Frankenstein, directed by Guillermo del Toro, is in cinemas now and streams on Netflix from Friday, November 7.
One of the greatest stories ever told is having quite a rebirth. Locally, there has already been the Auckland Theatre Company’s incredible production of Mary: The Birth of Frankenstein. Now, two new Franken-flicks are arriving in quick succession – one taking its cue from Shelley’s original story, the other from old Hollywood. The latter is The Bride! written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley as the monstrous Mister and Missus. It’s due early next year.
But first you can sit back and soak up this splendid rendition of the classic horror, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, a man who has created a few memorable monsters before.
The brain behind Pan’s Labyrinth and Academy Award-winning The Shape of Water plays faithful to the 1818 gothic novel, as Oscar Isaac’s embittered, ambitious doctor creates a monster he ultimately cannot control.
Relayed like a good old-fashioned spooky story, it begins at the end, with Victor Frankenstein telling his tale of woe to Lars Mikkelsen’s incredulous skipper, whose Scandinavian crew have moments earlier saved the doctor from the vengeful hands of an unkillable beast.
Isaac’s stirring narration transports us to the sumptuous childhood home in which little Victor loses his beloved mother in childbirth, despises his unloving father (Charles Dance) and later falls in love with his brother’s fiancée (played by horror heroine regular Mia Goth).
Stricken with grief and determined to prove himself a scientific genius, Victor accepts the patronage of a rich industrialist (Christoph Waltz) and starts on his godless creation, scouring battlefields, morgues and attending public executions in search of the body parts he’ll need. Alexandre Desplat’s cheerful soundtrack makes this a less creepy and more exciting enterprise.
As always, del Toro’s art direction is second to none, delivering a thrilling and utterly transportive cinematic experience as the camera glides across stunning sets and diaphanous costumes, lushly lit in red and gold hues. And what of The Creature? In a bit of bravura casting, del Toro obscures the handsome face of Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi (though not his fine physique, praise be) and despite ugly prosthetics, the up-and-coming Australian actor still turns in a remarkable and devastating performance.
The quasi-romantic scenes between Goth’s compassionate Elizabeth and the mournful monster are truly touching.
For a story so well-trod (and so long at two and a half hours), del Toro’s Frankenstein achieves the extraordinary: a throwback to proper old-school movie-making with unashamed relish and exhilarating flourish.
Rating out of five: ★★★★★
