Following its limited theatrical release in October, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” arrives on Netflix Nov. 7. The $120 million adaptation of Mary Shelley’s iconic novel is being praised for its craftsmanship, from stunning gothic visuals to emotional storytelling.
“Frankenstein” follows scientist Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) as he brings to life his monstrous creation (Jacob Elordi), a story that according to the film’s synopsis, “ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.” With an 85% critic rating and a 95% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film continues to gain praise since its original debut on Aug. 30 at the Venice International Film Festival.
“Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ is a breathtaking coup, an exhilarating riposte to the conventional wisdom about dream projects. The writer-director makes something almost new, and definitely rich and strange, out of a story we all thought we knew well,” said American film critic Robert Ebert.
People who have yet to see the film have also praised del Toro for taking on this adaptation.
“While I haven’t seen it yet, it’s great to see such a creative and visionary director like del Toro give his own spin on a classic story like Frankenstein,” said vice president of the university’s Cinephile Collective club, Sean Green. “While others might think of it as an unnecessary remake, I’ve seen that del Toro only takes on projects that he’s truly passionate about and does everything he can to get them made.”
Others agreed.
“Visually—based on the trailer—the film appears to be what one would expect from del Toro: masterfully staged and visually stunning,” said university professor Paul Falcone.
To del Toro, the film was a lifelong passion project. In an interview with Variety, he said, “It took 30 years. It’s a movie I wanted to make before I even had a camera,” he said. “It’s been my Mount Everest to climb.”
While doing interviews about his film, del Toro has also spoken out against the usage of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in film.
“AI, particularly generative AI — I am not interested, nor will I ever be interested,” he said. “I’m 61, and I hope to be able to remain uninterested in using it at all until I croak. … The other day, somebody wrote me an email, said, ‘What is your stance on AI?’ And my answer was very short. I said, ‘I’d rather die,’” del Toro said in an interview with NPR.
His comments ignited the discussions surrounding the use of AI in film.
“Because of his drive for passion projects, it made me happy to see a titan of the industry like him take such a definitive stand against use of AI in film,” Green said. “As someone just getting their foot in the door, I’ve already seen how AI has damaged the industry and will continue to take jobs. Honestly, I’m very worried about AI, but I find del Toro’s commitment to human artistry genuinely inspiring.”
As a professor in the film and media studies department, Falcone said,
“Many of my students, young filmmakers themselves, also reject the use of generative AI in their work.”
“I believe this is a natural reaction to the fear of being replaced,” he said. “However, AI is here now and here to stay, and filmmakers—as well as the broader film industry—will inevitably find ways to incorporate it into their creative processes just as we have in our film curriculum.”
