Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ is visual poetry with Mexican sensitivity

I am what you would call a PG-13 horror fan, and my favorite genre of horror would definitely have to be gothic horror. 

I did not consider myself a horror fan until I went to a horror convention once and I realized I liked some of the films that were featured throughout the event. It suddenly dawned on me that there might be a few horror films that I do enjoy watching. 

I do not enjoy slasher films, except maybe a few like “Scream,” but I do not enjoy large amounts of gore. To me, the horror aspect needs to be subtle, dressed in Victorian garments and hats. 

“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” is one of my favorite gothic horror films, and so is “The Crow,” which to some may not be considered horror. I love that “Nosferatu” was just released in late 2024 and we now have two great gothic horror films back to back.  

That’s why when I realized Mexican director Guillermo del Toro released “Frankenstein,” I searched for a theater near me to go see the film. I found one about 22 miles away. 

I know it is now streaming on Netflix, but I’m so glad I got to see Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” on a bigger screen, because it is such a visual treat. 

If Del Toro knows how to do anything, it’s to play with color in such a way that Mia Goth’s dresses come alive on screen. 

Brazilian actress Goth plays Elizabeth and Claire in the film. As Claire she is shown in a vibrant red dress with a flowing scarf. The color red continues into the film as a narrative representing blood and rage. 

As Elizabeth, Goth radiates in malachite green, resembling the bugs she loves to study and paint. 

Is Del Toro’s film a faithful adaptation of Mary Shelley’s book? It is not, but he has been very clear that this is his version of the story, which he has dreamt of doing since he was a child. He has certainly made a film that continues the discourse that Shelley would have been delighted to know still exists because of her work. 

Most people familiar with the story are already aware that Victor Frankenstein is the true monster, and it is such a tragedy that the Creature never gets its own name, so he is known as Frankenstein in popular culture. 

And what a tragic, sweet creature Del Toro creates. Jacob Elordi’s imposing stature contrasts deeply with the endearing nature of the Creature, someone who longs to find connection in this cruel world. Elordi’s performance is impressive, exhibiting both innocence and rage with ease. 

Latino actor Oscar Isaac has played a villain creator before in “Ex Machina.” And he does a great job in “Frankenstein” as well. In fact, I would say he has truly perfected the villainous nature. 

The set design is also a visual feast. In the building where Victor works on his ‘unholy’ project, from the machinery to the underground where he keeps the creature, there are circles and circular designs that envelop the story in a round cycle of life and death. 

The cinematography is superb in every way, transporting the viewer into the gothic world of Victor Frankenstein and The Creature, with a Mexican sensitivity. 

It is a world that Isaac recognized as “an emotional Mexican melodrama,” as he told GQ. “This is a very European story told in an extremely Latin point of view. At one point I was like, ‘That is a lot, man. Is this too much?’ and [Del Toro] is like, ‘Look, cabrón, it is not an accident that my Victor’s real name is Oscar Isaac Hernández [Estrada].’”

Del Toro knows how to infuse a universal story about monsters with a Mexican touch. It is one of his most important contributions to cinema.