Frankenstein

“If death is not to be, then consider this my son, wherever you are alive, what recourse would you have but to live.” A myriad of questions asked about life, about death. Guillermo Del Toro was made to create this movie. I’ve never seen an adaptation of Frankenstein before so this was a pleasant first impression. Everyone is so focused on Jacob Elordi that they forget about Oscar Isaac, he gives all his life energy for this movie as Victor Frankenstein. The madness that he inserts into this madman is so real. But well I guess everyone is correct because Jacob Elordi is the show stealer. From his gestures and movements to his words, he is ‘The Creature’, and to think he was a replacement. He gives life and emotion to a lifeless creature and turns him into human, more than Victor could ever be. And of course the rest of the cast including the talented Mia Goth who has a double performance in this one and plays both of them with so much elegance. And of course Christoph Waltz who is as great as he always is of course. This movie deserves all the flowers it’s getting in the technical aspects. From the beautiful cinematography to the soothing and curious nature of Desplat’s score, this movie has it all. And the practical effects are stunning and so creepy. The makeup on the creature himself is terrifying. There is so much to be said about this movie, the questions and statements made about our very existence are eye opening. A screenplay like this is exactly what we need in these kinds of movies. A screenplay that not only tells a coherent and compelling story with different perspectives, but also one that lingers with the audience for much longer. I love how they switch between Victor’s tale to The Creature’s tale, and how emotional both ones are. It’s hard to handle a switch of perspectives but Del Toro does it so smoothly and the transition is just perfect and completes each other. I can’t believe this movie stayed off my anticipated list but then it became one of the best movies of the year for now at least. Overall, I had to pause a few times and convince myself I was watching a real masterpiece.