I was incredibly excited for this adaptation because Frankenstein is one of the best books I've ever read, and Guillermo del Toro has made one of the best movies I've ever watched in Pan's Labyrinth. It seemed like a pairing made in heaven, and I felt I had to drive out to see this in a theater to do it justice instead of waiting for it on Netflix streaming. To say I was incredibly disappointed would be an understatement. First off, this movie is long. It is 2.5 hours, and it feels it. It is split into two halves from two separate perspectives, and both had lots of moments that dragged, though I would say the first half is the one where there is a lot more padding. To be honest, the slowness of the movie almost makes me think that GDT made this movie *for* Netflix, cognizant that there will be a ton of viewers who would be using it as background viewing moreso than actively paying attention. In theaters though, that pacing felt glacial. There are some gorgeous shots as you would expect from the director, but I was honestly disappointed overall with the cinematography. It goes back to the length. The pieces in between gorgeous shots, lush costume/monster design, and great practical effects are littered with really flat, dull imagery. The castle has this Netflix sheen to it, and maybe because I was watching it on a gigantic screen, but it just did not impress me. Again, I feel like GDT made this movie for the streaming platform and not for a cinematic experience. Similarly, the music left me wanting. It takes a much softer, gentler approach with more piano melodies. It pairs with what he is trying to do with the story and the character, but it results in a less dynamic sound. Again, in the theater, it was notable how limp it felt, never rousing, never deeply emotional, never impactful. I could probably forgive a lot of these technical mishaps. I do think directors should be making movies for the big screen even if they are funded by a streamer, but I get that only a handful of people would be watching this outside of Netflix. It has a very limited and short release. The problem is that these issues were only the tip of the iceberg. This is not a faithful adaptation of Frankenstein. It is radically different actually. I am not a book purist, and I am okay with directors taking creative liberties to try and make a story their own. However, those changes need to actually be good and engaging and compelling and entertaining. None of these changes are that. First off, the central core theme of the story is completely lost despite that theme being extremely timely. GDT bookends the movie by trying to emphasize the idea of man pushing too far in the name of progress, but that is not what this movie is really about. It takes a very different approach to the creature and the character of Victor Frankenstein. I get what he was trying to do, but honestly, it's just boring. And overdrawn. The message and idea are fairly clear early on, but the movie keeps trying to illustrate the same point. It doesn't even do a particularly good job at it. Characters treat the Creature based on what the plot needs them to do, not based on some sort of inherent character development. For a story that takes almost 1.5 hours to setup the character of Victor and to a lesser degree Elizabeth, it's crazy how little their characters in the second half are actually extensions of whatever we spent watching for the first half. In going with this approach, GDT also strips out the entire horror and tension from the story. This is not a creature feature or a movie filled with pulse-pounding dread. Again, while that is the movie I was expecting, I might have been okay with it had the changes actually felt deeply thematic, dripping with pathos, or very character-driven. I do not think they were. The real highlight of the movie was Jacob Elordi as the Creature. He did a fantastic job, and alongside some nice set and costume designs, helped salvage a movie that I thought was really weak otherwise. Overall, this was a huge miss for GDT. Some gorgeous shots and strong acting aside, there is a lot I disliked about it. Ironically, I find myself thinking about the theme of the original. A man who thinks he knows better cobbling together an amalgamation of parts, stitching pieces that did not belong together in the original body, just to inject unnatural life into something that has already had its time. At least Victor experienced horror at the shambling monstrosity that he created. GDT could learn a thing or two from that story.

*"There was silence again. And then... merciless life."* I've never really been a fan of the earlier adaptations or the general story of Frankenstein to be honest but this right here is my kind of Frankenstein. Guillermo del Toro was a perfect choice to direct this, he brings this thing to life both visually and emotionally. So glad I got to see this on the big screen, it's a feast for the eyes and ears with the amazing goth set piece craft, the costumes, and the score who's very Frankenstein-ish. The characters are layered and it sure helps that we jump between character pov but I think they could've pushed it a bit more. We get both the Victor and Creature (which I liked a bit more) side of things but it's missing an Elizabeth pov if you ask me. I just didn't quite understand her decision making at times and the character needed a bit more depth. All three are perfectly cast but the highlight for me is Jacob Elordi as The Creature, what a physical performance from head to toe and his eyes bring so much humanity. I can't see anyone else playing the role. It's no surprise since it's del Toro but amazing grotesque practical effects. The first demonstration by Victor had me glued to the screen, what a specimen, it looked so real I want the making of right now. There's a scene with body parts everywhere and it's so carefully crafted I swear I could smell the stench. Then we get to the CGI animals... what the hell were you thinking? It already looks like shit, imagine in 20 years. It has plenty of substance but I wanted the themes to be more ambiguous, they just constantly tell you who the real monster is but just let me figure that out for myself please. A few predictable beats here and there but the character story arcs are satisfactory. The slower pacing in the middle part had me worried but it really picks up in the third act and delivers. Also, this reminded me of *Poor Things* at times, maybe Bella could be Frankenstein's companion in an alternate dimension. Overall a great adaptation and one of my favorites of the year.

Oscar, Jacob, and Mia all equally deserve props for their performances; I was thoroughly engaged. I loved this film and pretty much everything about it…

A familiarity with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein greatly deepens the experience of Guillermo del Toro's adaptation. His film is stunning from a visual perspective. I don't agree with every decision made, and somehow the 150 minute runtime feels more like 190, but it is impossible not to appreciate the talent all over this movie, from top to bottom.

Guillermo del Toro’s _Frankenstein_ is a more faithful adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 edition of _Frankenstein_, one that centres the humanity of The Creature. It starts off with a strong emotion, but stumbles near the end. The film poses an old but still resonant question: if life is created, is it necessarily worth living? The contrast between Victor’s selfish ambition and The Creature’s childlike vulnerability is handled with care. The costume and practical effects are mostly exceptional, though I noticed the dead bodies seemed fake and stitched-together body of The Creature seemed painted. Most of it are well-executed though, such as the scene showing the bullet wounds attempting to regenerate. Christoph Waltz's brief presence adds a lively edge to the story. And del Toro’s use of lighting and colour gives real emotional texture. It evokes the wonder of The Creature’s early encounters with life, and the slow build of rage born from repeated violence and rejection. Where the film falters is in its final 30 minutes. The pacing turns awkward. Characters like Elizabeth made questionable decisions that I wished we had seen more of her that can lead to that decision. Victor and The Creature’s endless chase also seems extremely odd, and sort of clashed with the early portrayal of The Creature as the one hell-bent on revenge. It seemed like after the fine character development for The Creature in-between the first and second half, they rushed it to make the scenes climaxed in the wedding night, which inadvertantly disoriented the timeline and cutting off emotional payoff. The rather-unsatisfying-build-up leads to an ending with strong thematic message yet an execution that lacks a weight. The attempt to humanize The Creature is powerful; but the film shouldn't really need to spell the message out loud throughout the scenes with a line like “you are the monster.” We get it. With Alexandre Desplat’s moody score and del Toro’s unmistakable touch, I wish we had seen more. As I turned off my TV, what lingers is not a mirror to the soul, but a rough, unpolished gem still struggling to reflect its own depth.