The Mosley Review: Frankenstein
Perhaps the most durable and reinterpreted novel of all time is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Many artisans have crafted adaptations that range from the more action oriented, modern quirkie love stories, dark comedy or even parodies. All have their places in history, but one adaptation keeps being brought up in conversation as the best and that is Kenneth Branagh's 1994 film adaptation. I myself have not seen that film nor have I read the original 1818 novel for which I must do both some day. From what I understand from all the permutations and re-imaginings of the legendary tale, is the core theme of life and death and all that comes between the two. The themes of discovery and damnation that comes with the idea of becoming a god amongst men and perhaps creating one in the process. The inherent sadness that is born when you are cursed to live alone as what most would consider to be an abomination. There is horror there but where there is horror, there is beauty. Many storytellers have either glossed over those themes, but true artisans have captured the soul of them and delivered a version of the famous story that will stand the test of time. This film is the latter. It shall be remembered as one of the best adaptations by one of our generations greatest storytellers.
Oscar Issac delivers a passionate, calculating and cold hearted performance as the brilliant scientist Victor Frankenstein. We get to explore his childhood through the excellent performance of Christian Convery as young Victor and that truly informs what kind of man he becomes. The trauma surrounding the lose of his mother and his incessant obsession with conquering death through science was fascinating to watch. I loved that as his experiments continued, you start to see his humanity become even more stripped away. Perhaps for a moment, you get a glimpse at what kind of man he could've been when he tries to experience love. It becomes all the more heartbreaking once you see his true passion consume him. Christoph Waltz is always fantastic and as Victor's benefactor, Henrich Harlander, he shares the same passion for conquering death through the power of science. His reasoning may be more personal, but the chemistry between them was powerful and fun. Felix Kammerer was great as Victor's younger brother, William Frankenstein. His innocence and genuine love for his brother was great and painful to watch. He truly tries to understand Victor and wants good things for him, but even he realizes that he is being used by him and there is a darkness to Victor's soul. Mia Goth was exceptional as Henrich's niece and William's fiance, Lady Elizabeth Harlander. She had an otherworldly aura to her as she was much like Victor in the fascination with life forms, but she had more empathy. She could see the beauty in nature and the truth in a person's intentions. There is chemistry between her and Victor, but it thankfully doesn't go where you think. Now the real showstopping performance of the film and perhaps the most difficult one was Jacob Elordi as The Creature. Jacob captures the beauty, innocence and gentle soul of the character as he learns the harsh truth of the world. I loved the physicality of his performance as he took things slow and had so much compassion behind his eyes. The sweetest moments were between The Creature and Elizabeth as she could see the man behind the scars. The yin and yang effect between him and Victor was fascinating to explore as The Creature became more human as Victor became more of the monster. Everytime the Creature would rage out, it was in defense of others and I loved that.
The score by the amazing composer Alexandre Desplat was magical and appropriately gothic. There is so much heart in this film and Alexandre's score brings that out in the most powerful ways. From the building of the devices to the birth The Creature and to his first conversation with Victor, it was absolutely stunning. This film, like all of the director's past works, was gorgeous. The trademark cinematography and color palette is on full display with the deep reds, soft ambers and oily greens make every shot and practical set truly pop. I always love that this filmmakers stories always feature practical sets that are used to their fullest atmospheric potential. Writer and Director Guillermo Del Toro has and will always be one of my favorite filmmakers and this was yet another amazing tale that you can see his personality and passion for storytelling in every frame. This was a masterclass in filmmaking that should not be missed. My only regret was watching this at home on Netflix and not on the biggest screen possible. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
