Frankenstein
• Fantasy, HorrorDr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
Thoughts
Frankenstein is pretty enjoyable when taken at face value. It’s a familiar story with a Guillermo del Toro filter applied to it. Dramatic acting, inaccurate but somehow fitting costume designs, and breathtaking scenery highlighted by thoughtful shots. Guillermo del Toro’s direction suits the story quite well. The presentation is often more reminiscent of a theatre play, which I personally loved. The movie had a lot of potential to become gruesome, yet instead it removes focus from unsettling gory visuals by making them very unrealistic. This brings the characters and the plot to the spotlight.
Unfortunately, I felt that it fell short when it came to delivering its core message. The dialogue was a bit too simplistic and many actions were narrated. This is a pattern that I’ve noticed become prevalent in Netflix movies, which are almost expected to be watched while you’re scrolling on your phone. As an active watcher though, it felt pretty dumbed down. Yes, I get it. Viktor was the monster all along. You don’t have to actually say it.
Either way, it was a nice movie for a cozy night at home.