Frankenstein (2025)

Frankenstein (2025) was way better than I expected. I wasn’t too impressed with the trailer I saw – it seemed too stylish, too beautiful, and I wasn’t very sure about the casting. Both Oscar Isaac (Frankenstein) and Jacob Elordi (the monster) seem to be cast in every other movie these days.

But it was a cold Friday evening, so we all settled in with a whisky (amazing how quickly I have got used to and loving Scotch on the rocks after coming to the UK), and watched it. And it was amazing! For once, everyone in the family loved it universally (very rare in our house).

When it comes to the original Frankenstein novel, I recall reading and loving it as a teenager, but I don’t remember any of the movie adaptations. I can only vaguely recall a black and white movie where the monster was just too monstrous, and the special effects were laughable.

The 2025 version, however, does not suffer from any of those issues. The movie is beautifully shot and visually stunning. I loved the costumes and make-up, especially on Mia Goth. She looks like a painting!

I really also liked the background of Frankenstein being developed – being an unloved child to a cold father, and how he ends up re-creating the same trauma for his monstrous creation. It just felt like a very modern treatment of an age-old story.

The acting is also top-notch. All the actors just hit it out of the ballpark. Jacob Elordi makes a fantastic monster, using his height to great advantage, but also brings out his vulnerability and loneliness, and longing to belong. There were some scenes with him and a rat, and I was expecting something grotesque like him eating the rat or something, but it was beautiful and tender.

The final confrontation between Frankenstein and the monster was also unexpectedly tender.

Overall, fantastic movie. I went in for the horror, but ended up really appreciating it as a much more universal story of the human condition.