Gollum exhibits a clear-cut jawline

Guillermo del Toro's latest film, Frankenstein, is set to premiere on Netflix on November 7, 2025, and it's already creating a buzz among cinephiles. The film, which was warmly received by the press at the Venice Film Festival, is a baroque melodrama that steers away from typical horror tropes, instead focusing on solitude, regret, and a unique father-son dynamic.

The film follows the story of Victor Frankenstein, played by Oscar Isaac, who is found injured by sailors on a dogsled, having been injured by a mysterious "monster." This monster, with superhuman strength, is portrayed by Jacob Elordi, who was the main attraction for many in the crowd. The creature, described as "cute" and "handsome," narrates his own version of the story in a Yorkshire accent.

Jacob Elordi's interpretation of the creature has been compared to a variety of characters, including a luchador, Gollum, Vision from Marvel films, a member of the Blue Man Group, Mel Gibson in Braveheart, and the amphibian from The Shape of Water. The creature, who kills six crew members, is on a quest to find a companion, preferably with the features of Mia Goth.

The film explores the tense relationship between the creator and his creation, delving into the resentment stemming from tales of impossible loves. Frankenstein is not just a retelling of the classic story; it also integrates the plot of Bride of Frankenstein.

Oscar Isaac delivers an excellent performance, holding together the verbose 2.5-hour film with its tiresome narrative devices. The film's story follows the structure of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus.

The film is highly anticipated, not just for its unique take on a classic story, but also for its gory surgery-slaughter scenes. With sounds of sawed bones and eviscerated bodies, Frankenstein is quite graphic in its depiction of violence.

Frankenstein is produced by Netflix and has a budget of $120 million. It will be released in theaters on October 17 and will be available on Netflix on November 7. The film is being showcased at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, and the crowd outside the Palazzo Del Casino was mostly women, waiting for a press conference.

Del Toro's Frankenstein is a summing-up film for him, representing everything he has done and learned since his first feature film Cronos. It's a touching family story about solitude and regret, a departure from the horror genre that del Toro is known for, but a testament to his versatility as a filmmaker.