Whenever I first heard visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro wanted to make a film of Frankenstein, that was nothing short of ideal, right? Given that some of his earlier works, such as Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, featured creatures that allowed his audience to form a strange connection to the misunderstood monsters, it translates here; how could this not work in his favor? Frankenstein was one of my most anticipated films of the fall, especially since it’s been a passion project for the Oscar-winning director for almost two decades. And it had to be seen in theaters rather than waiting to watch it at home on Netflix. But seeing how there’s been countless adaptations of Mary Shelley’s 1818 classic to the big screen (the 1931 version with Boris Karloff, Young Frankenstein), one could only hope this will bring these characters to life we’ve probably never seen before. The results are a retelling of Frankenstein that doesn’t aim to be his next masterpiece anytime soon, but is still a solid, gothic fantasy only he can pull off.

What’s the Story: The ship Horizon becomes trapped in Arctic Ice while on an expedition to the North Pole, and they find an injured Baron Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Issac) and bring him on board. But the crew comes across a Creature (Jacob Elordi) with the ability to regenerate, wanting his creator, Victor. As he tells his story to the Captain (Lars Mikkelsen), Victor grew up to become an arrogant surgeon who has been obsessed with death following his mother’s passing when he was young. In his quest to defeat death and create life with dead human tissue, arms merchant Henrich Herlander (Christoph Waltz) gives him funding at an abandoned tower to conduct his experiments in his laboratory. Putting together pieces of dead bodies of corpses, he brings his creature to life, but soon finds out it’s a discovery he didn’t imagine would turn out.

Those who either know a lot about the novel or are well-versed in del Toro’s filmography might have a feeling about where the Frankenstein movie will lead you when it’s done. This version seems more faithful to Shelley’s work, for better or worse, though it’s all in the skillful world-building that has this stand alongside its better adaptations. The film’s structure was not what I had expected, as it follows the novel. It begins with a prelude and is then split into two parts, focusing on Victor and the Creature. Admittedly, the first half worried me because it had a slower start than I was prepared for, as it delves into Victor’s childhood and his desire to be better than his father (Charles Dance), who failed to save his mother during childbirth. However, the film probably builds momentum from the moment Victor begins creating his monster. And that’s perhaps because it wants to take its time fleshing out its two main characters in their respective journeys.

While this version of Frankenstein can sometimes be on the nose a bout what the real message is of who the “real” monster is, which does make del Toro’s script not stand out at times, it does allow us to step over the shadows of its characters and the unexpected parallels of who we’ve become as humans years later and what it means to feel alive. At one point, it delves into the type of monster movie that’s less scary and more about atmosphere —a similar vibe to Crimson Peak, but better. It can feel emotionally haunting in its thematics, which merge into its effects.

Oscar Isaac brings a lot to his role of Victor Frankenstein. Not everybody will buy him turning into a mad scientist. Still, there’s an unnerving sense to his performance that starts with confidence in this experiment actually working and moves into the insanity that makes him pretty unlikable when dealing with his creature and how he treats it. Issac captured all the characteristics that make Victor an imperfect human. The surprise, from me and probably everyone else, came from Jacob Elordi’s performance as the creature, Frankstenin’s monster. It was a questionable casting choice for him as the monster since Andrew Garfield was initially set to play him, but he’s still one of those actors I can’t get behind. But whether it’s the style of del Toro’s direction or the fantastic makeup effects that make him unrecognizable, Elordi delivers a moving, realistic performance as the film shifts to the present. Starting with a minimal vocabulary — such as saying “Victor” (to the annoyance of Victor himself) — we first see him taking out men on the frozen ship, then discovering this new world before him. The strength of del Toro is making this character more than frightening in his physicality, making him sympathetic once he learns more about himself than just his appearance, and why he’s been brought back to life.

However, the heart of the film lies in the scenes between Isaac and David Bradley’s Blind Man. Their relationship, particularly when the latter takes Isaac in from the farm where he has been hiding and teaches him to read, is the most moving part of the narrative, even when the pace momentarily slows in the latter half. Isaac and Elordi are clearly the focus that we’re meant to remember walking out, but the supporting cast doesn’t have larger roles in the story. While they may not be as important to follow, they serve a purpose, but I wish they had made a greater impact. However, the casting choices for Mia Goth as Elizabeth, Christoph Waltz as Harlander, and Felix Kammerer as Victor’s younger brother William felt off, as I expected them to have more significant roles.

As for everything on the technical side, and the visionary way del Toro planned, it’s always going to be the best, almost flawless qualities that come out of every film of his, reflecting its time period. Aside from some CGI not looking perfect, the detailed production design work from Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau is inspired, especially inside Victor’s laboratory, Dan Laustesen’s beautiful cinematography, Kate Hawley’s costume design (with Goth’s dresses in particular), and perhaps Alexandre Desplat’s best score in years, showing how a del Toro film is memorable in all the right places. By now, it could be the frontrunners to win Makeup and Production Design.

Coming into this from someone who isn’t a purist of the source material but is always fascinated by the concept of these characters and their themes, it’s the best del Toro can accomplish to make his vision come true. It’s definitely one I’m very eager to watch again to see if I get more out of it. But despite receiving $120 million budget, it’s a shame this has a limited theatrical release and is streaming on Netflix when everyone should experience any of his films firsthand on the screen.

All in all, Frankenstein is another masterfully crafted Gothic retelling that delivers on Guillermo del Toro’s style, which never disappoints. Maybe it won’t be remembered as a fan favorite. However, it’s still a fascinating tale that gets better the longer it goes on, with two excellent performances from Oscar Isaac and a transformative turn from Jacob Elordi.

Grade: B