London Film Festival 2025 – Frankenstein ★★★★★

Released: 17 October 2025 (in select cinemas) & 7 November (Netflix) 

Director: Guillermo del Toro 

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Charles Dance, Christoph Waltz, Lauren Collins  

When thinking about iconic literary works that have captured the imagination of filmmakers, few can rival the impact of Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. This timeless tale has solidified itself as a staple of popular culture in the two centuries since its release, inspiring hundreds of adaptations for both the big and small screen. With so many prior adaptations, the prospect of yet another retelling may seem redundant. What could another director bring to this Gothic masterpiece that hasn’t already been explored? Enter Guillermo del Toro, someone who knows plenty about finding the beauty and humanity in beings of the monstrous variety, to reanimate this tale in the most breathtaking and hauntingly beautiful fashion.  

It is 1857, and amidst the freezing cold Arctic, a crew of Danish sailors battle to free their ship from the grip of ice when they find a seriously wounded Victor Frankenstein (Isaac) and bring him aboard, with an ominous hooded figure in relentless pursuit. While aboard the ship, Victor recounts his early life under the stern tutelage of his cold and distant father, Leopold (Charles Dance once again masterfully portraying the stern patriarchal figure), and how he followed in his father’s footsteps into the medical profession. Years later, during a very public display of his work, his peers are scornful and dismissive. Nevertheless, it captures the attention of the wealthy Henrich Harlander (Waltz), who promises Victor the requisite financial backing to continue his research. This culminates in the experiment, which brings the Creature (Elordi) to life. The success and joy with which Victor feels for his groundbreaking creation quickly dissipate, and soon the creator and the creation are on a collision course, with devastating consequences for them both.  

Having been first captivated by the 1931 film as a young boy in Mexico, it is evident that adapting Shelley’s masterpiece has been a long-standing passion project for del Toro. It is easy to see why, because there simply could not be a more perfect combination of source material and director. Del Toro’s screenplay, split into three distinct acts of a prelude, events from Frankenstein’s perspective and from the Creature’s, harbours the utmost reverence for Shelley’s novel, with its themes of the dangers in the pursuit of scientific discovery, and the ostracisation and contempt with which some people have for those who appear to be different than them, more relevant than ever. However, he firmly puts his own unique perspective on the source material, by finding humanity, sympathy and compassion for a creature who did not choose to be brought to life but is forced down a dark and violent path due to the sheer disdain and mistreatment inflicted on him by his creator. 

As the titular mad scientist, Isaac is at his brilliant best in this role, capturing Frankenstein’s extraordinary intellect to make the impossible seem possible. However, beneath that is a dangerous god complex and a hubris that doesn’t usually end well, because as his prospective sister-in-law and Harlander’s niece Elizabeth (an equally excellent Mia Goth), sharply rebukes him: “Only monsters play god.”  Yet, it is Jacob Elordi’s career-best performance as the Creature who carries the heart and soul of the film. Hunted and feared for no other reason than his monstrous appearance, which he had no control over, Elordi imbues the Creature with humanity and compassion. This is perfectly encapsulated in a beautiful relationship that the Creature develops as he finds shelter in the company of a blind man (Bradley). A man who is unperturbed by the Creature’s appearance and understands him for what he is, a fundamentally misunderstood being who has been tormented by the callous treatment he experienced at the hands of his creator, the real monster.  

Such brilliant performances are matched by exquisite craftsmanship from every member of the crew, which is to die for, especially when seen on the big screen. In his fifth collaboration with del Toro, Dan Lausten’s dazzling cinematography captures the gothic atmosphere, while Alexandre Desplat’s score has a whimsical element to it, but fully leans into the more dark and ominous moments when necessary. The production design and the costumes, especially the extravagant and resplendent Victorian gowns, most notably worn by Elizabeth, leap off the screen. 

Having first proposed an adaptation of Frankenstein in 2007, it might have seemed as though del Toro’s chance to bring his incomparable vision to this story could have passed him by. But, like an act of divine intervention such as the lightning strike which gave life to the Creature at the centre of this cautionary tale, the visionary Mexican auteur has crafted something wonderful to behold. The legend of Frankenstein is well and truly ALIVE!