Guillermo del Toro has finally delivered the film he spent nearly two decades dreaming about and the result is being hailed as one of the defining movies of 2025. His adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein is now streaming on Netflix and debuted earlier this year at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. The film has already been named one of the Top 10 Films of 2025 by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute, and it received five Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama.

The film follows Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious and arrogant scientist who becomes consumed by his quest to conquer death. His groundbreaking experiment succeeds, but at a devastating cost. The life he creates is rejected by society and abandoned by its maker, setting off a tragic chain of events that forces Victor to confront the moral consequences of playing god.

Del Toro has spoken openly for years about his desire to bring a faithful, emotionally rich version of Frankenstein to the screen. First discussed publicly in the mid-2000s, the project was once housed at Universal Pictures before being quietly shelved during the studio’s push to launch its Dark Universe franchise.

Netflix ultimately revived the film in 2023, giving del Toro the creative freedom to fully realise his vision, one he describes not as a traditional horror movie, but as a tragic, operatic story about creation, ego, and responsibility. Drawing inspiration from John Milton’s Paradise Lost and the late Bernie Wrightson’s legendary illustrations, del Toro’s Frankenstein leans heavily into emotion, beauty, and sorrow.

Oscar Isaac leads the film as Victor Frankenstein, portraying the scientist as brilliant, obsessive, and deeply flawed. Opposite him is Jacob Elordi as the Creature, delivering a performance that emphasises vulnerability and intelligence rather than pure menace.

The supporting cast is equally impressive, featuring Mia Goth in dual roles, Christoph Waltz as Heinrich Harlander, and acclaimed veterans Charles Dance and David Bradley, the latter playing the Blind Man, one of the novel’s most poignant figures.

The Chief film critic at The Independent, Clarisse Loughrey, crowned it as number 1 in her list of 15 best films of 2025, and said the film was “already embroidered onto [her] heart.”

She wrote: “Guillermo del Toro, our father of monsters, is one of the closest figures we have today to Shelley, Bryon, and the whole Romantic set of the early 19th century. 

“Frankenstein is his passion project, his life’s ambition. He’s described Shelley’s novel as essentially “his Bible”. And with his adaptation, he doesn’t speak for Shelley, but more directly communes with her. It’s not just a translation. It’s a dialogue.”

One viewer wrote about the film on Rotten Tomatoes: “Frankenstein 2025, a modern reimagining of a timeless classic, completely exceeded my expectations. This cinematic masterpiece easily earns a five-star rating from me.”

Someone else said: “This is what a movie should be. The story and the acting worked hand and hand and delivered me a gut-wrenching, tear making masterpiece. One of my favorite movies of all time which says a lot because I’ve seen many movies.”

Another person added: “Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is a visually stunning, emotionally charged masterpiece that reimagines Marry Shelly’s classic tale with unique blend of gothic horror and romanticism.

“The film boasts an impressive cast, including Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as The Greature, who deliver standout performance. Overall, Frankenstein is a must see for fans of del Toro, horror, and classic literature. It’s a beautifully crafted film that will leave you pondering”