Guillermo del Toro’s long-gestating Frankenstein arrives as a period adaptation wired to modern anxieties, casting Jacob Elordi’s striking Creature opposite Oscar Isaac’s egomaniacal Victor and Christoph Waltz’s deep-pocketed enabler. Set in 1850s Europe, the film mirrors Silicon Valley hubris, retaining Mary Shelley’s structure while making Victor fully culpable. Del Toro revels in visceral, kinetic craft—boosted by Dan Laustsen’s images, Tamara Deverell’s design, Kate Hawley’s costumes and Alexandre Desplat’s score—despite a few missteps, including silly digital wolves and stiff lines. The verdict here: it’s the best movie of his career.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.