“Frankenstein” has been adapted many times over the years, from the 1931 version with Boris Karloff’s creature to today’s new modern retellings. With the new release of Guillermo del Toro’s movie adaptation of “Frankenstein”, del Toro blends gothic horror with emotional aspects in ways that feel modern and relatable. He retells “Frankenstein” in a way that is more personal, and instead of it ending in a bleak manner similar to the original book by Mary Shelley, it ends on a more optimistic note. With its moody atmosphere, visuals and intense character portrayals, many walk away with strong and insightful opinions.

Many initial reactions to the film were of the movie’s gloomy and dark mood, but also had promising moments. The movie was more emotionally impacting to the audience than expected, and appreciated Del Toro’s take on the trope of “Frankenstein”.

“I thought that it had a dark and gloomy atmosphere and it focused on the death and the morbid topics of [the] original “Frankenstein,” Andrea Zombrano (12) said. “But it was also able to capture hopeful moments and the good in the story to balance out the darkness with vivid colors and moments.”

The movie’s bleak, yet striking visuals contributed to the movie’s reception. This, along with the props, effects and craftsmanship behind the scenes made the audience feel drawn into the story. The attention to detail added another level of richness, making the characters’ experiences and the setting feel more real.

“One of the things was what I learned about afterwards was that the vast majority of all the effects and prosthetics and props were all practical…and I think that’s something that’s really impressive,” Annelise Shook (11) said. “Especially for the huge sets like the ship and the laboratory… that’s something cool to think about, because it took a lot of work to make all of those props and it really adds to the authenticity of the acting when they can interact with real objects instead of holding a green ball and it later turns into something else.”

Character portrayal and acting played a significant role in the new adaption. Some characters were given expanded roles, which supported Del Toro’s overall vision for the story.

“I thought it was interesting how extravagant and different Elizabeth’s dresses were … it was an interesting way to portray her character, because there was a lot that changed about her from the original story to the movie and mainly her having more of a role on her own,” Shook said. “And I think these extravagant outfits are a way to visually show her independence.”

These changes and their performances influenced how audiences connected with the characters which added to the emotional themes of the film. 

“Elizabeth [stood out to me most in the film]. I think [Elizabeth] was portraying herself more in a motherly way than anything. I think she saw the monster more as a child, because it can’t talk [and] it can’t think. [The monster] likes flowers. I think she talked to it like it was a child too,” Avis Suriyan (11) said. “I think this is about parental relationships and how it can affect future generations and how you think you’re not going to end up like your father, but you do. Victor absolutely hated his dad for what he did but he turned around and acted just like his dad after he created the monster. So it was a continuous cycle of trauma and abuse that happens when you don’t fully heal.”

On the topic of the careful attention to detail Del Toro dedicated, students reflected on how these visual and atmospheric details contributed to some of the themes in “Frankenstein”. 

“I thought that the dark and gloomy visuals gave the movie the appearances it needed to convey the message and themes it was telling,” Zombrano said. “It really adds onto the gothic vibe that “Frankenstein” is just as a novel, like what Mary Shelley intended it to be. I think visually and as a movie, that dark vibe and themes of the macabre and whatnot were captured really well as well like the themes of death and unnaturalness.”

Many scenes in the film had importance to the story, be it emotionally, context, the light goes on. Some students believe some specific moments were important to the story and greater understanding of the film.

“When the monster crashes the wedding and he’s talking to Victor, he doesn’t go ‘I want a wife.’ He goes, ‘I want a companion.’ And Victor assumes he wants a wife and assumes he wants to procreate. We don’t even know if the monster knows what that means….He doesn’t say ‘wife’, he doesn’t say ‘women…,” Suriyan said. “When Victor is setting fire [to the home], [the monster] keeps saying ‘Victor, Victor, Victor,’ and then finally when Victor leaves, he says, ‘Elizabeth.’ I don’t think it was to [anger] Victor in any way…. He says her name because that’s the only other name he knows and he’s desperate…I think he just wants a friend.”

It could be argued that one of Del Toro’s intentions in making this film was to let the audience reflect on its themes of loneliness, abandonment, generational trauma and more. These topics touch on issues or ideas either discussed in real life or on social media, that feel relevant to students today.

“I guess many students feel like they don’t fit in with others like how the monster was never welcomed and always hunted down,” Zombrano said. “I think [not fitting in] is a pretty universal feeling, especially in a school setting where it can be hard sometimes to make friends.”

With the release of the new movie, there is bound to be online discussion about it. Students reflect on both the positive and negative discourse they’ve seen.

“I have seen some online discourse about the film,” Zombrano said. “Some of it is surprisingly critical of how the story was, especially how the monster was portrayed. A lot of people criticize the actor Jacob Elordi and the cast. But I’ve also seen a lot of good comments on it…But I did see some people saying the movie was just too black and white and there was not enough moral ambiguity.”