“The world will hunt you and kill you just for being who you are.”
This was my favorite quote from the highly anticipated R-rated “Frankenstein” movie, which debuted in theaters on Aug. 30 and arrived on Netflix on Nov. 7. To me, it captures what this movie is all about: the danger of hope and the need for acceptance in a world where every person is different.
The movie is inspired by Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein novel, published in 1818. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film has received positive reviews so far, with an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The main actors include Jacob Elordi as the Creature and Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein.
In both the book and the movie, Victor Frankenstein, driven by ambition and the pursuit of knowledge, gives life to a creature from human body parts. The story begins years after the creature’s creation, and takes viewers back through the perspective of Victor and the Creature to tell their stories.
The movie is divided into multiple parts, each narrated by different characters. The prelude shows men on a boat near the North Pole finding Victor Frankenstein on the ice and rescuing him while the Creature pursues them. Part two, narrated by Victor, covers his childhood and the experiments that created the creature. Part three, narrated by the Creature, shows their side of the story. Finally, the movie ends in the present moment, with both Victor and the Creature achieving a measure of peace.
One of the movie’s greatest strengths was the acting, especially from Elordi and Isaac. In addition, the incorporation of some of the book’s most powerful quotes in pivotal moments was important for crediting Shelley’s original work while adding meaning to the story.
While the movie has its strengths, it sometimes strays from the book. In the book, Elizabeth, Frankenstein’s lover, is killed by the Creature, but in the film, Victor accidentally shoots her while trying to destroy the Creature. Victor’s best friend in Shelley’s novel, Henry Clerval, an important character, was not included in the film.
I also found it very interesting that the movie portrays Victor more as the villain and the Creature more as the victim, unlike the novel, which shows both characters with good and bad traits. Even more notable is the Creature’s positive and even romantic relationship with Elizabeth.
The ending is perhaps the greatest change from the book, but I thought it was comforting. Unlike in the novel, the Creature forgives Victor after hearing his story and even breaks the ice so the men on the ship can go home.
The film ends with a shot of the Creature staring and walking into the icy expanse under a sunset, suggesting he will continue to feel isolated, no matter who he is or what he does. The conclusion highlights the destructive power that isolation can have on everyone.
Despite gore and significant changes from the novel, I would highly recommend this movie. Behind the excitement and action is a deeper message about the experiences we all share: ambition, isolation, and forgiveness.
