curiosity about this new world as well as the devastation, pain, cruelty and rejection he feels for not being able to conform to it promptly.  

del Toro truly directed outstanding performances from these two leads ... but was he successful in creating a new world for us like the ones in the past? It is an unequivocal yes. The production design is stunning with Gothic towers and exquisite Victorian structures that truly transport us into the 1800s. The cinematography is dazzling and the lighting is some of the best I have seen in years. Sometimes, when films tell stories that take place before electricity, the lighting in the rooms can be very dark and difficult to see. They want to create authenticity but don’t do it successfully. The lighting team on this film managed to make lightning strike at the most opportune times, find the right camera angle to enhance the scenes and truly make us feel we were not missing out on anything. The visual effects are also top-tier , and this film should be a major Oscar contender for technical achievements.  
 
The only issue I really had with the film was an attempt at redemption for one of the main characters that fell a little flat. I do not feel the script had truly worked in enough support for the redemption to appear genuine. It felt out of left field and makes us realize that sometimes, there does not have to be redemption for a character. They make their choices, whether good or bad, and must face their fate.  
del Toro’s “Frankenstein” is a visually stunning film that delivers two standout performances and continues del Toro’s streak of successfully transporting us into new and authentic worlds we feel we have never seen before. That is truly the mark of an excellent filmmaker, and why I will always be excited to see his name attached to any work of art in the future.