WOW. Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein is an absolute masterpiece. From start to finish, this tragic epic sends you on a Gothic, romantic, and revenge fueled ride that quickly became a meditation on forgiveness and reflection. I was able to see this film in a theater, and I couldn't be more honored. This film was born to be seen in theaters. Every shot feels like a painting. Each frame felt as meticulously calculated as an 1800's Tintype. On a technical level, Frankenstein matches the high-level writing and direction. From the practical sets, costuming, use of miniatures, and the flawless visual effects, Guillermo Del Toro and co deliver in spades. At its core, this movie is about life, death, decay, jealousy, and ultimately, love. Frankenstein explores the concept of decay in a really unique way. Existentially, the film asks what happens to the mind body and soul during decay. Does it ache? Can you heal from decay? Can you pass it along to other people? Frankenstein, of course, deals with tragedy, and how that shapes you. For my money, this is easily Jacob Elordi's best performance. Initially I was hesitant when he was cast, but after what I just saw, I have no doubt he will be considered for a lot come awards season. His physicality in this film was not like anything I've seen in a long time. His portrayal of the monster felt grand, and he held his own in a role that was mostly one word and grunts for about half the runtime. As expected, Oscar Issac knocked it out of the park. He's doing all-time great work in this, and I except him to be up for many awards as well. Outside of our main two, this film had a lot of good supporting performances. Mia Goth played her role perfectly and was the moral and thematic compass of the entire film. Christoph Waltz also did a great job. He alongside the rest of the supporting cast, played a vital role in contextualizing our two main characters' journey throughout the movie. Frankenstein was nothing short of a stroke of genius. If you can, do yourself a favor and watch this on the big screen.
