Guillermo del Toro’s New Sci-Fi Horror Wows Critics with Stunning Score

Guillermo del Toro’s new take on Frankenstein has arrived, and critics are talking. The film, written and directed by del Toro, adapts Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel into a gothic sci-fi horror story.

The cast includes Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as the Creature, Mia Goth as Elizabeth Lavenza, Christoph Waltz as Victor’s patron Henrich Harlander, and several other notable actors including Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Charles Dance, and Ralph Ineson.

Frankenstein had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 30. It will have a limited theatrical release on October 17, before streaming globally on Netflix starting November 7.

The story follows Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but arrogant scientist who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment, which ultimately leads to the downfall of both creator and creation.

Critics have praised the film for its visual richness and del Toro’s unique take on the story. Many found it a visually stunning, humanistic rendition of the classic tale.

They appreciated the opulent sets, striking costumes, and the attention to detail that makes the film feel like a part of a disappearing cinematic world. Del Toro’s love for gothic imagery and melodrama is clear, with scenes featuring towering structures, snowy landscapes, and dramatic interiors. Some described the film as loud, bombastic, and fully immersed in the director’s obsessions.

It might be a little dismembered at times but one can’t help but swoon at something as life-affirming as del Toro’s humanistic rendition of Frankenstein.

Connor Lightbody

The kind of opulent filmmaking we need more of, and like del Toro’s version of Frankenstein, feels like part of a disappearing world. One wishes that del Toro got the chance to make his Frankenstein 20 years ago. Maybe then, it would have felt more whole.

Hoai-Tran Bu

Del Toro has written and directed a bombastic but watchable new version of Mary Shelley’s great novel and makes of it a stately melodrama.

Peter Bradshaw

Whatever its flaws, the director has filled Frankenstein with seemingly everything he loves, and it reflects his obsessions. It feels like the work of a true madman.

Bilge Ebiri

Del Toro throws everything he can at the screen. Frankenstein is loud, bombastic, sublime and silly. This is a universe in which towers totter above precipices, cellars drip hollowly and women wear impossible dresses in the snow.

John Bleasdale

The performances were also highlighted by many reviewers. Oscar Isaac’s portrayal of Victor and Jacob Elordi’s Creature were noted for their intensity, while the supporting cast added layers of character to the story.

Critics also admired the musical score, which they said added depth to the visual experience and complemented del Toro’s dramatic style.

However, the movie was not without criticism. Some felt the horror and suspense were missing, leaving the story less frightening than expected. Others thought the film sometimes felt crowded, with too many visual ideas and melodramatic moments that distracted from the main story.

Some critics also said the wide-angle cinematography made scenes feel smaller than intended, and the Creature, while central to the story, was considered underwhelming by some viewers.

There’s no horror or suspense whatsoever, just magical dismemberments under golden hues and glittering harps on the soundtrack. It’s all kind of perverse, and I’m not sure if Mr. del Toro really meant it that way.

Martin Tsai

For all Del Toro’s formal mastery, this Frankenstein is ultimately short of the voltage needed really to bring it to life.

Geoffrey Macnab

Gorgeous as it may be, the entire film feels as if we’re watching through a peephole. Strangely, [Dan] Laustsen’s wide-angle lenses make “Frankenstein” feel smaller, when the point was conceivably to squeeze more image into every frame.

Peter Debruge

The performances are all camp and no soul, the ideas barely there and the centrepiece creature consistently underwhelming.

Kevin Maher

Overall, Frankenstein currently holds a 77% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 22 reviews. While the film may not be perfect, it is clearly a labor of love for del Toro, filled with the gothic, fantastical style he is known for.

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