By Sophia Aurang
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein was released this October as one of the most anticipated movies of the year. The movie became available in select theaters on October 17th and will release on Netflix on November 7th. The big three of the movie, Victor Frankenstein, the Creature, and Elizabeth Lavenza, are played by well‑renowned actors Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Mia Goth respectively. In this addition to del Toro’s collection of monster movies, the story reimagines the classic tale of Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley. It opens in the Arctic where a battered and bruised Victor Frankenstein is found by a stranded ship’s crew, all whilst the Creature is on Victor’s tail. To explain how he ended up in his situation, Victor sums up his entire life’s story up until then. His loving mother died when he was young, his father abused him into being all‑knowing, and as a result, Victor spent his school years trying to defy death. Unlimited funding for his endeavors fall into his hands and eventually the Creature is created. Initially, Victor is infatuated with his creation. When Victor realizes the Creature is not as intelligent as he thought, he abandons the Creature. The movie returns to the ship where the Creature catches up to Victor and bursts in. From there, we see the Creature’s perspective as he yearns and learns to become human after his abandonment. The Creature and Victor piece together their stories, concluding a sad yet beautiful cautionary tale about the dangers of playing God. Some critics complain the movie strays too far from Shelley’s novel, yet other critics praise the director’s creative spin on the original story. The intricate costume designs, beautiful sets, and notable musical score are all deserving of much applause as well. While, yes, there are an abundance of discrepancies between the book and the movie, the nature of the film was the same and just as profound.
Photo Provided By: The Cinematropolis